A few of my friends who know me from my college days at “Granola U,” still think of me as a little crunchier than most. Because I wish I had retained more of my hippie ways, I am pleased to report that I made these granola bars from scratch.
These chewy beauties are far better than what Quaker or Fiber One is pushing (I know because I usually buy those in bulk from Costco). I can readily identify every ingredient, without being a chemist, and as I type this, my two preschoolers are happily munching on the bars and asking for more.
Try this recipe out yourself. I found it in Working Mother magazine (they took it from Healthy Lunchboxes for Kids by Amanda Grant) and it’s super easy. I whipped up this batch in the surprise extra 15 minutes I had before my littlest woke up this morning.
Makes: 16 bars
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 15-18 minutes
1/2 c. vegetable oil
2 T. light brown sugar
2/3 c. corn syrup or brown rice syrup
2.5 c. rolled oats (regular, not quick cooking)
3.5 oz. mixed seeds (such as sunflower and pumpkin – I just use sunflower seeds)
2 oz. dried fruit (such as raisins, cranberries or chopped apricots)
1. Heat oven to 350F. Coat an 8×8 inch pan with nonstick spray; set aside.
2. Combine oil, sugar and syrup in a medium pot and cook over medium-low heat until the sugar dissolves. Add oats, seeds and dried fruit and stir to mix well. Pour the mixture into the prepared pan and bake 15 to 18 minutes, until the edges are golden.
3. Let cool 10 minutes, then mark into 16 even squares using he tip of a knife. Let cool completely and cut along marks into bars. Serve cereal bars immediately or store in an airtight container.
OMG! Those look delish. I'll have to give them a try. Even better, I have all the ingredients on hand.
Looks yummy… I want to give a try to make these but I have not taken the challenge yet… happy Easter… visiting from SITS
MMMMm, yum! I love homemade bars!!
Is it possible to use butter instead of vegetable oil? These look so delicious =)
I don’t know. I’ve never tried, but maybe you could use melted butter. These are really, really delicious as is though!