The kids have been in school for a little over a month. In the beginning the lunch box fare was exciting, new, fresh, and savoured The honeymoon is over. I mean, really, how many chicken-quinoa meatballs with homemade marinara sauce can one eat? Taco meat with chips is “been there, done that”, and enough with the maple coated (homemade) sweet and spicy almonds (recipe to come – regardless of what the kids say, they are still very much my addiction). Although they still like my Snap Crackle Pop Snack Bites, they want variety. And not these, these, or these! They want a granola bar!
This past Saturday, everyone in my house was gone by 7:30 a.m. I was secretly, sans guilt, in heaven. I stole a few moments on Saturday morning to scroll through my DVR’d cooking shows. Happily lounging in my p.j.’s, green tea in one hand and remote in the other, I got down to business. I often forget how much inspiration comes from a little 22 minute cooking episode. One in particular was Ree’s episode Horsing Around and she made what looked like the perfect granola bar.
Converted these into a gluten free version and I have to say I was pretty impressed with myself. Packed in the lunch box, they were a hit. I am “snack mom” next week for Isaac’s football team. No pre-packaged, processed junk for my son’s friends. Instead, a big batch of these, fruit on skewers, and water for those growing boys. And who knows, maybe one parent will take note and follow my lead!
Homemade Baked Granola Bars
Ingredients
24 ounces | 678 grams | 6 cups gluten free rolled oats
2 ounces | 57 grams | 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
2 ounces | 57 grams | 1/4 cup coconut oil
1 teaspoon Celtic sea salt
6 ounces | 169 grams | 1 cup maple sugar
6 ounces | 170 grams | 1/2 cup honey
2 ounces | 56 grams | 1/4 cup apple juice
2 ounces | 56 grams | 1/4 cup molasses
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
2 1/2 ounces | 70 grams | 1 1/2 cup Brown Rice Puffed Cereal
4 ounces | 70 grams | 1 cup rice bran
2 ounces | 56 grams | 1/2 cup unsalted sunflower seeds
2 ounces | 56 grams | 1/2 cup raw almonds, chopped
8 ounces | 226 grams | 2 cups bittersweet chocolate, chopped and tempered
Instructions
• preheat oven to 350*. spray two rimmed jelly roll pans and set aside.
• in a large bowl, mix the oats, coconut oil, salt, and melted butter. divide mixture between the two prepared jelly roll pans.
• toast oat for 15 – 20 minutes, rotating pans half way through the baking. let cool.
• reduce oven temperature to 325*. line one rimmed jelly roll pan with heavy duty foil. lightly butter the foil.
• in a heavy duty sauce pan, combine the maple sugar, honey, apple juice, and molasses. on medium heat, stir the mixture until the sugar dissolves and is all combined. off heat, add the vanilla.
• in a very large bowl, mix the toasted oats, rice bran, sunflower seeds, and almonds. pour the warm sugar mixture over the dry ingredients and mix to combine.
• press the mixture into your foil lined jelly roll pan and bake until the top is just starting to turn a rich golden brown, about 20 – 25 minutes.
• place on a wire rack to cool completely. once cool, cut into desired size bars
• while cooling, temper your chocolate. I am fortunate to have this machine. If you don’t this is a very simple video on how to temper chocolate.
• once your chocolate is tempered, dip the bars into the chocolate or drizzle the chocolate over the bars set over a wire rack.
• once chocolate is set and hardened, they are ready to eat.
• these will keep in an airtight container for up to 1 week. provided they last that long.
The Urban Baker / SusanSalzman.com
-
[…] Chocolate Almond Granola Bars […]
[…] day lunch, rice cooked in the rice cooker, and my citrus was zested and juiced. Today I am making granola bars for their lunch box sweet treat and a batch of cookie dough is resting in the fridge. Frozen in […]
[…] I will usually throw a string cheese and apple or some crackers or something, but this past week I decided to make homemade granola bars for the first time in quite a while after I was inspired by these. […]
Leave a Comment
LOVE these! I am such a fan of granola bars. I always have one in my lunch. If I don’t make them at home, I buy organic from Wholefoods. I am definitely saving this recipe!
Allison – these are great weekend project. You can even toast the oats the day before. Then just assemble the next day. Let me know how they turn out!
I just want to reach in and grab one off that stack!!
I wish you were geographically closer. I would whip up a batch and leave them on your doorstep (that’s what I do with my neighbors and the kids teachers).
I was just thinking of making my own granola bars when your post popped up. Thanks so much!
Fun granola bars Susan!! Love all that chocolate 🙂
May I have these in my lunch box please!!!
I can’t help it, my favorite part is totally the chocolate coating. Oh yum!!
I’m with you, sista!
These look so good…I’m not sure if I would have the discipline to not eat them before my kids got home from school.
Taco meat with chips…chicken-quinoa meatballs… I must say you sure are creative!
Hi Annie – it’s so comforting to know that there are those (you) that actually read the posts and don’t just look at the photos! Yes, must be creative in the lunch box – otherwise the complaining is endless. Today, I had my son pack his own snacks. Let’s see if that makes a difference!
GORGEOUS!! You totally just inspired me to make granola bars. I am on it right now!
Heather – this is a really great base. I am sure your creativity will get the best of you and you will be whipping up something totally scrumptious!
yummy. I will make them this weekend. I am sure I won’t be able to eat just one or even two. thanks
Hi Lizzy – it’s hard to eat just one. It’s one of those great things that you can’t pass by the container without pinching a little bite here and there! Thinking of you! xx
Ohhh.. yum! One of my great sadness’ being g.f. has been the loss of granola bars, as I’ve also been diagnosed with a soy allergy and we have tree nut allergies at my house. Pretty much, if you can’t make it yourself, you are out of luck. Where do you get rice bran? (we can’t use Bob’s products.. they cross contaminate with nuts/soy/and chickpeas which I’m also allergic to). Can’t wait to give these a whirl (minus the nuts!)
Hi Beth! Yes, granola bars were very much missed. I got the rice bran at whole foods and it was not a Bob’s Red Mill product. You can swap out the almonds for more seeds or even raisins or other dried fruit. Can you have coconut? Please let me know if you try these and if so, how did you substitute.
Hi Beth, forgot to tell you where I got the rice bran…at Whole Foods. It’s not Bob’s! The original recipe called for wheat germ. I swapped out the rice bran it all seemed to work great.
Homemade granola bars are the best! Can’t wait to try your recipe!
Think I will adapt your recipe for my pantry because these looks good!!!!
If I were eating grains, I would totally make these today. They look amazing!
These sound like a wonderful afternoon snack for kids or adults!
I’ve been wanting a chocolate tempering machine forever! I would seriously dip everything in chocolate if I could. I’m going to check out the one you have.
Sylvie – we can have a tempering party and you can try mine out. It’s an expense and I would suggest you use it first before you invest.
Chocolate and Granola, OMG! The Princess definetly loves. I, too love watching cooking shows in my pajamas, gets my foodie juices going! Don’t forget to stop by my royal blog The Princess Cooks.
May all your baking adventures be sweet and yummy,
The Teen Princess of Buttermilk Springs
My fav snack and with chocolate even better! Love it!
These look fabulous, Susan! They make me yearn for recess to return just so I can snack on them!
Looks great Susan compared to the store bought bar I’m eating now. And, when made GF it makes them that much healthier! I like the idea of coconut, mac nuts and pineapple. Thanks for the share 🙂
Do you think these would freeze well? I’m not sure we could eat 30 in a week, but would love to keep half the batch in the freezer for two or three weeks later.
Hi Teryn! I do freeze a lot of my baked goods, but I am not quite sure about these granola bars. If you are worried that you wont eat them all in the week, I would store them in an airtight container in your fridge. I think these will keep the freshness and still taste really good. Let me know how they come out. p.s. if you do not keep a gluten free lifestyle, you can see the original recipe on my post and use traditional AP flour and wheat germ.
I was a bad girl and didn’t put all the ingredients on my counter first so I didn’t notice that the recipe skips adding the puffed brown rice. They are a little sweet since they are short 1.5 C grains. I will make again, and add them with the other dry ingredients. I think actually I will substitute crispy flax for fun and added omega-3s!! 🙂