Try These Delicious Homemade Granola Bars
Who doesn’t love a good granola bar? They’re great for a quick and delicious snack, especially when you’re on the move. Store bought brands are often filled with unnecessary sugars and preservatives, which is why I love whipping up my own homemade granola bars.
Right now I’m a huge fan of this Cinnamon Citrus Granola Bar recipe, made using Made In Nature’s Cinnamon Citrus Fusion Nut Blend. The flavors remind me of fall, in a non-Pumpkin Spice way, but these bars are great any time throughout the year. The refreshing hint of citrus hits the spot!
Ingredients
- 2 cups old-fashioned oatmeal
- 1 cup sliced almonds
- 1 cup shredded coconut, loosely packed
- ½ cup toasted wheat germ
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- ⅔ cup honey
- ¼ cup light-brown sugar, lightly packed
- ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon pure orange extract
- ¼ teaspoon Kosher salt
- 1 cup Made in Nature Cinnamon Citrus Fusion Nut Blend
- ½ cup Made in Nature Organic Dried Dates, chopped
Directions
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Grab an 8- by 12- inch baking dish and grease it up with butter or your favorite cooking oil.
Mix the oats, almonds, and coconut together, toss them onto a pan sheet, and bake the mixture for 10 to 12 minutes, until it’s lightly browned. Give it a good stir every few minutes to ensure it toasts evenly. When that’s done toss the mixture together with the toasted wheat germ in a medium-sized bowl.
Bring your oven down to 300 degrees Fahrenheit. While it cools you’ll bring the butter, honey, brown sugar, vanilla, orange extract, and salt to a boil over medium heat in a small saucepan. Let it boil for for one minute, stirring the entire time, and then pour it over your toasted oatmeal mixture.
Add in the cinnamon citrus nut blend and dates and stir it all up. Pour the mixture into your pre-greased baking dish, wet your fingers with water, and lightly press the mixture evenly into the dish. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until everything is a beautiful light golden brown.
Now, for the hard part: let everything cool for 2 to 3 hours before cutting your bars. Once the wait is over all there’s left to do is chow down! (Well, you should probably do the dishes, too.)
Do you have a favorite granola bar recipe? I’d love to hear about it in the comments, and I’m sure other readers would, too!
