I'm always impressed with working moms who make nutritious snacks for their kids. I love Jennifer Garner, and when I heard about her granola bars, I had to check them out!
Jennifer Garner is hardworking mama, but still makes time to post her Pretend Cooking Show on Facebook and share some of her delish recipes with us. I also want to be an awesome mom who can juggle work, school drop-off anddomestic bliss in the kitchen.
With a preschooler in the house, my husband and I are often juggling work and life and taking snacks on the go, so trying Jennifer’s granola bar recipe was a no-brainer.
How to Make Jennifer Garner’s Granola Bars
Though a naysayer told me it would be cheaper to buy granola bars at the store, I scored all of the ingredients at Aldi—and I picked up enough for several batches! (Check out the 12 things you should only buy at Aldi.)
Ingredients
2 cups oats
1 cup unsweetened coconut
1/2 cup wheat germ
1/2 cup sunflower seeds
1/4 cup ground flaxseed
2 tbsp butter
1/2 cup honey
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla
Getting started
The only change I made to the recipe was to add chocolate chips. I contemplated adding nuts, but in retrospect, I’m glad I stuck to my plan. (We are chocolate junkies in my house and I thought this was good alternative for the chocolate chip cookies my daughter has me make every week!)
Following the directions Jennifer shared on Facebook, I preheated my oven to 300ºF. Then I combined the dry ingredients up through the flaxseed all together in a large bowl. I set that aside, and in a saucepan, I melted the butter, honey, brown sugar, salt and vanilla. Next up—I mixed all the ingredients together, lined a 9×9 pan with parchment paper and packed everything in there.
Baking the bars
I put the pan in the oven for 10 minutes, then took it out, packed the bars down again and baked for another 10 minutes. Yum! Just let ’em cool and they’re ready. You can melt some chocolate with a spoonful of coconut oil or Crisco over a double boiler and drizzle that over the bars, too.
I followed the recipe exactly, but the outside bars didn’t hold as well as I had hoped. (I’m pretty sure I just didn’t pack them tight enough.) However, this “failure” has proven to be one of my greatest kitchen triumphs because…the granola is AMAZING mixed with yogurt or homemade vanilla ice cream. The inside pieces are perfectly packed and I’m not ashamed to say that I’m enjoying one of my granola bars while I type this!
Honestly, this is the best granola I’ve ever tasted and I plan to keep making it moving forward as granola for my yogurt and in bars for my family. A big thank you to Jennifer Garner for passing this recipe on!
To make a dairy-free dessert, I created chocolate peanutty bars. My kids and their friends gobble them up. I've written about it on my blog, joyfulscribblings.com. —Dawn Pasco, Overland Park, Kansas Get Recipe
A friend shared with me this fresh take on traditional crispy treats. My husband loves them, and I feel so efficient with their quick prep time. —Anne Powers, Munford, Alabama
There's sweetness from the honey, chewiness from the raisins, hints of chocolate and cinnamon, and a bit of crunch. To save a few for later, wrap individual bars and place in a resealable freezer container. When you want a satisfying treat on short notice, just grab one and let it thaw for a few minutes. —Tasha Lehman, Williston, Vermont
This chunky, chewy malted milk chocolate bar is a feast for your eyes. Malted milk flavor fills this bar from top to bottom. —Taste of Home Test Kitchen
These chewy peanut butter chocolate bars are the perfect no-fuss contribution to a potluck or bake sale. I've discovered the trick is to get them into the refrigerator to set up before they disappear! —Lorri Speer, Centralia, Washington
We pull out all the goodies for these chewy bars, like raisins and coconut. For more color, sprinkle on the M&M's once the bars are in the pan. Then press them in. —Connie Craig, Lakewood, Washington
I combined the perfect, simple summer snack with my favorite brownie recipe to get a treat that's sure to wow at your next big party. —Judy Cunningham, Max, North Dakota
My twist on rice crispy bars includes crunchy crushed pretzels. Then I top them with a creamy peanut butter coating and rich chocolate topping. Garnished with peanuts and even more pretzels, I don’t think I'd ever go back to plain old bars again. —Sherri Melotik, Oak Creek, Wisconsin
I often make a big batch of these peanut butter-flavored cereal bars on days that I don't want to heat up the kitchen. Kids especially love them, so they're great for picnics, potlucks and school bake sales. —Jane Thompson, Eureka, Illinois
This energy bar recipe is quick to make and easy to store. My husband and I put these homemade granola bars in our lunch, but they're also a nice portable breakfast or snack. —Sharon Rast, Show Low, Arizona
The addition of dulce de leche makes this a decadent new take on traditional seven-layer bars. You can cut this recipe in half and make it in an 8x8-in. pan. —Andrea Barlow, Hot Springs, Arkansas
The first time I took these brownies to work, I knew I'd better start making copies of the recipe—they disappeared fast! My husband and kids gobble them up quickly, too. —Pat Mueller, Mitchell, South Dakota
I combined a couple of recipes to create these crunchy, chocolaty peanut butter marshmallow bars that burst with flavor. The bars could also pass for fudge! —Dawn Lowenstein, Huntingdon Valley, Pennsylvania
Kids will love these colorful, crunchy bars. They’re a fun twist on the traditional marshmallow crispy treats…and because they’re so easy, older kids could whip up a batch on their own! —Christie Porter, Shipshewana, Indiana
One night my husband had some friends over to play poker and he requested these s'mores bars. They polished off the pan and asked for more! I shared the recipe, and now their families make them, too. —Rebecca Shipp, Beebe, Arkansas
Folks will think you slaved away on these fast and fudgy treats. People often request the recipe and are surprised to find out how easy they are to make. Even kids can make 'em! —Karen Speidel, Wheeling, Illinois
A fun snack mix pressed into chewy bars, this treat is popular with kids of all ages. Someone is always asking me for this quick and easy recipe. —Lisa Byler, Millersburg, Indiana
My aunt always brought s’mores-style bars to our family's summer cottage. Plain or frosted, they’re perfect for eating on the run. —Betsy King, Duluth, Minnesota
Crispy rice treats were one of the first recipes I ever made as a kid. For this version, I wanted to make something similar but more special. Friends and family think using Cap'n Crunch and browned butter is genius, but I just call them delicious.—Kelly Krauss, Lebanon, New Jersey
Dr. Julia Porter began her career as a high school English teacher in Brooklyn, NY and has taught college courses since 2008. Her personal interests include reading, writing, traveling and experiencing new cultures. She lives in Indiana with her husband, daughter and a rambunctious Australian Shepherd.