Healthy Granola Bars

from kristineskitchenblog.com

A homemade healthy granola bar recipe made with rolled oats and refined-sugar free. Customize with your favorite nuts and seeds for protein or dried fruits, coconut, chocolate chips or other favorite ingredients. A great snack to pack into a school lunch box or grab for a day on the go.

Prep Time15

Cook Time30

Total Time45

Servings:

Calories: 179kcal

Ingredients

2 cups old-fashioned oats
½ cup oat flour Quick Oat Flour: ½ cup oats finely ground in food processor or substitute with 1/2 cup whole-wheat flour
3 tbsp. ground flaxseed
½ tsp. salt
½ tsp. cinnamon
2 tbsp. unsalted butter melted
1/3 cup nut butter I prefer almond butter
½ cup applesauce
¼ cup honey
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1 ½ – 2 cups of mix-ins dried fruit, seeds nuts, other mix-ins

Instructions

Line an 8 x 8-inch square pan with foil or parchment, letting it hang over the edges on two opposite sides. Lightly spray the foil with cooking spray. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
In a large bowl, stir together the oats, oat flour (or whole-wheat flour), flaxseed, salt, and cinnamon.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the melted butter, nut butter, applesauce, honey, and vanilla until well combined. Add the wet mixture to the bowl with the oat mixture and stir until well mixed. Stir in the dried fruit, nuts, chocolate, etc.
Scoop the mixture into the prepared pan and use your hand to press it down into an even layer. Bake for 25-35 minutes, until the edges begin to brown. Place the pan on a wire rack and cool completely. Refrigerate the bars in the pan for at least 30 minutes before cutting into bars. The bars will maintain their chewy texture best if stored in the refrigerator. The granola bars freeze well, too, wrapped airtight.

Notes

*Note: Recipe can easily be doubled and baked in a 9x13-inch pan.

Nutrition estimate does not include the 1.5 -2 cups of seeds, fruit, nuts or other ingredients you add in Step 3.

Nutrition

Nutrition information is only an estimate.