Chewy, crunchy and delicious.

Recipe inspired by Smitten Kitchen.

1 2/3 cups quick rolled oats
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup oat flour created by processing 1/3 cup oats until finely ground
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
handful dried pineapple, blended to small chunks
handful dried mango, blended to small chunks
1/2 – 1 cup walnuts, blended to small chunks
1/2 cup wheat germ
1/2 cup coconut flakes (preferably not sweetened)
1 cup raisins or dried cherries
1/3 cup peanut butter or another nut butter
1 teaspoon almond extract
6 tablespoons melted butter
1/2 cup honey and/or maple syrup (a combination is yummy)
2 tablespoons light corn syrup
1 tablespoon water

  • Preheat the oven to 350F. Line an 8″ x 8″ x 2″ pan with parchment paper, allowing it to go up the sides to give you something to grab onto post baking. Lightly grease the parchment paper and the exposed pan with spray.
  • Stir together all the dry ingredients, including the fruit and nuts.
  • In a separate bowl, whisk together the almond extract, melted butter or oil, liquid sweeteners, peanut butter and water.
  • Stir wet into dry until the mixture is evenly and crumbly.
  • Spread in the prepared pan, pressing them in firmly to ensure they are molded to the shape of the pan.
  • Bake the bars for 30 to 40 minutes, until they’re brown around the edges. They’ll still seem soft and almost underbaked when you press into the center of the pan but do not worry, they’ll set completely once completely cool.
  • Cool the bars in their pan partially, then remove to either a cooling rack or the fridge (to finalize the “gluing” process).
  • Once cool, a serrated knife to cut the bars into squares.
  • To store, wrap the bars individually in plastic or stack them in an airtight container. In humid weather, it’s best to store bars in the refrigerator. They also freeze well.