Homemade granola bars

Ryan and I try to limit the amount of preservatives we eat as well as give to our kids, try to not buy anything with High Fructose Corn Syrup, and try to limit the amount of sugar we eat (although that is hard when you like to bake like I do!).  So, when it comes to finding snacks for the kids, I was getting frustrated at the junk that is in gummies and granola bars.  That is when I started making homemade fruit leather, dried apples and pears, and homemade granola bars.  This is a great recipe because you can use the oat, seed, and nut (or omit the nuts if you have peanut allergies in your family and maybe try to add something else for more substance)base and add different ingredients to make all varieties of granola bars.  I have adjusted the "glue" every time I make these and have come to the realization that if you want your granola bars to stick together, keep the ingredients the way they are.  I have made the glue with less butter and less sugar(which is what I do most of the time now), and used Agave nectar as a sugar replacement (This way creates crumbly granola instead of granola bars.  Still taste good, but do not stick together.).  So, play with the glue a little and see what works best for your family.
Let me know what combinations you have tried and what is your favorite!  I can always use more ideas!!!  


PS This post is really long, but the recipe is actually pretty easy.  Sorry if I stressed you out!


Found on Joyful Abode

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.

Gather your ingredients:

• 2 cups oats
• 3/4 cup wheat germ ( I don't have this, so I omit this step)
• 3/4 cup sunflower seeds
• 1 cup peanuts, crushed ( I usually use almonds, but this last time I used chopped cashews.  YUM!)
• 2/3 cup brown sugar ( I make it a little less than this)
• 1/2 cup honey
• 4 Tbsp butter (I use more like 3 Tbs.)
• 2 tsp vanilla extract (or if you have real Mexican vanilla, use around 1 - 1 1/2 tsp)
• 1/2 tsp Kosher salt
• approximately 8 oz. dried fruit ( I have used craisins, coconut and chocolate chips, or dried apples and dried blueberries)

To crush your peanuts, put them in a plastic bag and smash them with a heavy mallet, measuring cup, or sauce pan. (I chop my almonds and cashews in my small food processor.)

Then, mix the peanuts, oats, wheat germ, and sunflower seeds in a baking dish with sides. Toast them in the oven for 10-12 minutes, stirring every few minutes so that they don’t get burned (I have burned mine.  So really watch it and keep stirring!)

Meanwhile, prepare a glass baking dish (about 11 x 13 inches) for your granola by lining it with waxed paper lightly sprayed with a nonstick spray.

Put the brown sugar, honey, butter, vanilla, and salt into a saucepan and bring to a simmer, stirring constantly.  (Make sure you don't overheat or cook too long.  This will make the glue almost crumble and break) (I have wanted to try adding some natural Adams Peanut Butter to this mix so I can make peanut butter chocolate chip bars, but haven't tried this yet.  if you do, let me know how it turns out!!!)

By now, your grains and nuts should be toasted, so mix everything together in a large bowl. The grains, the liquid “glue,” and the dried fruit (This is usually when I add my chocolate chips too.  Then they melt in with the oat mixture and cover everything.  I tried just pressing in my chocolate chips this last batch I made, but it made my granola break apart too much.) Oh, and turn off your oven, because you’re finished with it now.


Mix everything REALLY WELL because you want to make sure the “glue” gets all over everything. Now, dump your granola mixture into your prepared baking dish.


Spread out the mixture with a wooden spoon or spatula.


Now fold over the sides of the waxed paper or add a sheet on top, and PRESS HARD all over the granola. You want to compact it together so that your bars won’t fall apart when you cut them.

Wait 2-3 hours or until the granola has totally cooled.

Then, open the waxed paper … And carefully turn the granola onto a large cutting board, peeling away the rest of the paper.

Now, firmly pressing down with a big knife (not sawing), cut your granola into whatever size bars you’d like.

I wrapped ours individually in plastic wrap, so that we could just throw one into our bag or lunch box in the morning. If you’d like to save on packaging though, you can store yours in an airtight container, between sheets of waxed paper (so they don’t stick together).