Homemade Granola Bars
From Brown Eyed Baker
I have never made homemade granola bars before, but now that I know how easy it is, and have this handy formula, I see a lot of homemade granola bars in my future. I mostly followed the recipe for Fig, Date and Almond Bars, but I subbed out the dates for dried apricots because I didn't have any dates in the house. I also used a little sorghum instead of all the honey, because I didn't have quite enough honey and I did have a jar of sorghum from our trip to Tennessee last year. But - look at all the possible combinations! I think you could also use different kind of jams, too, but I'm not sure if that would count as a sticky sweetener or a binder....hm. Will have to keep trying different combinations. I'm thinking of a dark chocolate, coconut and pecan version..... yum!
Basic Granola Bar Formula:
1. Rolled Grains (2½ cups)
Suggestions: Oats, Rye flakes, Barley flakes, etc.
2. Nuts, Seeds & Spices (1 cup)
Suggestions: Almonds, Walnuts, Pecans, Pistachios, Sunflower Seeds, Pumpkin Seeds, Cinnamon, Ginger, etc.
3. Sticky Sweetener (1/3 cup + ¼ cup)
Suggestions: Honey, Agave Nectar, Molasses, Maple Syrup (I used sorghum)
4. Dried Fruits (1 cup)
Suggestions: Raisins, Apricots, Dates, Figs, Prunes, Cranberries, Pineapple, etc. (I bet you could use mini chocolate chips, too. Oooh, and coconut!)
5. Binder (1 cup)
Suggestions: Pureed Dried Fruit, Apple Butter, Peanut Butter, Almond Butter, Unsweetened applesauce, etc.
Fig, Date & Almond Granola Bars
Yield: 8 to 12 bars, depending on how large you cut them
Prep Time: 15 minutes | Bake Time: 25 minutes
1 cup unsweetened applesauce
1/3 + ¼ cup honey (I just used 1/3 cup, about half of which was honey and half was sorghum)
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
¾ teaspoon vanilla extract
2½ cups rolled oats
1 cup chopped almonds
1/3 cup chopped dried figs
1/3 cup chopped dried dates (I subbed dried apricots)
1/3 cup raisins
1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Line an 8×8-inch baking pan with parchment paper.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together the honey, applesauce, cinnamon and vanilla extract. Stir in the oats, making sure that it is evenly mixed and all of the oats are moistened. Mix in the almonds, figs, dates and raisins.
3. Turn the mixture out into the baking pan and press into the pan, making sure it is evenly distributed and tightly packed.
4. Bake for 25 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool in the freezer until the bars are firm, at least 1 hour. Remove from the pan and cut into bars. Store in an airtight container for up to 1 week.
I have never made homemade granola bars before, but now that I know how easy it is, and have this handy formula, I see a lot of homemade granola bars in my future. I mostly followed the recipe for Fig, Date and Almond Bars, but I subbed out the dates for dried apricots because I didn't have any dates in the house. I also used a little sorghum instead of all the honey, because I didn't have quite enough honey and I did have a jar of sorghum from our trip to Tennessee last year. But - look at all the possible combinations! I think you could also use different kind of jams, too, but I'm not sure if that would count as a sticky sweetener or a binder....hm. Will have to keep trying different combinations. I'm thinking of a dark chocolate, coconut and pecan version..... yum!
Basic Granola Bar Formula:
1. Rolled Grains (2½ cups)
Suggestions: Oats, Rye flakes, Barley flakes, etc.
2. Nuts, Seeds & Spices (1 cup)
Suggestions: Almonds, Walnuts, Pecans, Pistachios, Sunflower Seeds, Pumpkin Seeds, Cinnamon, Ginger, etc.
3. Sticky Sweetener (1/3 cup + ¼ cup)
Suggestions: Honey, Agave Nectar, Molasses, Maple Syrup (I used sorghum)
4. Dried Fruits (1 cup)
Suggestions: Raisins, Apricots, Dates, Figs, Prunes, Cranberries, Pineapple, etc. (I bet you could use mini chocolate chips, too. Oooh, and coconut!)
5. Binder (1 cup)
Suggestions: Pureed Dried Fruit, Apple Butter, Peanut Butter, Almond Butter, Unsweetened applesauce, etc.
Fig, Date & Almond Granola Bars
Yield: 8 to 12 bars, depending on how large you cut them
Prep Time: 15 minutes | Bake Time: 25 minutes
1 cup unsweetened applesauce
1/3 + ¼ cup honey (I just used 1/3 cup, about half of which was honey and half was sorghum)
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
¾ teaspoon vanilla extract
2½ cups rolled oats
1 cup chopped almonds
1/3 cup chopped dried figs
1/3 cup chopped dried dates (I subbed dried apricots)
1/3 cup raisins
1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Line an 8×8-inch baking pan with parchment paper.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together the honey, applesauce, cinnamon and vanilla extract. Stir in the oats, making sure that it is evenly mixed and all of the oats are moistened. Mix in the almonds, figs, dates and raisins.
3. Turn the mixture out into the baking pan and press into the pan, making sure it is evenly distributed and tightly packed.
4. Bake for 25 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool in the freezer until the bars are firm, at least 1 hour. Remove from the pan and cut into bars. Store in an airtight container for up to 1 week.
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