Technically just another granola bar, and I have a bunch on here, but I’m a big fan of this one for several reasons. First, it literally couldn’t be easier to make – the hardest part is chopping the almonds, and this is not hard.Â
Second, it cuts cleanly and holds together better than any granola bar I’ve ever made. Once I cut them into squares, I kept them in a tupperware container in the fridge; I didn’t need to separate the bars with waxed paper and they were “grab-able” without a single crumb falling into the bottom of the container. Grab-able means packable, which is ideal. Now, the flavor of these is sweet, as you’d expect from using a cup of honey. If you wanted to mute that sweetness a bit, sub out some honey for maple syrup or even cooked/mashed dates (although that’s more work, for sure).
My daughter’s school is nut-free, so for her these are an after school snack, but for the rest of us they could be breakfast, dessert, or even the bit of sweet you (well, I) need after lunch. There’s a ton of room to switch up ingredients. Want to use peanut butter instead? Great. Have Rice Krispies on hand and don’t want to buy the $5.00 box of brown rice cereal (heck I get it), that’ll work fine. Keep the amounts of wet/dry the same and you’re made in the shade.
Honey Almond Granola Bars
Makes 9×12 inch panÂ
1 c. honey
1 c. almond butter
2 c. brown rice cereal
2 c. old fashioned oats
3/4 tsp. kosher salt
1 c. roasted, salted, almonds, chopped
1 c. mini chocolate chips
1/2 c. dried cranberries, dried cherries, or raisins
1/2 c. unsweetened shredded coconut
1. Combine honey and almond butter in a glass bowl and microwave until melted, about 1 minute. Whisk until smooth.
2. Combine cereal, oats, salt, almonds, mini chips, dried fruit and coconut in a large mixing bowl.
3. Add honey/almond mixture to mixing bowl and stir to combine.
4. Spray a 9×12 inch glass baking dish with nonstick spray. Add mixture to dish and press with wet hands until evenly distributed into pan. Chill 30 minutes and cut into bars or squares.
