Chewy Granola Bars
Chewy Granola Bars
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| Yield: | about one dozen 2" x 4 1/2" bars. |
Ingredients
- 1 2/3 cups quick rolled oats
- 1 cup + 2 tablespoons Sticky Bun Sugar
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar, optional (see "tips" at right)
- 1/3 cup oat flour (or 1/3 cup quick oats, processed till finely ground in a food processor or blender)
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon, optional
- 2 to 3 cups dried fruits and nuts*
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup melted butter or vegetable oil
- 1/4 cup honey, maple syrup or corn syrup
- 1 tablespoon water
- *We like 1/2 cup each dried cranberries, chopped dried apricots, chopped pecans, sunflower seeds, and coconut. Walnuts, sesame seeds, pumpkin seeds, dried cherries or apples, or even chocolate chips would all be delicious as well.
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 9" x 13" pan.
1) Stir together all the dry ingredients, including the fruit and nuts.
2) In a separate bowl, whisk together the vanilla, melted butter or oil, syrup or honey, and water.
3) Toss the wet ingredients with the dry until the mixture is evenly crumbly.
4) Spread in the prepared pan, shaking the pan to evenly cover the bottom and patting down gently
5) Bake the bars for 25 to 30 minutes, until they're golden brown around the edges.
6) Remove them from the oven, loosen the edges, and cool for 5 minutes.
7) Use a knife (or bench knife) to cut the bars while they're still warm in the pan. Carefully remove warm bars from the pan, and cool on a rack. Alternatively, remove from the pan before cutting into bars; it helps to cut in half first, then loosen the bottom of each half with a turner/spatula before turning out onto a sheet of parchment to cut into bars.
8) Wrap bars individually to store; or place in a single layer on a plate, and cover with plastic; or store in layers with parchment in between. In humid weather, it's best to store bars in the refrigerator. They also freeze well.
Reviews
02/13/2012- The bars held together well, but they are inedible. They are so incredibly sweet, I've had cookies and cake that were less sugary. I broke them apart and mixed in more toasted oats to turn it into a sort of granola so they would not be a complete waste. Would not make again.
01/21/2012- Oh, yes! Too icy to step outside this morning, so I tried this recipe to indulge myself. Super easy and really good. I lined the pan with parchment, would suggest doing that, and might wait a little longer to cut the bars next time because they didn't hold together very well. But the recipe is super and I will certainly make it many more times.
- 01/20/2012
- I've been using variations of this recipe for almost 2 years. It's infinitely adaptable and always delicious. For ease of portioning, I press the mixture into a 12 count muffin pan. Moistened fingers make pressing it into the pan a cinch. Adjust baking time per your own oven. (I go by color.) No cutting necessary. I individually wrap each and freeze for grabbing on the go.
- 01/03/2012
- I made these using Trader Joe's nut and dried berries mix that included dried cranberries, blueberries, and other nuts. Superb! I used the substitute for the Sticky Bun Sugar as well and worked out perfect.
- 11/30/2011
- I sifted through all the comments and then headed to the kitchen. Everything worked out well by adding smaller pieces of mix-ins, leaving out the granulated sugar, using parchment paper to line the pan, pressing the mixture down a bit but not too hard, and cutting while warm. Thank you for all the tips KAF and thanks to all the people who took the time to make comments. They were very helpful to me and the bars were easy to handle and easy to eat!!
- 11/12/2011
- Love these! Followed recipe with sticky bun sugar substitute (using brown sugar) with a bit more oats (scant 2c of old-fashioned) and add-ins. Didn't add extra sugar. Used honey. Good level of sweetness; not too sweet. I used 2c toasted seeds (sunflower, pumpkin, sesame, flax) and half cup each chopped dried apricots, cranberries, coconut. As recommended by another review, I mixed the ingredients for several minutes in my stand mixer. Baked 30min with parchment-lined pan. Cut bars while warm and let cool in pan overnight. These held together perfectly. Dense, chewy, addictive! Family and co-workers raved about them. I think the smaller seeds are a fantastic addition to these bars. Easy to customize for preferences and allergies. Will have to try these with grade B maple syrup from KA. Thanks for the great recipe!
10/25/2011- I was so disappointed in these! They were crunchy, not chewy, after just 30 minutes in the oven. I also thought the ratio of oats to mix-ins was off. I used only raisins and chocolate chips, and they far overpowered the oats. I wonder if brown sugar would help with chewiness? Applesauce?
I am sorry that these did not come out as you had expected. Did you use the corn syrup or sticky bun sugar? Brown sugar would lend a little more moisture, but it is necessary to also have either the sticky bun sugar or corn syrup in order to achieve the full effect. It is also possible that your oven may be running a bit hot and they overbaked. Try cutting down on your baking time by 5-10 minutes and it is always a good idea to use an oven thermometer. ~Amy
10/08/2011- This is a great recipe but I also suggest lining the baking sheet with parchment, leaving several inches hanging over the edge to use as a handle to 'lift' the bars out of the pan. I use a large pizza knife (available thru King Arthur Flour) to cut the bars after they set just a little, enough to hold together but are still flexible. The parchment will cut with the knife giving you the ability to stack the bars together without sticking. Also do not over bake this recipe as they will become brittle.
We love the parchment sling here, too! It's the best invention. Thank you for your tip about cutting the bars with the parchment to reuse for the layering. Very efficient! ~Amy
- 09/13/2011
- I made these for a bake sale at work and they were a huge success! They came out perfectly and looked beautiful too. To avoid sticking I lightly greased the pan then lined it with parchment leaving it long on two sides so it could be lifted out easily( but carefully). I used dried blueberries,cherries,cranberries,almonds,sunflower seeds,flax seeds,coconut and maple syrup for the sweetener. I did cut the sweeteners back slightly because I used sweetened coconut. When they came out of the oven they were golden brown and very soft but they were sticking together fine. I left them on the cooling racks all day and they firmed up nicely. I wrapped them individually in cellophane giving them a nice professional look. I can't wait to make these again but this time they will be for me!
- 08/14/2011
- Totally awesome! I make these all the time now, since discovering them here. A few things from my experience and taste: 1. I use the sticky bun sugar substitute and it works fine; 2. I pack the edges (tamp down the sides that butt up against the pan); 3. Cool completely before removing from the pan as this will help keep them together; 4. Chop larger fruits and nuts smaller (I do it in the food processor) otherwise the bars are more likely to fall apart; 5. As others have observed, the recipe as-is is WAY too sweet for my taste. I omit all of the additional sugar and trim back on the sugar in the sticky-bun-sugar sub; 6. I add a little more (about a tablespoon) oat flour. I grind my own; 7. I find small seeds make a great addition (sesame, flax); 8. Favorite additions include coconut flakes (unsweetened), chocolate-covered cocoa nibs, and chopped dried dates; 9. I will sometimes add other Indian-inspired spices such as curry powder or cardamom. About 1t curry powder and 1/2t cardamom give them a whole new twist. Love these! They freeze great, and I make a double batch at a time.
