Granola Bars

Total Time: 1 hr 5 mins Preparation Time: 1 hr Cook Time: 5 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 12
• 2 1/2 cups old fashioned oats
• 1/2 cup whole almond, coarsely chopped
• 1/2 cup sunflower seeds
• 1/3 cup honey
• 1/4 cup unsalted butter, cut into pieces
• 1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 cup dried raisins, coarsely chopped
• 1/4 cup mini chocolate chip, plus
• 2 tablespoons mini chocolate chips

Recipe

• 1 prepare oven and pan:.
• 2 heat oven to 350 degrees f (177 degrees c).
• 3 line bottom and sides of a 8-inch or 9-inch square pan with aluminum foil.
• 4 then lightly oil or spray with cooking spray.
• 5 toast oats and nuts:.
• 6 add oats and almonds to a small baking sheet then bake 5 minutes, stir and bake another 3 to 5 minutes until lightly toasted.
• 7 transfer to a large bowl.
• 8 prepare granola bars:.
• 9 combine butter, honey, brown sugar, vanilla extract and the salt in a small saucepan over medium heat.
• 10 cook, stirring occasionally until butter melts and the sugar completely dissolves.
• 11 pour butter mixture in to bowl with toasted oats and almonds. mix well.
• 12 let cool about 5 minutes then add cranberries and a 1/4 cup of the mini chocolate chips.
• 13 stir to combine. (the chocolate chips will most likely melt a little. this is fine, they turn into glue and help to hold the bars together).
• 14 transfer oat mixture to lined pan then use a rubber spatula or damp finger tips to firmly press the mixture into the pan.
• 15 (press hard here, this way the bars will stay together once cooled and cut — we press for about one minute to be extra safe).
• 16 scatter remaining 2 tablespoons of chocolate chips over pressed granola mixture then use a rubber spatula to gently press them into the top.
• 17 cover then refrigerate at least 2 hours.
• 18 remove block of granola mixture from pan then peel away aluminum foil. cut into 12 bars.
• 19 store bars in an airtight container for up to one week. for the softest bars, keep at room temperature. for slightly harder bars, store in the fridge.