Journey Off The Map Granola Bar Bites

Vacation bible school started this week and the theme is "Journey Off The Map." Our church members make drop cookies, bar cookies, snack size cupcakes, and other sweet treats for the kids. I teach the 5th/6th grade class so I decided to make a three ingredient treat for the VBS students. My offering for the kiddos is a no bake, chewy granola bar dessert that your children can help you make. The hardest part of making Off The Map Granola Bar Bites is taking the wrappers off of the 36 granola bars!

I bought my granola bars at the local dollar store. The store sells a variety box of 18 chewy granola bars. The three flavors are S'mores, Chocolate Chunk, and Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip. Yummy! 

Off The Map Granola Bar Bites

Yield: 72 bites, or 6 dozen

Serving size: 2 bites 

Equipment

microwavable, medium glass bowl

small pan that the glass bowl will sit on top off

two medium to large cookie sheets

wax paper

Ingredients

12 oz. vanilla almond bark

solid, all vegetable shortening

26 chewy granola bars

decorating sprinkles 

Directions

Prepping the granola bars

• Cover the cookie sheets with wax paper.
• Unwrap the granola bars and lay them out on the wax paper covered cookie sheet(s)
• Cut the granola bars in half 

Melting the vanilla almond bark

• Separate the vanilla almond bark into squares.
• Place the squares into the glass bowl and microwave for 60 seconds.
• Stir the vanilla bark until it is smooth. If necessary microwave for another 30 seconds. 
• Put about an inch of water in a small pan that the glass bowl will sit on top off.
• Place the pan of water over low heat and put the bowl with vanilla bark on top of it.
• Stir the vanilla bark occasionally during the dipping step. 

Thinning the vanilla almond bark to dipping consistency

Note: Do not thin the almond bark with butter, oil, margarine, milk, or water. It will NOT work. Only solid, all vegetable shortening will work. 

• Add 1 level Tbsp. of solid, all vegetable shortening to the vanilla bark and stir until it is melted.  
• The consistency is correct when you dip in your spoon and the vanilla bark coats it smoothly. Unthinned, or thick vanilla bark tends to form "clumps" and is not smooth.
• If necessary add another level tablespoon of shortening and stir until it is melted.

Dipping the granola bars

Note: When using granola bars with chocolate chips, some of the chocolate may melt slightly in the almond bark, but this is okay.

• Dip the cut end of each granola bar half into the thinned vanilla bark.
• Place the coated granola bar bite onto the wax paper cookie sheet
• Immediately sprinkle each coated bite with sprinkles, or other desired decorations. Adding the sprinkles is a great job for children!
• Continue until all of the pieces are done.
• Place the pans of coated bites into the freezer, or refrigerator, for about 10 minutes to set the vanilla bark
• Remove the pans and your bites are ready to eat! If you are packaging your bites, use a layer of wax paper in between the bites.