thick, chewy granola bars

These are excellent! I usually can't wait for them to cool before I start picking, and picking, and picking. I do leave out the vanilla now (as I agree with Deb that I didn't detect any difference with or without), and I usually sweeten with honey. Some of my favorite combo's have been almond butter and dried blueberries or cherries, walnut butter with cranberries or peanut butter with dried strawberries or blueberries. I also tend to go with the lower sugar amount (1/2 cup).

These are delicious, but they taste so good and rich that they cross the line from granola bar to cookie. I like that the recipe can take a higher proportion of mix-ins than other granola bar recipes I've tried.