Last updated on January 28th, 2018
Hungry? Oh, do I have some Granola Bars for you! These are crunchy with almonds, chewy with dried apricots and wild blueberries, and barely sweet with local honey. I love them for breakfast on-the-go, and for dunking in hot, French roasted coffee. The bars are energizing, too. And energy is exactly what you need when your new puppy wants to play endless rounds of “fetch.” 
I’ll admit there are as many ways to make granola bars as there are ingredients to put in them. The following version requires only minimal ingredients and cookware.
Let’s make some gorgeous granola bars!
To start, prepare an 8×12 baking dish: lightly coat the dish with vegetable spray, and then line it with parchment paper. The veggie spray will hold the paper in place. Set the dish aside.
Next, jump out of your skin (and nearly drop your camera) when your puppy emits a blood-curdling scream.
The source of the puppy’s agitation? A maple leaf blowing in the wind.
Phew. Back to baking!
Pour some old-fashioned oats (not quick oats) onto a baking sheet.
Add some slivered almonds…
And some shredded coconut (sweetened or not, your choice here)…
And toss them about with a spoon or spatula to mix.
No picture of this next step, because I forgot to take one: Pop the oat mixture into a preheated 350°F oven, and bake, stirring from time to time, until the ingredients color just slightly — 10-12 minutes.
Tip the barely-baked oat mixture into a large mixing bowl.
Then stir in some toasted wheat germ…
Some local honey…
A splash of pure vanilla extract…
And a nice pinch of kosher salt.
I hope you have a special measuring spoon that indicates “nice pinch.”
Now’s the time to add dried fruit! You can use any dried fruit that floats your boat.
If you’re are like me, you’ll add some dried apricots, chopped into raisin-size pieces…
And some dried, wild blueberries.
Scoop the sticky mixture into the prepared baking dish, and press it down firmly with your wet hands or a measuring cup. If you use a measuring cup, spray its underside with non-stick spray.
Reduce oven temperature to 300°F, and bake the works until lightly golden brown — 25-30 minutes. Enjoy the fragrance that has filled your kitchen.
Permit the granola mixture to cool for at least 3 hours, so the honey can set up and hold all of the ingredients together. Then lift the granola by the parchment paper, and place it on your work surface. Slice into bars or squares.
Think you’ll give these healthy snacks a try? You can let me know by leaving a comment. As always, I love hearing from you!
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Here’s the printable, in case you need it:
These chewy-delicious bars are sweetened only with dried fruit and honey. Enjoy them for breakfast on-the-go, or for anytime snacking!
Ingredients
- Non-stick vegetable spray
- 2 cups old fashioned oat meal
- 1 cup silvered almonds
- 1 cup shredded coconut
- 1/2 cup toasted wheat germ
- 2/3 cup honey
- 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract, or more, to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 3/4 cup finely-chopped dried apricots (chop them to the size of raisins)
- 3/4 cup dried wild blueberries
Instructions
- Lightly coat an 8x12 baking dish with non-stick vegetable spray. Then line the dish with parchment paper, keeping a 1- or 2-inch overhang for easy unmolding. Also, center the oven rack, and heat the oven to 350°F.
- Tip the oats, almonds, and coconut on a baking sheet, and toss or stir to mix. Bake in the preheated oven until the mixture barely colors -- 10-12 minutes.
- Immediately transfer the warm oat mixture to a large bowl, and stir in the wheat germ, honey, vanilla, and salt. Then, using a spatula, gently fold in the dried fruit. Pour the works into the prepared baking dish, and firmly press them down with your wet hands or a measuring cup whose underside has been sprayed with non-stick vegetable spray.
- Reduce oven temperature 300°F, and bake until the granola mixture colors a light golden brown -- 25-30 minutes. Cool for at least 3 hours. Then unmold, and slice into 16 bars or squares. Freeze leftovers.
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Brenda Johnson says
Delicious AND healthy??? Well done Kevin! These granola bars are wonderful- crunchy, chewy, sweet and just a hint of salty. You can truly taste the coconut, the almonds….the apricots (I’m a huge fan!) the blueberries…and certainly they seem easy enough to make!! (I will find out this weekend!!) Thanks for sharing Kevin!!
Kevin Lee Jacobs says
Brenda J – thanks for taste-testing. So glad you liked the bars!
Alison says
Looks delish and easy. I wonder if there’s a GF version for my upcoming book club.
Georgeann Brown says
Please tell us that the cutting board is used for photos and not for slicing, chopping …..
Time for a new one.
Kevin Lee Jacobs says
Hi Alison – To make the bars gluten-free, just use gluten-free oats, and substitute oat bran, flax meal, or ground sunflower seeds for the wheat germ. Enjoy!
Cynthia says
Can I substitute the wheat germ with something else? Ground flax seed? Asking for a friend 🙂
Kevin Lee Jacobs says
Hi Cynthia – Ground flax seed is a good sub for wheat germ. Ditto for oat bran!
Rachel says
I am thinking I can taste them already. Yum ; )
Danella on the Canadian west coast says
These look delicious! Love all your posts.
Toni says
Kevin,
Just shared this recipe with my daughter who is very “sweet” conscious with her children’s foods and noticed in the fine print: “sweetened only with dried fruit”. Should add “and honey”????
Kevin Lee Jacobs says
Hi Toni – I did not finish my thought: “sweetened only with dried fruit and honey.” Fixed now!
kathleen passie says
Love your new baby… and making yummy granola bars tomorrow.
Thanks kevin.
SharonSharonSharon Gilnack says
These sound delicious – I will definitely try them. THanks Kevin!
Janet Ortega says
I have always found dried apricots to be bitter, has anyone else experienced it? Maybe it’s the brand.
Ahna says
My measuring spoons have a “dash” and “smidgen” option…
And I’ll be interested in trying your simpler granola, so many have oils and butter. I love butter in my cookies, but not my granola.
Cat says
Kevin, I must say that waiting the 3 hours for the bars to set up is the hardest thing I’ve done all weekend!!
Julie R says
I LOVE granola bars and Kevin, your recipe for them looks so easy to make. Yes, I want to make these. I’m laughing at the thought of Avery barking at a leaf LOL. Pets are so entertaining = )
Julie R says
Hi to Janet Ortega comment # 14, who asked if anyone had found dried apricots to be bitter. Janet, I have not used dried apricots in cooking, so I cannot answer that. But, I do have a suggestion for you to use in place of dried apricots. I have used dried cranberries in cooking and I love how they taste, especially added to homemade waffles, yum. I get mine from the baking isle at my grocery store and their full name is Paradise Meadow Cooking & Baking Cranberries. Since they are yummy on waffles, they would probably also be good in granola bars. Hope that helps.
Julie R
Charla says
Looking for some to use instead of coconut. Any ideas?
Catherine Caskey says
Hi Kevin,
I made these granola bars. I did make the mistake of making the apricot
pieces too big. I followed the recipe to,the letter and I let it cool for longer than 3 hours and most of what I
cut into bars, fell apart!! Any suggestions????
Thanks,
Catherine
Maria says
Hi Kevin
Thank you for being such a great inspiration.
I would like to tell a funny story. I would make your granola bars. I have never heard of wheat germ. So I wanted to investigate if it could be bought here.
In Denmark, wheat germ is apparently fish food for cold water fish 😀 😀
Have a nice day.
https://www.havedamscenter.dk/webshop/184-produkter/50-wheat-germ/
Just a funny story, just delete my post… it’s not about food after all 🙂