Soft and Chewy Granola Bars Recipe
Try this Soft and Chewy Granola Bars Recipe, or contribute your own.
Try this Soft and Chewy Granola Bars Recipe, or contribute your own.
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 1/2 cups (230 grams) old fashioned rolled oats
- 1/2 cup (80 grams) whole almonds coarsely chopped
- 1/3 cup (113 grams) honey
- 1/4 cup (56 grams) unsalted butter cut into pieces
- 1/4 cup (50 grams) packed light brown sugar
- 1/2 cup (60 grams) dried cranberries coarsely chopped
- 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons (67 grams) mini chocolate chips
- Carbohydrate 0.0221375 g
- Cholesterol 0 mg
- Fat 0.000105 g
- Fiber 0 g
- Protein 0.000105 g
- Saturated Fat 1.75E-05 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (0g)
- Sodium 25.20845 mg
- Sugar 0.0221375 g
- Trans Fat 6.3E-05 g
- Calories 1 calories
Step-by-step
- Heat oven to 350 degrees F (177 degrees C).
- Line bottom and sides of an 8-inch or 9-inch square pan with aluminum foil. Then lightly oil or spray with cooking spray.
- Add oats and almonds to a small baking sheet then bake 5 minutes, stir and bake another 3 to 5 minutes until lightly toasted.
- Transfer to a large bowl.
- Combine butter, honey, brown sugar, vanilla extract and the salt in a small saucepan over medium heat.
- Cook, stirring occasionally until butter melts and the sugar completely dissolves.
- Pour butter mixture into bowl with toasted oats and almonds. Mix well.
- Let cool about 5 minutes then add cranberries and a 1/4 cup of the mini chocolate chips. Stir to combine. (The chocolate chips will most likely melt a little. This is fine, they turn into glue and help to hold the bars together).
- Transfer oat mixture to lined pan then use a rubber spatula or damp finger tips to firmly press the mixture into the pan. (Press hard here, this way the bars will stay together once cooled and cut -- We press for about one minute to be extra safe).
- Scatter remaining 2 tablespoons of chocolate chips over pressed granola mixture then use a rubber spatula to gently press them into the top.
- Cover then refrigerate at least 2 hours.
- Remove block of granola mixture from pan then peel away aluminum foil.
- Cut into 12 bars.
- Store bars in an airtight container for up to one week. For the softest bars, keep at room temperature. For slightly harder bars, store in the fridge.
Toasting old fashioned rolled oats and coarsely chopped whole almonds for eight to ten minutes at 350 degrees F develops deep pyrazine-driven nutty flavors that raw grains simply cannot match. Spreading these dry components across a separate sheet pan before combining them with the binder ensures even heat circulation without scorching the edges of your baking vessel. Monitoring the oven closely during this initial phase prevents the natural oils in the nuts from turning acrid.
Dissolving light brown sugar and unsalted butter into honey over medium heat creates a hot syrup that must be carefully managed to avoid crystallization. Pouring this warm mixture over the toasted oats immediately coats every surface, but waiting five minutes before adding dried cranberries and mini chocolate chips prevents total structural collapse. Letting the residual heat drop ensures the reserved chocolate chips partially melt just enough to act as an adhesive matrix without disappearing entirely.
Compacting the warm mass into an eight-inch square pan requires firm, deliberate pressure applied for a full sixty seconds using damp fingertips or a sturdy rubber spatula. Skimping on this physical compression stage results in crumbly squares that fall apart upon slicing. Chilling the aluminum foil-lined block for a minimum of two hours solidifies the butter and sugar bonds.
Storing the finished portions in an airtight container preserves their texture for up to seven days. Keeping them at room temperature maintains a softer bite, whereas refrigeration induces firmer structural rigidity due to chilled dairy fats. Slicing the chilled block cleanly with a sharp chef knife yields twelve uniform pieces without ragged edges.
