Granola Energy Bars

Granola Energy Bars filled with toasted oats, almonds, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, coconut, and a mixture of dried fruit. 

Granola energy bars. From my kitchen. With brown rice syrup. Something is completely askew in the universe.

Actually, this is one of the reasons I enjoy cooking challenges. It forces me to try things that I normally would not consider. I loved them so much, that I made them again with with pine nuts and blueberries.

Shopping List for these Granola Bars:

You will need rolled (also called  "old fashioned") oats, slivered almonds, raw sunflower seeds (not salted), unsalted pumpkin seeds, a variety of dried fruit, shredded coconut, and brown rice syrup.

Brown rice syrup? It was actually pretty easy to find in the sugar section of the supermarket. If you can't find it in the grocery store, check a health food store.

The taste is similar to Lyle's Golden Syrup or agave syrup. It's actually pretty tasty. You could probably use it as a substitute for simple syrup, only much more sparingly. It is also a good substitute for honey or sugar in your coffee or tea.

How to make granola bars:

These granola bars were incredibly easy to make and the recipe is really flexible. They consist of about 2 cups of toasted oats along with about 2 cups total of toasted slivered almonds, toasted pumpkin seeds, toasted sunflower seeds, coconut, and dried fruit (I used dried cherries, golden raisins, and chopped apricots).

Boil two thirds cups of the syrup with a couple of tablespoons of butter, and then stir it into the mixture of cereal, coconut, nuts, and seeds, along with a bit of salt. Press the whole mixture into a parchment lined 7 inch by 11 inch pan and bake it at 325 degrees F for about 30 minutes. Once the pan has cooled, you can whip out your big chef's knife and cut the bars.

Granola Energy Bars

Yield: 20 bars

Author: Karen Kerr

These granola bars were incredibly easy to make and the recipe is really flexible.

ingredients:

• 2 cups (160 grams) old-fashioned oats
• 1/2 cup (60 grams) slivered almonds
• 1/4 cup (31 grams) raw sunflower seeds
• 1/4 cup (35 grams) pumpkin seeds
• 1 cup (160 grams) mixture of dried fruit. I used golden raisins, dried cherries, and chopped apricots
• 1/2 cup (40 grams) unsweetened shredded coconut
• 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 2/3 cup brown rice syrup
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract

instructions:

How to cook Granola Energy Bars

1. Heat your oven to 325 degrees F.
2. Line a 7 inch by 11 inch pyrex pan with parchment paper, with the edges of the paper to extend over the sides of the pan.
3. On a rimmed half sheet pan, toss the oats and almonds. Bake for 5 minutes.
4. Remove the pan from the oven and stir in the sunflower seeds and pumpkin seeds, and bake for an additional 5 minutes.
5. Remove the pan from the oven and toss in the dried fruit, coconut, and salt.
6. Add the mixture to a large bowl.
7. In a small saucepan, bring the brown rice syrup and butter to a boil. Pour it over the oat mixture. Add the vanilla and stir the ingredients together until fully combined.
8. Scrape the ingredients into the parchment lined pan, top with a layer of parchment or wax paper, and press the mixture down with your hands until compacted into an even layer. Remove the paper.
9. Bake the pan for 25 to 30 minutes.
10. Transfer the pan to a cooling rack and press the mixture down with a large spatula against the entire surface.
11. Cool for 3 or more hours.
12. Lift the granola out of the pan and cut with a chef's knife into 20 bars.
13. Store any leftovers in the refrigerator or at room temperature, wrapped in plastic wrap or parchment paper for up to 5 days.

Karen's Kitchen Stories

granola bars

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To see how other bakers fared with this recipe, check out the links on the Tuesdays with Dorie page. More specifics of this recipe are on page 328 of Dorie Greenspan's new book, Baking Chez Moi. I am in love with this book.