Description
These Crunchy Granola Heart Bars are a delightful homemade snack combining toasted oats, almonds, and a touch of honey for natural sweetness. Enhanced with melted dark chocolate and dried cranberries, these bars are perfect for a wholesome treat or an energy boost any time of day.
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Ingredients
- 2 cups rolled oats
- 1 cup almonds (chopped)
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 cup dried cranberries (chopped)
Wet Ingredients
- 1/2 cup honey
- 1/4 cup coconut oil (melted)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup dark chocolate (melted)
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 325°F (160°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper to prevent sticking and make cleanup easier.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a large bowl, combine the rolled oats and chopped almonds, ensuring they are evenly distributed.
- Heat Wet Ingredients: In a small saucepan, gently heat the honey and coconut oil until melted and smooth. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla extract and salt for flavor balance.
- Combine Mixtures: Pour the warm honey and coconut oil mixture over the oats and almonds, stirring thoroughly until everything is well coated.
- Form Bars: Spread the mixture evenly onto the prepared baking sheet, pressing down firmly to compact the ingredients and help the bars hold together.
- Bake: Place in the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes or until the mixture turns golden brown, which enhances the crunch and flavor.
- Cool and Cut: Allow the baked mixture to cool completely on the baking sheet, then use a heart-shaped cookie cutter to cut into bars.
- Decorate: Drizzle the melted dark chocolate over the heart-shaped bars and sprinkle chopped dried cranberries on top for added sweetness and visual appeal.
Notes
- Ensure the bars are completely cool before cutting to prevent crumbling.
- Pressing the mixture firmly into the pan is key to making sturdy bars that hold their shape.
- Dark chocolate can be substituted with milk or white chocolate based on preference.
- These bars can be stored in an airtight container for up to a week.
- For a nut-free version, substitute almonds with seeds like pumpkin or sunflower seeds.
