Granola bars: fuel for when you’re on the move

Last Thursday my friend, Elan, and I went for a hike up Sugarloaf Mountain. It was a gorgeous day!  This hike was just the kick in the butt I needed to finally getting around to making some more granola bars.  Granola bars aren’t challenging to make, but it’s so much harder to get around to making snack items than it is to try a new dish for dinner (at least for me).

So since I was making granola bars, I decided to make two batches.  One Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip and the other is what I call a Cobbler Granola Bar because it has dried fruit in it and for some reason it tastes like cobbler to me!  Because these mix-ins are rather sweet already, I limited the amount of honey I put in and my bars ended up being rather crumbly.  Next time I’ll add another egg or at least another egg white to help bind it more (I’ve made this change in the recipes below).  I also ended up using almond meal (almond flour) instead of whole wheat flour because it’s what I had on hand.  Almond flour has twice as much protein as regular flour, so I thought I’d try it.  I didn’t notice much of a taste difference.

I really like freezing the bars and then just heating them up in the toaster oven when I want to eat one.  I’m sure you could microwave them too.

Cobbler Granola Bars

Makes about 10 bars

Adapted from Buns In My Oven

  • 2 cups old-fashioned oats
  • 1 cup whole wheat flour (or almond meal or all-purpose)
  • 3/4 cup dried fruits (I use a berry mix from Trader Joes)
  • 1/2 cup sweetened shredded coconut
  • 1/2 cup wheat germ (or ground flax seed)
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 2 eggs
  • 1/4 cup honey
  • 1/2 cup canola oil
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350°F.  Line a 9″x13″ baking pan with foil and spray with cooking spray.

Mix the dry ingredients in a large bowl.  In a small bowl, mix together the wet ingredients.  Pour the wet mixture in the dry and mix well with a fork (or your clean hands).

Pour mixture into the prepared baking dish and press into the pan.

Bake for about 15-20 minutes if you want chewy granola bars, or 20-25 minutes for crunchy.  When the edges start to brown, remove from the oven and let sit for a few minutes before cutting with a sharp knife.  Allow bars to finish cooling completely before removing from the pan.

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Granola Bars

Makes about 10 bars

Adapted from Buns In My Oven

  • 2 cups old-fashioned oats
  • 1 cup whole wheat flour (or almond meal or all-purpose)
  • 1/2 cup bittersweet chocolate chips
  • 1/2 cup peanut butter chips
  • 1/2 cup wheat germ (or ground flax seed)
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 2 eggs
  • 1/4 cup honey
  • 1/2 cup canola oil
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350°F.  Line a 9″x13″ baking pan with foil and spray with cooking spray.

Mix the dry ingredients in a large bowl.  In a small bowl, mix together the wet ingredients.  Pour the wet mixture in the dry and mix well with a fork (or your clean hands).

Pour mixture into the prepared baking dish and press into the pan.

Bake for about 15-20 minutes if you want chewy granola bars, or 20-25 minutes for crunchy.  When the edges start to brown, remove from the oven and let sit for a few minutes before cutting with a sharp knife.  Allow bars to finish cooling completely before removing from the pan.

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