chewy granola bars

Let me open this with an amazing fact:

band-aids

microwaveable containers

ketchup bottles

disposable diapers

granola bars

...were all invented by the same man- Stanley Mason. Yes. Incredible.

I love chewy granola bars, however they're usually not too great for you. In fact, chewy granola bars and fruit-on-the-bottom yogurt were outlawed in my house growing up, but that's another story for another day.

The good news is, they don't have to be skeptical!! No need for artificial ingredients. These babies are pure. You can even drop the sugar and add more honey or dried fruit for sweetness. There is a lot of flexibility here. Definitely a recipe worth messing around with!


Catch you on the flip side corn syrup.

Chewy Granola Bars
adapted from Smitten Kitchen

Just like granola, you have your dry ingredients and your wet ingredients. You can make this whatever you'd like--make them gluten free, throw in chia seeds, use all honey/maple, etc... When all mixed, it should feel like a chunky granola. Also, if you like less chunky bars, throw your dried fruit and nuts in the food processor. It'll also help keep from crumbling.


2 1/2 cups of dried fruit and nuts**
1 3/4 old fashioned oats
1/3 cup sugar
1/2 cup dry-flour**
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt

4 Tablespoons melted butter
1/3 cup nut butter (optional)
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup maple syrup
2 tablespoons maple syrup
1 tablespoons water


Preheat the oven to 350.

Line an 8x8 glass baking dish with parchment paper so that it comes up above the sides (aluminum foil works here too, but is a bit trickier). Grease the paper well. I used coconut oil, but any fat will work just fine.

Mix together your dry ingredients in a large bowl

Melt butter and stir together all of your wet ingredients.

Pour the wet ingredients into the big bowl containing the dry ingredients. Combine until the ingredients are evening mixed.

Dish the mixture into your baking pan and pat down with a spoon. For best results, place a piece of saran wrap over the mixture and using your hands, press down hard--especially around the corners and edges.

Remove the saran wrap and bake for 40 minutes. You'll know it's done when the edges turn brown and the top doesn't look as mush but has a baked appearance. Remove from the oven and allow to completely cool.

The cooling is crucial! I put mine in the fridge to speed the process up. It is also helpful to remove the bars from the pan, using the parchment paper/foil, after 30 minutes. This will also speed up the cooling.

When completely cool, remove the paper and carefully cut. If they begin to crumble a lot, they probably aren't completely cool. It's alright if you have crumbs though. We call those crumbs, granola :)

Carefully cut through with a sharp knife and store in a tightly sealed container in the fridge!