Homemade Coconut Almond Granola Bars
Perfectly chewy and lightly sweetened with coconut sugar and brown rice syrup, these granola bars are a nutritious snack. Great for travel, school lunches, or snacks on the go. Feel free to change up the add-ins to your liking. These are great for making with kids. Once your family tastes these creations, they’ll forget sugar-laden store-bought granola bars ever existed!
Homemade Coconut Almond Granola Bars
By Allison Rivers
Makes 12 bars
Ingredients
Dry
2 1/2 cups regular rolled oats
1 cup chopped almonds
3/4 cup shredded coconut (unsweetened)
1/2 cup oat bran
1/4 cup raw, shelled pumpkin seeds
Add-ins
1/4 cup flax meal
3/4 cup chopped dried fruit (cranberries, currants, apricots, or any fruit you like)
Wet
1/3 cup brown rice syrup
1/4 cup coconut sugar
1 teaspoon unflavored coconut oil
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon arrowroot powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 300°F. Line a 9×9 inch pan with parchment paper. In a medium bowl, toss together dry ingredients. Spread into the pan and toast 10-15 minutes or until it just starts to be fragrant. Remove from oven, stir in flax meal and fruit and set aside.
2. In a medium saucepan, combine wet ingredients and warm over medium heat, stirring until coconut sugar is dissolved. Add dry ingredients and add-ins to saucepan and mix completely.
3. Into the prepared pan, evenly spread the granola bar mixture. Place another sheet of parchment on top of the mixture and press down firmly and evenly. Remove the top sheet of parchment paper and bake for 15 minutes.
4. Cool completely and lift the parchment paper and baked granola bars from the pan. Cut into 12 pieces and store in an airtight container for up to 3 weeks.
© Recipe by Allison Rivers, MSW Coach, award-winning vegan chef, author of Quick + Easy DIY Salad Bar, The Dairy-Freedom Cookbook, Comfortably Yum, and Co-Founder of The Dairy Detox.