A few weeks ago, my neighbor texted me to see if I needed anything from the specialty health foods grocery store across town. She explained how her three-year-old daughter refused to eat almost anything except chocolate, so she was headed over there to pick up groceries to make a new chocolate snack recipe she found online.
Later that afternoon, she texted me an update: her daughter liked the first bite! Yet after she saw her parents’ jubilant excitement over her verdict… She immediately turned her smile upside down and refused to eat any more.
Oops.
So to help my neighbors, I started brainstorming chocolate recipe ideas. According to them, the breakfasts or snacks needed to be pure chocolate… Otherwise, their daughter simply picked out the chocolate chips and left the rest of the plain muffin, scone, or snack cake completely untouched.
Last weekend, I tested out the first idea that popped into my head and walked down the street carrying a paper plate covered with chocolate snack squares. As soon as she saw me, the little girl asked her standard question. “Do you have chocolate?”
I laughed and showed her the plate. “I want to try one!” she exclaimed while reaching for a piece. As she chewed, her mom asked if she liked the snack… And she nodded and finished the next few bites too!
Her mom carried the plate inside, and I promised to send along the recipe. I continued to chat with her parents for another 15 or 20 minutes as they kept a watchful eye on their daughter riding her little scooter and bicycle up and down our deserted street.
At that point, the little girl insisted on going inside. We assumed she needed to use the restroom, so I helped her unbuckle her bicycle helmet and waved good-bye. A few minutes later, my phone buzzed with another text from her mom…
They had walked inside to find her seated on the couch, the plate of chocolate snacks on her lap, each little square disappearing into her mouth faster than you could say, “Chocolate!”
And of course, that plate of snacks held these Healthy Double Chocolate Granola Bar Bites! They taste as chocolaty as brownies, yet they’re super simple to make. You just need 7 ingredients and 30 minutes (or less)!
And judging by my little neighbor’s reaction… These chewy granola bar bites are definitely kid and adult approved!
Let’s talk about how to make these healthy double chocolate granola bar bites!
You’ll actually start with egg whites. No butter or oil in these healthy granola bars! The egg whites bind the granola bars together, and they add a protein boost, too. You’ll also mix in Greek yogurt, which keeps these healthy double chocolate granola bar bites soft and chewy while also increasing the protein content.
Low calorie granola bars + lots of protein + soft and chewy texture = my favorite combination!
Next, you’ll stir in pure maple syrup (like this!) to sweeten your healthy double chocolate granola bars, along with a pinch of salt. You want the kind of maple syrup that comes directly from maple trees! The only ingredient on the label should be “pure maple syrup.” It’s typically sold in this glass bottles or squat plastic jugs (like this!).
Time for the first chocolate component: unsweetened cocoa powder! I use the regular kind, like this. Because you’re adding an entire ½ cup, these healthy chocolate granola bars already taste really rich and chocolaty without Dutched or special dark cocoa powder. (I’ve also found that regular unsweetened cocoa powder has a much stronger chocolate taste than “special dark” cocoa powder!)
I briefly considered using just ¼ cup of cocoa powder… But when I remembered that this little girl loves chocolate as much as I do, I added ½ cup instead to be safe. Definitely a good decision! ?
You’ll actually use both old-fashioned oats and crisp brown rice cereal (this kind) in these healthy double chocolate granola bars! The oats provide that classic hearty texture, while the rice cereal adds a more chewy texture. I love pairing them together in granola bars and regular granola recipes!
And for the second chocolate component, you’ll use mini chocolate chips! These are my current favorite because they taste so rich and melt really well while baking. You want to use mini chocolate chips because regular-sized ones are too big and cause your granola bars to fall apart. The mini chips also ensure every bite contains a morsel of chocolate—the best part!
Then after a quick trip in the oven…
Try not to be tempted to eat the whole pan like my cute little neighbor! ? And when you make your own, remember to snap a picture and share it on Instagram using #amyshealthybaking and tagging @amyshealthybaking IN the photo itself! (That guarantees I’ll see your picture! ?) I’d love to see your healthy double chocolate granola bar bites!
| Healthy Double Chocolate Granola Bar Bites | | Print |
- 2 large egg whites, room temperature
- ¼ cup (60g) plain nonfat Greek yogurt, room temperature
- 3 tbsp (45mL) pure maple syrup
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ cup (40g) unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 ½ cups (45g) crisp brown rice cereal
- 1 cup (100g) old-fashioned oats (measured like this and gluten-free if necessary)
- 2 tbsp (28g) miniature chocolate chips, divided
- Preheat the oven to 300°F, and coat an 8”-square pan with nonstick cooking spray.
- In a medium bowl, whisk the egg whites. Stir in the Greek yogurt, maple syrup, and salt, mixing until thoroughly combined. Stir in the cocoa powder, smearing our any lumps along the side of the bowl. Stir in the rice cereal and oats. Gently fold in 1 ½ tablespoons of miniature chocolate chips.
- Gently press the mixture into the prepared pan using a spatula, and gently press the remaining chocolate chips into the top. Bake at 300°F for 11-14 minutes or until the center feels firm to the touch. Cool completely to room temperature in the pan before slicing into squares.
This is the brown rice cereal that I use. Regular crisp rice cereal (like Rice Krispies) may be substituted for the brown rice cereal. In a pinch, lightly crushed rice pocket cereal may also be substituted.
Instant oats may be substituted for the old-fashioned oats. Do not substitute steel-cut oats.
Remember to measure the cocoa powder and oats correctly, using this method or a kitchen scale. (← That’s the one I own and love!) Too much of either ingredient will dry out the batter, and the ingredients won’t fully incorporate. Too much cocoa powder will also make your granola bar bites taste bitter. If this happens to you, then add 1-2 tablespoons of milk (any type will work!) until all of the ingredients can be fully incorporated.
Honey or agave may be substituted for the pure maple syrup.
I do not recommend substituting regular-sized chocolate chips. Their bigger size causes the granola bar bites to fall apart. If you only have regular-sized chocolate chips, then chop them with a knife first!
{gluten-free, clean eating, low fat}
View Nutrition Information + Weight Watchers Points
You may also like Amy’s other recipes…
♡ Healthy Chocolate Chip Granola Bar Bites
♡ Healthy Carrot Cake Granola Bar Bites
♡ Healthy Apple Pie Granola Bar Bites
♡ Healthy Banana Nut Granola Bar Bites
♡ Healthy Strawberry Banana Granola Bars
♡ Healthy Raspberry Apple Granola Bars
I found them not very sweet and too salty, otherwise good. Next time I will just add more maple syrup and use 1/4 tsp of salt instead of 1/2 tsp. I was also expecting them to be crunchy with the rice cereal which they weren’t so next time I might use something different like chopped up almonds or something that will give it some crunch. Otherwise, good recipe, and I will definitely make it again, just with a few alterations.
I really appreciate your interest in my recipe Ember! I’m glad you mostly enjoyed these granola bar bites. This recipe wasn’t meant to be crunchy; I actually described the granola bar bites as chewy multiple times throughout my blog post and in the paragraph directly underneath the recipe title in the recipe box. I know it can be really easy to scroll right past all of that to get directly to the ingredients list though! 😉 If you’d prefer sweeter granola bar bites and plan on adding more maple syrup, that will actually have the opposite effect and make them even more soft and chewy, so I recommend reduce the amount of Greek yogurt to compensate for the added liquid. I really hope your next batch with almonds, less salt, and more sweetener turns out more to your liking! 🙂
Can you add protein powder?
Hi Amy. I notice that many of your recipes use maple syrup. Can you taste the maple syrup in the finished product? I don’t like the taste of maple syrup so I’m afraid to make these and be disappointed.
I really appreciate your interest in my recipes, Liz! It typically depends. In recipes that are really chocolaty (like this one or my brownie recipes!), you can’t taste the maple because the chocolate masks it so well. In others, like regular oatmeal cookies or muffins, you can. If you’re sensitive to the taste of maple, you can always substitute honey or agave in place of my recipes that call for maple syrup, and that won’t affect the texture!
I’d love to hear what you think of these granola bar bites, if you end up making them!
just made these! added in pb powder and some peanut butter. they turned out pretty soft but i will say that there wasnt a ton of sweetness and it was a little bland. 1/2 the batch and made 20 pieces! only 30 cal per piece !
It means a lot that you tried my recipe, Manjit! Your idea of adding PB sounds so fun. Chocolate and PB is such a delicious combination!
These granola bar bites are supposed to taste similar to 72% dark chocolate. I covered that in the paragraph of text directly underneath the recipe title in the recipe box — I know it can be easy to miss! 😉 It’s strange that yours were bland though. Was the chocolate flavor not pronounced enough? Or were they just not sweet enough for your liking?
If you’d like them sweeter, then you can add an additional 1-2 tablespoons of maple syrup. You’ll need to bake them a little longer, but that should help with the sweetness level! 🙂
Is there a sub for the Greek yogurt to take out dairy? Everything else looks perfect but I can’t find a non sub for the Greek yogurt. Also, wasn’t sure if you replied to the addition of protein powder question. I have the lay same question as well.
I really appreciate your interest in my recipe, Shara! Non-dairy yogurt (ie soy- or almond-based) works really well as a substitute for the Greek yogurt. As for the protein powder, just about every brand/product behaves differently in baking recipes, so I can’t vouch for the results. I have a Protein Powder FAQ Page here, if you’d like more info on that!
You can also find all of my recipes that call for protein powder as an ingredient here, along with my high protein recipes here and my “higher-than-usual” protein recipes here. 🙂
If you end up making these granola bar bites (or any of my protein powder recipes!), I’d love to hear what you think of them!
I can’t have soy or almond 🙁
Any other subs for the Greek yogurt?
I apologize for the confusion, Shara! Those were just two examples of non-dairy yogurt (and often the ones that are easiest to find!). 🙂 Other types of non-dairy yogurt should also work, such as coconut-based yogurt or oat-based yogurt. So if there’s a particular non-dairy yogurt that you’re able to consume, try using that!