Apple Pie Granola Bar Recipe

Nothing puts us in a back-to-school mood quite like snacking on granola bars. But buyer, beware: Store-bought granola bars can be quite deceiving. Eye-catching labels can look virtuous, but skim the nutrition label and you’ll see many brands are chock-full of sugar and artificial flavoring. Luckily, our apple pie granola bar recipe is a sweet snack that has all-natural ingredients and less than five grams of sugar per serving. Each bar is studded with chucks of dried apple, pecans, toasted oats and cinnamon. (Hello, awesome apple pie flavor!) Fiber from the apple and oats will keep you satisfied, too, so stashing one of these portable snacks in your gym bag or lunch box is the perfect way to stay energized on-the-go.

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Apple Pie Granola Bar Recipe

Makes: 20 bars

Prep time: 25 minutes
Cook time: 10 minutes

Ingredients

2 cups rolled oats
1/2 cup shredded, unsweetened coconut
1/2 cup pecans, chopped
1/3 cup dates
1/4 cup coconut oil
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/3 cup honey
1 tablespoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1 cup dried apples, chopped

Preparation

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
2. Place the oats in a blender or food processor and pulse for 5 to 10 seconds.
3. On a baking sheet, combine the oats, shredded coconut and pecans and toast in the oven for approximately 10 minutes, stirring after 5 minutes to ensure mixture does not burn. Once golden in color, remove from the oven.
4. Place the dates in a food processor and blend until they fully combine and form a paste-like consistency.
5. In a sauce pan over medium heat, combine the coconut oil, honey and vanilla. As the liquid heats up, begin to stir the date paste until it becomes well-combined with the mixture.
6. In a bowl, combine the toasted oat mixture, chopped apples, cinnamon, nutmeg and hot liquid from the stove. Stir until completely mixed.
7. Firmly press the mixture into a baking tray lined with parchment paper. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least two hours or until bars become firm.
8. Remove from the fridge and cut into 20 bars. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for more crumbly bars, or in the fridge for firmer bars.

For more recipes from Carmen, visit everylastbite.com.