Homemade Granola Bars (A Root Formula)
Prep time:
20 mins
Total time:
20 mins
Yield: 12 bars
Description
*If you’re in a hurry and want to skip toasting the oats, you may. This is a Root Formula, a simplified recipe that shows which ingredients are core and which can be changed to create different flavor combinations or use what you have on hand. We've created several Variations on this formula below- try our suggested flavor combinations or make your own!
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups rolled oats
- 8 ounces (a heaping cup) soft, pitted dates
- 1/4 cup nut butter, your choice
- 3 tablespoons maple syrup, honey, or agave (see below for suggested combinations)
- Flavoring (e.g., vanilla or almond extract), optional
- 1/2 cup each: nuts and dried fruit (see below for suggested combinations)
- 1/4 cup chocolate chips
Instructions
- *Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Fit a 16- by 8-inch sheet of parchment or waxed paper into an 8- by 8-inch pan bottom and up the two sides, using overhang as a handle to pull bars from pan. Spray with vegetable cooking spray.
- Toast oats on a small, rimmed baking sheet until golden brown, 10 to 15 minutes; dump into a large bowl.
- Meanwhile chop dates in a food processor until pureed into a sticky ball; add to oatmeal. Heat nut butter and sweetener in a small saucepan over low heat until hot, whisking to combine. If adding a Flavoring, whisk it in now. Add to oatmeal and dates, along with nuts and dried fruit of choice. When cool enough, mix with hands to thoroughly combine. Turn into prepared pan, using oiled fingertips to press mixture, more or less, into pan. Sprinkle chocolate chips evenly over mixture and use a drinking glass bottom or similar item to press chips into bar mixture and level it to even thickness. Can be refrigerated or frozen, but bar mixture is solid enough at this point to remove from pan and cut into 12 bars by halving and then cutting each half into sixths.