Jo Pratt’s Berry Granola Bars

Share this feature :

A fail safe bar for healthy snacking

These berry granola bars are packed with all the good stuff we should be enjoying at breakfast for plenty of energy throughout the morning. The best thing about these bars is that you can customise them to create a flavour you love by switching around the dried berries, nuts, nut butter and jam. They’re just perfect for an on-the-go breakfast or a portable snack

Prep 25 minutes / Cooking 20 minutes / Makes 10–12

Ingredients

225g porridge (oatmeal)

oats (gluten-free)

40g soft light brown

sugar

75g dried cherries, cranberries

or blueberries (or a mixture)

30g flaked coconut

75g pecan nuts, chopped

½ tsp flaked sea salt

½ tsp ground cinnamon

40g coconut oil

125g cashew, almond, peanut or hazelnut nut butter

125ml maple syrup

75g cherry or raspberry jam

Method

Heat the oven to 180°C/160°C fan/gas 4. Line a 20 x 5 cm baking tin with baking parchment.

Put 50g of the oats in a food processor and blitz until you have a fine powder that resembles flour. Transfer to a large mixing bowl and add the remaining oats, sugar, dried berries, coconut, pecans, salt and cinnamon. Briefly mix to combine.

Put the coconut oil, nut butter and maple syrup in a small saucepan and place over a gentle heat. Stir until everything has melted together. Pour this over the dry ingredients and mix well, so everything is coated in the syrupy nut butter.

Transfer the granola mixture into the prepared tin, keeping a large handful back in the bowl. Press firmly into the base and sides using the back of a spoon. Spoon over the jam and spread over the surface.

Finish by scattering the reserved granola on top.

Bake for 20 minutes or until golden and crunchy on top. Allow to cool in the tin before turning out onto a board and cutting into bars.

Keeps for up to 1 week in an airtight container.

Flexible

Flavour swap: to make apricot and chocolate chip granola bars, use 75g chopped apricots in place of the berries and stir in 75g dark chocolate chips (dairy-free if you are vegan) into the granola, and top with apricot jam instead of a berry jam.

To make honey, sultana and almond granola bars, use 75g sultanas (golden raisins) in place of the berries and 75g chopped almonds in place of the pecan nuts. Rather than maple syrup, use the same amount of honey. Do note, this isn’t suitable for vegans if using honey.