Homemade Granola Bars {Share the Love}

Homemade Granola Bars.

The base ingredients are old fashioned oats, sliced almonds, and shredded coconut all toasted releasing their individual flavors.  To this you add your favorite nuts and dried fruit and don’t forget to sneak in some healthy stuff like flax seed, wheat germ, or chia seeds.  The mixture comes together with a sticky honey butter syrup.  Yum!

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  In large bowl combine oats, almonds, and coconut.  Pour onto ungreased cookie sheet and bake for 12 – 14 minutes until golden brown.  Stir midway through cooking.  Once removed reduce oven temp. to 300 degrees.

In large bowl combine flax seed, nuts, and dried fruit.  Add toasted oat mixture. 

Spray a 9 x 13 pan with cooking spray, then line with parchment paper (do not use Wax Paper….big mistake, made only once).

In small sauce pan combine butter, honey, vanilla, and salt over medium heat.  Bring to boil and whisk for one minute.  Keep an eye on it, it wants to boil over.

Pour honey mixture over oats and nuts.  Stir until well blended and everything is evenly coated.

Press mixture into prepared pan.  Wet finger tips to keep from sticking.  Be sure to pack firmly.  Careful mixture will be hot.

Bake at 300 degrees for 30 minutes until golden brown.

Lift parchment paper out of baking dish and cool for 2 – 3 hours.

Once completely cooled, slice across and then down the center making bars.  Or just break it up and enjoy it as a granola snack or yogurt topping.

Individually wrap and make multiple happy people.  Once you try this basic recipe, you’ll see how easy it is to start mixing up the ingredients.  Exchange honey with maple syrup.  Replace dried fruit with hunks of white chocolate and pair with macadamia nuts.  Toss in a couple tablespoons of wheat germ or chia seeds and give the nutrient levels a big boost.

Make these with your kids and share them with your parents.  Everyone will feel the love.  And please share if you try this recipe or come up with a twist of your own…we’d love to hear about it!! 

Other recipes you might enjoy:

Apple Fennel Slaw {with Orange Cumin Dressing} Rosemary Watermelon Juice {Share the Love} Tomato, Cheddar & Basil Pie