Chewy Granola Bars
Combining rolled oats, fat, sugar and syrup into small baked bars is a typical snack in most English-speaking countries. These kinds of bars are called ‘flapjacks’ in the UK and Ireland, oat bars or oat slices in Australia or New Zealand, and granola bars in North America. All are similar, and the name is interchangeable, although granola bars usually include dried fruits and nuts in their formula.
My version is a variation of the North American style from the mid-1800s and re-invented in the 1960s and 1970s. I use a combination of dates, prunes, almond butter, maple syrup, oats and
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Combining rolled oats, fat, sugar and syrup into small baked bars is a typical snack in most English-speaking countries. These kinds of bars are called ‘flapjacks’ in the UK and Ireland, oat bars or oat slices in Australia or New Zealand, and granola bars in North America. All are similar, and the name is interchangeable, although granola bars usually include dried fruits and nuts in their formula.
My version is a variation of the North American style from the mid-1800s and re-invented in the 1960s and 1970s. I use a combination of dates, prunes, almond butter, maple syrup, oats and nuts to formulate the base, then add any number of additional ingredients to create unique flavors – anything from dried cranberries or figs to a good pinch of fleur de sel to create an interesting salty-sweet combination.
I like having a stash of granola bars in my freezer – simple to take along whenever I think I might need an emergency pick-up while out and about, or if I need some added nutrition during an extended period of exercise like a long walk or bike ride.
Granola bars keep well in the freezer for months.
Difficulty: simple
Yield: about 18 to 24 pieces