Community Pick
(Super Healthy) Chewy Granola Bars
- Ready In:
- 45mins
- Ingredients:
- 12
- Yields:
-
15 bars
ingredients
- 2 cups rolled oats (old-fashioned)
- 1 cup whole wheat pastry flour (or stoneground spelt flour)
- 1 cup wheat germ
- 1⁄2 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon, ground
- 1⁄4 teaspoon nutmeg, freshly grated
- 1⁄2 cup ground flax seeds
- 1⁄2 cup oil (neutral flavor like sunflower)
- 1⁄2 cup honey
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 teaspoons blackstrap molasses (optional)
- 1 cup sugar-free applesauce, thick
directions
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Toast oats for 5 minutes in a dry skillet over medium heat. Let cool.
- In a large bowl, combine dry ingredients (including oats) and whisk together until well combined.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together wet ingredients until well blended.
- Add wet mixture to dry ingredients and blend gently until well moistened. Add any of the suggested additions now (see Step 8). Mixture should be moist but not too wet. If it seems too dry and crumbly, add a little more applesauce (by the spoonful).
- Line a 9in x 13in pan with parchment paper and press mixture into pan.
- Bake at 350°F for 30 minutes. Cut into bars while warm, but let cool completely before removing from pan.
- Suggested additions (add up to 2 cups of any of the following): chocolate chips, raisins (soaked in hot water for 10 minutes then drained), unsweetened shredded coconut, sunflower seeds (unsalted), pumpkin seeds (unsalted), dried fruit (like chopped apricots, cranberries), chopped toasted nuts.
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Reviews
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Great base recipe. I have made these many times and have substituted the oil with mashed bananas, pumpkin puree, more applesauce or any combination of the three (I think I will try some peanut butter next time). Although, I still add about 1-2 tablespoons of oil. Also substitute wheat germ for wheat bran and add protein powder. Have added chopped almonds and dried fruits (raisins, cranberries and apricots). My husband and I love them for breakfast during our busy work weeks.
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Made to share at a weekly meeting we attend & cut them small so I could get 24 total! I included dried cranberries & some toasted almonds & these were a big hit ~ Gone in no time at all! Will be making these again, for sure! Thanks for posting the recipe! [Made & reviewed in Healthy Choices ABC recipe tag]
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Tweaks
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Great base recipe. I have made these many times and have substituted the oil with mashed bananas, pumpkin puree, more applesauce or any combination of the three (I think I will try some peanut butter next time). Although, I still add about 1-2 tablespoons of oil. Also substitute wheat germ for wheat bran and add protein powder. Have added chopped almonds and dried fruits (raisins, cranberries and apricots). My husband and I love them for breakfast during our busy work weeks.
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THESE ARE THE BEST!!! I used wheat bran instead of wheat germ and flax meal instead of ground flax seeds and they still turned out great! I also added less oil and 1/4 c peanut butter. A very versatile, kid-friendly, healthy, and tasty recipe. (I think the secret ingredient to this recipe is the applesauce....so don't substitute that!!)
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I made these with my toddler and preschooler in mind, they were a huge hit! I made them in two varieties, one version followed the recipe and added dried cranberries and coconut. The other version, I subbed natural crunchy peanut butter for the oil, and added a little extra applesauce. I used grain sweetened chocolate chips and crunched up peanuts in that batch. Both pans were delicious, but the peanut butter bars were the clear favorites!
RECIPE SUBMITTED BY
I'm a graduate student in Agricultural Economics. I enjoy studying and learning about food from farm to table. Cooking is one of the great pleasures in my life.