Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Chai Bars (Easy Homemade Granola Bars)

This healthy granola bar recipe is so easy to make! Celebrate fall with these easy to make Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Chai Granola Bars featuring oats, real pumpkin puree, chai spices, mini chocolate chips, and pepitas.

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Creating these Pumpkin Chai Granola Bars

Once this past summer, we found the kids in our kitchen playing Cutthroat Kitchen.

Yes, they were actually competing against each other using ingredients found in our pantry and refrigerator as if they were participating in the show.

Complete with a host and a judge.

After getting over the mess, I was thrilled to see the kids having so much fun together. And that over the years they have learned enough about cooking in our home to play a game like this.

I even shared a few of the videos they took on my Instagram stories because they were actually laugh-out-loud funny.

I realize that this is probably not a normal behavior for kids.

Most likely, it is something unique to a group of kids between the ages of 11 and 15 who have a mom/step-mom who has been a food blogger for the past decade.

I know many kids have not been able to learn these type of skills either at home or at school. I wasn’t surprised when I read that nearly three-fourths of parents wish their kids learned cooking skills in school.*

Yet, more than half of their kids’ schools aren’t offering cooking literacy classes.* That is some serious disconnect!

I’ve talked about my passion for cooking with kids before in my post about 5 Reasons to Cook with Kids. So, I am really excited that Pampered Chef asked me to help them promote their partnership with non-profit Big Green this fall.

Currently, more than 500 schools working with Big Green are waiting for kitchen tool supplies to bring produce from their learning gardens into the classroom.

Then, schools across the country can incorporate cooking in their classrooms through teacher-lead cooking skill classes.

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Teaching Kids to Cook with this Easy Granola Bar Recipe

Together, Pampered Chef and Big Green are working to promote and facilitate this type of education in schools across the country by getting kitchen tools into the hands of educators.

Their goal: deliver cooking education to 150,00 students in just 2 months. By hosting a fundraiser party for a school-affiliated program during October, Pampered Chef gives back in 3 ways:

1. Money for Your School: Pampered Chef donates 10-15% of fundraiser sales to your school’s needs, whether that is band instruments, art supplies, or science equipment.
2.  Cooking Education for Your School: Earn a Classroom Kitchen Kit for your school (value $150-$900). The tool set size is determined by the size of your fundraiser party.
3. Cooking Education for Schools in Need: Pampered Chef donates an additional cooking kit to Big Green with supplies that are essential for schools in need to teach healthy food-focused curriculum.

To get involved and give back to a local school in your community or a Big Green school in need, contact your local consultant or visit the Pampered Chef Classroom Kitchen website to learn more and book a show. 

I decided that we would make a recipe for Pumpkin Chai Chocolate Chip Granola Bars using my Kitchen Classroom Kit, and it is October now so I feel totally okay posting pumpkin recipes!

Why I Love this Healthy Granola Bar Recipe

These healthy snack bars are super simple and a great way to start teaching kids kitchen skills like proper measuring techniques.

Plus, these breakfast bars are the perfect yummy snack to get kids excited about wanting to help out in the kitchen. I think these pumpkin chai chocolate chip bars provide a great balance of healthy ingredients along with a little something to satisfy a sweet tooth.

Tools to Make Pumpkin Chai Chocolate Chip Granola Bars

When I cook with my kids I like to collect all of the ingredients and the tools that I’ll need first. It makes the process a lot smoother when we have everything that we need at the beginning.

We also avoid making big mistakes when we organize ourselves in the beginning and the kitchen usually ends up being less of a mess as well.

To prepare this pumpkin chai granola bar recipe, you’ll need:

• large mixing bowl – The Pampered Chef Kids’ Mixing Bowl is perfect for stirring up these chai bars. It has some great features like a nonslip bottom, high sides to help keep ingredients contained, and an easy-grin handle for kids to hold.
• measuring cups and measuring spoons – to measure the ingredients.
• rubber spatula – The Pampered Chef Mix ‘N Scraper works great for stirring and scraping the sides of the bowl to make sure all the ingredients are combined.
• silicone granola bar mold – such as the Pampered Chef Snack Bar Maker Set
• or a 9×9 inch baking pan and parchment paper – If you choose to bake the bars in a square pan, a cutting mat with measurements is really helpful for cutting the bars into evenly sized portions.
• wire rack – to cool the bars after baking.
• all-purpose knife and serving spatula – for serving the bars.

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What is in these Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Chai Bars?

For the complete ingredient list and detailed instructions to make this recipe, scroll to the bottom of this post for the FREE printable recipe card.

Here’s a quick overview of the ingredient list for these healthy snack bars:

• oats
• mini chocolate chips (we like dark chocolate chips)
• pepitas (green pumpkin seeds)
• pumpkin puree
• applesauce
• brown sugar
• agave
• vanilla extract
• chai spices
• salt

What Can I Substitute for Pumpkin Seeds in this Healthy Granola Bar Recipe?

Sunflower seeds or hemp seeds (or a combination) would work well in place of the pepitas if you can’t find them. Chia seeds would also be a great idea if you’re looking for additional add-ins.

How to Make this Healthy Granola Bars Recipe

The below is simply a quick summary of this recipe for Pumpkin Chai Chocolate Chip Granola Bars. Check out the full recipe in the free printable recipe card at the bottom of this post for all the detailed instructions.

Heat oven. Then, combine the dry ingredients in a large bowl. Set aside.

In another bowl, combine the wet ingredients and spices. Stir until blended.

After you’ve mixed up these two bowls of ingredients, take the oat mixture and pour it into the pumpkin puree mixture. Stir that all up using a spatula.

Depending on your preferred baking method, you’ll transfer the Pumpkin Chai Chocolate Chip Granola mixture that you’ve stirred up into one of the two baking options: a 9×9 baking pan lined with parchment paper or the Snack Bar Maker Set.

Press the granola bar mixture into the bottom of pan. After that, it is time to bake granola bars in the preheated oven until golden brown!

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How to Store this Healthy Granola Bar Recipe

Once the pumpkin chocolate chip granola bars have cooled completely, transfer them to an airtight container and store them at room temperature. They’ll last for up to 5 days.

Can You Freeze these Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Granola Bars?

Yes! You could definitely choose to store these healthy homemade granola bars in the freezer! Just let them cool completely, then transfer to a zip top bag or a freezer-safe container.

Try this Healthy Granola Bar Recipe!

Next time you’re looking for an easy homemade granola bar recipe, give these Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bars with the delicious flavors of chai a try!

Did you think they were the best granola bars? Leave a comment below and give these pumpkin chai bars a review for others to see what you thought of this simple recipe.

On Instagram? Share your photo and tag me with @goodlifeeats and #goodlifeeatsrecipes. I’d love to see your photo of these homemade granola bars!

More Healthy Snack Recipes

Need more great recipe ideas for healthy homemade snacks? Here are a few of our favorites:

Frozen Grapes make a great option when looking for ideas for healthy snacks, plus they’re so easy to make!

These “Cheesy” Kale Chips are a great afternoon snack and a healthy way to satisfy your cravings for something salty and cheesy.

Chocolate Coconut Date Energy Balls are full of wholesome ingredients that provide a mix of protein, healthy fats, and naturally sweet dates and unsweetened coconut flakes. The perfect snack when you’re craving chocolate!

This recipe for Sweet and Spicy Rosemary Bar Nuts is so good and simple to prepare. Bar Nuts make a great savory, salty, crunchy snack!

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This healthy snack bar recipe was created in partnership with Pampered Chef. I have been compensated for my time creating this recipe for, however all of the contained opinions are my own.

*According to a statistically significant +/-3 percent online survey of 1,000 American adults fielded by Pampered Chef on July 1-13, 2018.