The best thing about making cookies is that there is really no wrong combination of ingredients.

You think of a few things that might taste good together, chances are they probably will in cookie form.

Cookie bars have that same advantage.

These particular cookie bars are simple and turn out great with very little effort.

Start by putting the dry ingredients in a large bowl and sifting them together.

Add the margarine, apple sauce and peanut butter. While mixing these in, add the vanilla extract and molasses.

The applesauce is the egg substitute and will give moisture to the dough, adding a little extra apple sauce will make them softer.

Mix all of these ingredients together until they are a soft dough and the ingredients are fully blended.

Stir in the granola, chocolate chips and dried cranberries.

You can use rolled oats instead of the granola.

To make this vegan, simply choose a brand of semi-sweet chocolate that has no milk.

Press the dough into a lightly greased 13 X 9 baking pan. Spread all the way to the edges of the pan and bake at 350 for 18 minutes.

If the edges are brown and the inside is still slightly soft, they are done. The inside will solidify as they cool.

Let them cool some before cutting so that they don’t crumble as easily.

Ingredients:
1 1/4 cups white whole wheat flour

1 cup brown sugar
1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup peanut butter

1/2 cup Earth Balance, softened

1 tsp molasses
1 tsp vanilla extract

1/4 cup applesauce
1 cup granola (or rolled oats)

1/2 cup chocolate chips
1/3 cup dried cranberries