These granola bars are chewy, slightly sweet, and texturally pleasing. Biting into a blend of nuts, fruit, and every now and again bonus chocolate chunks is such a joy! Feel free to adjust which dried fruit and nuts you use to maximize your pleasure.
Pans needed: Ideally a 13” x 9” brownie pan (so the sides are about 3 inches tall. You may also be able to do this in a pan with shorter sides however you would need to adjust the cook time.
Serves: 15-20 bars
Time: 1hr 40 minutes (30 minutes active)
Ingredients
2 cups old fashioned oats, gluten free option
1/3 cup coconut sugar
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon vanilla powder (like this one)
3 cups dried fruits and nuts: my favorite mix is almonds, pecans, dried cranberries sweetened with apple juice, raisins, sunflower seeds, and chocolate chips (I love Hu Gems).
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1/3 cup maple syrup
1 tablespoon water
3 tablespoons almond butter
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Put a piece of parchment paper in a 13" x 9" pan perpendicular to the pan so it hangs over the two long sides. Grease this and the sides of the pan that remain uncovered with vegetable oil.
Blend 1/3 cup of the oats in a food processor until it is a rough flour. Stir together all the dry ingredients in a large bowl. The blended oats will coat the fruits and keep them from sticking together in a lump. Pour the oil and water over the mixture and toss gently. Add the maple syrup and mix until the mixture is a consistent wetness. Warm the almond butter gently to make it easier to pour (this step is easiest done in a microwave and can be skipped if you don’t have one). Stir in the almond butter. Turn the mixture into the oiled pan and press down to cover the whole bottom of the pan including the corners.
Bake in the 350°F oven 40 minutes or until the edges are browned. Remove the pan from the oven and allow to cool on a wire rack for five minutes. Carefully lift the parchment out of the pan and place it on back onto the cooling rack for at least 20 minutes more. If the bars are cool enough you should be able to remove the parchment paper without the granola bending too much. Cut into bars. There will be crumbly parts and crumbs, but they are just as delicious as the bars. Enjoy!
