Monthly Archives: September 2025

Peanut Butter Granola Bars

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When not baking, I golf (among other activities.)

It’s a challenge to find a granola bar that doesn’t melt when golfing in the summer where the temperature can be over 100 degrees

I made these peanut butter granola bars with rolled oats, honey, peanut butter and eggs. While it hasn’t been over 98 this month these bars held up.

Predominantly peanut butter flavor I added raisins and the bars held up to the heat.

Peanut Butter Granola Bars

INGREDIENTS
• 3 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
• 3/4 cup peanut butter
• 1/3 cup honey or maple syrup
• 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips (optional)
• 2 whole eggs
• Optional add-ins: pinch of salt (omit if peanut butter is salted), walnuts, pecans, almonds, chia, sunflower, or pumpkin seeds, or dried fruit

METHOD

  1. Preheat oven to 350℉.
  2. In a large bowl, combine all ingredients and mix well. *If your peanut butter is solid at room temperature, heat it for 10-15 seconds to make it a more drizzly consistency before adding to the mix.
  3. Line a 9×9 inch baking dish or pan with parchment paper. This makes it much easier to remove the bars from your dish once baked.
  4. Transfer the mixture to the prepared dish or pan. Very firmly press the mixture into the pan in an even layer — the firmer you press, the better the bars will stick together. If you’re using chocolate chips, sprinkle them on top, then press them down into the bars.
  5. Bake for 15-17 minutes or until the center is baked through and the edges are just starting to brown. Start checking at 14 minutes, as all ovens are different.
  6. Remove from the oven and place pan on a cooling rack.
  7. Let the bars cool completely (this is important) before cutting into 16 squares with a sharp knife

Salted Tahini Chocolate Chip Cookies

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Wanting to try something different than my standard chocolate chip cookie, I made these. I never used tahini before and found they had a pleasant, nutty flavor. Kinda like a very mild peanut butter.

The cookies were crispy, (maybe overbaked a couple of minutes?) front weighted with chocolate, as if that were a problem, delicious and worthy to be made again (and again.)

Salted Tahini Chocolate Chip Cookies

INGREDIENTS
Yield: 18 to 24 cookies
• 113g (8 Tbl) RT unsalted butter
• 120g (½ c) tahini, well stirred
• 200g (1 c) granulated sugar
• 1 large RT egg
• 1 egg RT yolk
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 150g (1 c + 2 Tbl) all-purpose flour
• ½ tsp baking soda
• ½ tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 230g (1¾ c) chocolate chips or chunks, bittersweet or semisweet
• Flaky salt, like Maldon

METHOD

  1. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter, tahini and sugar at medium speed until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add egg, egg yolk and vanilla and continue mixing at medium speed for another 5 minutes.
  2. Sift flour, baking soda, baking powder and kosher salt into a large bowl and mix with a fork. Add flour mixture to butter mixture at low speed until just combined. Use a rubber spatula to fold in chocolate chips. Dough will be soft, not stiff. Refrigerate at least 12 hours (or freeze for 2 hours); this ensures tender cookies.
  3. When ready to bake, heat oven to 325⁰F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or nonstick baking mat. Use a medium. ice cream scoop or spoon to form dough into 18 to 24 balls.
  4. Place the cookies on the baking sheet at least 3 inches apart to allow them to spread. Bake 13 to 16 minutes until just golden brown around the edges but still pale in the middle to make thick, soft cookies. As cookies come out of the oven, sprinkle sparsely with salt. Let cool at least 20 minutes on a rack.