No-Bake Granola Bars
Yields: 12 bars
Prep time: 20 minutes
Chill time: 1 hour
Ingredients:
¾ cup creamy peanut butter or almond butter
½ cup honey or pure maple syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 ½ cups quick oats or rolled oats (do not use instant oatmeal)
¼ cup ground flaxseed
¼ cup wheat germ or additional 2 tablespoons oats
¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon or 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
½ teaspoon kosher salt
1 ¼ cups mix-ins of choice (dried cranberries or raisins, roughly chopped toasted nuts, chocolate chips, sunflower seeds, etc.)
Instructions:
Prepare Pan: Line an 8x8 inch baking pan with parchment paper or wax paper, leaving two sides overhanging to act as handles.
Heat Wet Ingredients: In a small saucepan, heat the peanut butter (or almond butter) and honey (or maple syrup) over low heat, whisking until smooth. Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla extract. Let cool for several minutes, especially if using chocolate chips (which will melt if the mixture is too warm).
Combine Dry Ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the oats, ground flaxseed, wheat germ (or extra oats), cinnamon (or pumpkin pie spice), and salt.
Prepare Mix-ins: Roughly chop any mix-ins that are larger than a chickpea (you can also pulse them briefly in a food processor). Stir the chopped mix-ins into the oat mixture.
Combine Wet and Dry Ingredients: Pour the peanut butter mixture over the dry ingredients. With a wooden spoon or a very sturdy spatula, stir to combine. The mixture will be thick and a little difficult to stir at first, but keep at it patiently. Once combined, the mixture should feel somewhat sticky, but not liquidy, and should easily hold together when pressed. If it seems too sticky (this can1 vary depending on your nut butter), add more oats, tablespoon at a time. If it's too dry, drizzle in a bit more honey or maple syrup.
Press into Pan: Press the mixture very firmly into the prepared pan. Use the back of a large measuring cup or your fingers to press the mixture evenly and compactly. This is crucial for the bars to hold together.
Chill: Refrigerate the no-bake granola bars for at least 1 hour to allow them to set.
Cut and Serve: Using the parchment paper "handles," lift the bars out of the pan onto a cutting board. If they are sticking to the edges, use a knife to loosen them. Slice into 12 bars (or your desired size).
Notes:
Storage: Store the bars in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 2-3 weeks, separating layers with parchment paper or wax paper to prevent sticking. You can also store them, individually wrapped, at room temperature for a few days, but they will soften.
Freezing: Individually wrap the bars and freeze them for several months. Defrost overnight in the refrigerator.
Oat Type: Quick oats are preferred for a slightly more tender bar, while rolled oats will give a chewier texture. For a finer texture, pulse rolled oats a few times in a food processor before using.
Mix-in Combinations: My favorite mix-in combination is: ¼ cup dried cranberries, ¼ cup chopped dried cherries or raisins, ¼ cup mini chocolate chips, ¼ cup chopped pecans or almonds, and either ¼ cup sunflower seeds or additional nuts. Feel free to create your own combinations!
Nutrition (Approximate, per bar):
Calories: 241kcal | Carbohydrates: 34g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Potassium: 202mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 22g | Vitamin A: 1IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 25mg | Iron: 1mg