Soft-Baked Monster Granola Bars

1 Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line an 8x8-inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving a little overhang on the sides for easy removal.
2 In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the peanut butter, honey, melted butter, eggs, and vanilla until smooth and well combined.
3 Add the old-fashioned oats, quick oats, oat flour, cinnamon, salt, baking powder, flaxseed, and hemp hearts. Stir until everything is evenly combined.
4 Fold in the mini chocolate chips and mini M&M’s.
5 Transfer the mixture to the prepared baking pan. Press the mixture down very firmly and evenly into the pan. This helps the finished bars hold together.
6 If desired, press a few additional mini M&M’s and chocolate chips into the top.
7 Bake for 18–22 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden and the center is just set. Do not overbake if you want the bars to stay soft and chewy.
8 Allow the bars to cool completely in the pan.
9 Once cooled, refrigerate for at least 1 hour before lifting the bars from the pan and slicing into 12 bars.
Notes
11 For the best soft-baked texture, slightly underbake rather than overbake. The bars will continue to set as they cool.
12 Chilling before slicing is important! It helps the bars firm up and gives you much cleaner cuts.
13 Store the bars in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
14 To freeze, wrap individually or separate the bars with parchment paper and freeze in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before packing.
15 For an optional protein boost, add unflavored collagen peptides. If the mixture becomes too dry, add a little additional peanut butter or honey.
16 If packing these for school, check your school’s nut policy before sending peanut-containing snacks.