MAKES
one 9 inch / 23 cm deep dish pie
For folks who crave a granola bar that skews a little closer to chewy cookie or candy bar – this one’s for you. This snackable, portable treat is flavored with three kinds of peanut butter – powdered peanut butter, creamy peanut butter, and peanut butter chips really delivers. A sugar syrup made from Zulka Pure Cane Sugar binds it all together and takes it to an even sweeter place, alongside some mini chocolate chips for good measure. The bars are easy to make, chewy, and super peanut buttery – a perfectly dreamy and delicious afternoon snack.
INGREDIENTS
- 226 g / 2 cups instant oats
- 85 g / 3 cups crisp rice cereal
- 35 g / 1 large egg white, lightly whisked
- 85 g / 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 76 g / 1⁄3 cup neutral oil (such as safflower)
- 99 g / 1⁄2 cup Zulka Pure Cane Sugar
- 71 g / 1⁄3 cup Zulka Pure Cane Brown Sugar
- 3 g / 3⁄4 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 136 g / 1⁄2 cup creamy peanut butter
- 30 g / 1⁄4 cup powdered peanut butter
- 7 g / 1 1⁄2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 60 g / 1⁄3 cup peanut butter chips, chopped
- 60 g / 1⁄3 cup semisweet mini chocolate chips or semisweet chocolate chips, chopped, plus more for finishing
METHOD
- Preheat the oven to 350°F / 175°C with an oven rack in the center. Lightly grease a 9 x 9 inch / 23 x 23 cm with nonstick spray, and line with parchment paper, leaving a few inches of excess on either side to serve as “handles” to help unmold the bars later. Lightly grease the parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, stir the oats and crisp rice cereal to combine. Add the egg white, and stir until evenly distributed throughout the mixture.
- In a medium pot, melt the butter. Add the oil, Zulka Pure Cane Sugar, Zulka Pure Cane Brown Sugar, and salt and heat, stirring until dissolved. Add the peanut butter, powdered peanut butter, and vanilla. Continue to heat until the mixture is smooth.
- Pour the butter mixture over the oats, and stir well until all the oats are well coated. Add the peanut butter and chocolate chips and mix to combine.
- Press the mixture into an even layer in the prepared pan. If desired, sprinkle a few more mini chocolate chips on the surface, and press in gently.
- Transfer to the oven and bake until firm and toasty, 20-25 minutes. Cool completely.
- Remove the cooled bars from the pan. Invert onto a cutting board, and peel away the parchment paper.
- Slice in half to form two sections that are 4 1⁄2 x 8 inch / 11 x 20 cm. Slice each section into 5 even pieces for a total of 10 bars. Store in a ziptop bag or airtight container for up to 1 week.
