Chewy Granola Bars

Makes 12 bars 

4 cups old fashioned oats                                           

6 tablespoons unsalted butter           

⅓ cup light brown sugar

¼ cup honey

2 tablespoons milk powder

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

¾ teaspoon kosher salt

⅓ cup mini chocolate chips

Heat to 350°F. Line and grease an 8x8-inch baking pan.

Spread the oats evenly across an ungreased baking sheet. Bake at 350°F for 10 minutes until lightly toasted. 

In a large, heavy bottomed saucepan on medium heat, bring butter, light brown sugar, honey, milk powder, vanilla and salt to a full boil, stirring occasionally with a sturdy, heatsafe spatula until the butter has melted and sugar fully dissolved.

Transfer the toasted oats into the hot pot of sugar and carefully mix to combine with the spatula. 

Pour the mixture into the prepared pan and use the spatula to tamp the mixture down evenly across the surface and into each corner. Cover and refrigerate for 10 minutes, sprinkle chocolate chips atop then refrigerate for 1 hour before removing from the pan. Cut into bars.