A yummy grab and go breakfast or snack, these wholesome homemade granola bars are easy to make, packed with rolled oats, and toasted coconut mixed combined with a sticky honey brown sugar sauce, with chopped fruit and nuts. Perfect for when there isn’t time to cook, you can simply grab and go!
½cupdried cranberries or any favorite dried fruits
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and line a 9 x 13-inch pan and grease the paper with butter. Set aside.
Toss oatmeal, nuts, and coconut together on a large sheet pan. Place in the preheated oven. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes. Stir occasionally, until lightly browned, then remove and transfer the mixture to a large bowl.
Reduce the oven temperature to 300 degrees F.
In a small saucepan, over medium heat, bring the butter, honey, brown sugar, vanilla, and salt to a boil, stirring occasionally.When the mixture comes to a boil, cook stirring constantly for one minute. Remove from the heat and pour the mixture over the toasted oatmeal mixture. Add the dates, and cranberries or other dried fruit and stir well.
Pour the mixture into the prepared pan baking pan. Wet your fingers and carefully press the mixture into the pan. (Wetting your fingers keeps the mixture from sticking to your hands.)
Bake 20 to 30 minutes, until light golden brown. Cool completely, about 2 hours before cutting.
Notes
Recipe inspired by Ina GartenIt's important to remember that the bars will firm up as they begin too cool. The last ten minutes of baking time is the most crucial to how the bars form. For gooey and crumbly granola bars, bake for about 20 minutes. For chewy granola bars, bake about 25 minutes and for crisper granola bars bake for about 30 minutes. Cool the granola bars completely before cutting into squares, about 2 hours.Learn to make your own pure vanilla extract HERE!
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