Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Granola Bars

I made these a year ago and they have been in the back of my head ever since.  I think they are probably the easiest granola bars I have ever found online, and they taste amazing! I got the recipe off of sweetpeaskitchen.com.  I omitted the cranberries and I used mixed berry applesauce as we didn’t have normal applesauce. They taste great anyways. (: We have found these bars are the perfect way to start a morning. To make it easier, I make them the night before so I just have to set them out.

Here is the link and the recipe below: http://sweetpeaskitchen.com/2011/01/pumpkin-cranberry-chocolate-chip-granola-bars/ .

Pumpkin Cranberry Chocolate Chip Granola Bars

Ingredients:

3 1/4 cups old fashioned oats

1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup light brown sugar

1/2 cup pumpkin puree

1/4 cup applesauce

1/4 cup honey

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

3/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

1/4 cup dried cranberries

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray the bottom and sides of a 8-by-8-inch baking pan. Put a long piece of parchment paper in the bottom of the pan, letting the parchment extend up two sides of the pan and overhang slightly on both ends. In a large bowl, combine oats, spices, and salt together. Set aside. In a medium bowl, whisk together brown sugar, pumpkin, applesauce, honey, and vanilla extract. Pour mixture over oats and stir well, until combined. Stir in chocolate chips and cranberries. Place the mixture into the prepared pan. Using a small piece of parchment paper, press mixture evenly into pan. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from oven and let cool on a wire rack for 5 minutes. Remove from pan and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely, then cut into squares and serve.

Source: adapted from Two Peas and Their Pod

Enjoy!

~Kloe Sundberg ♫♪

Read more at http://sweetpeaskitchen.com/2011/01/pumpkin-cranberry-chocolate-chip-granola-bars/#beWU4wt6FMDzduBF.99