These chewy apricot and white chocolate granola bars are an easy homemade snack that's perfect for camping, hiking, lunchboxes and more. Not only are these homemade snack bars simple to make, they won't fall apart on you, making them ideal for packing along on all your outdoor adventures.
Have you ever tried to make homemade granola bars only to have them completely fall apart when you sliced into them? I have. It's incredibly frustrating. I'm not opposed to eating a crumbly snack, but if I'm packing it along on a hike, it needs to hold together.
After several iterations of these apricot oat granola bars, I stumbled onto the secret of how to make granola bars that don't fall apart. Brown rice syrup. It's incredibly sticky and you'll get an arm workout putting these bars together, but you'll be rewarded with a crisp, chewy, portable snack that's perfect for hiking, lunch boxes, post-workout and more.
Why This Recipe is Great for Camping
- You can prepare them in advance and pack them along for snacking on at camp or enjoying on a hike or picnic.
- They don't require any cooler space.
Ingredients and Substitutions
- Brown rice syrup--This is the secret ingredient that ensures your granola bars hold together. Don't try substituting a different sweetener. You can find brown rice syrup online or at whole food or natural food stores.
- Oats--Regular rolled oats work best for these bars.
- Almond butter--I make my granola bars with almond butter due to a peanut allergy in my home, but feel free to substitute your favorite nut butter. I find that smooth varieties work best. If your nut butter is unsalted, add an extra pinch of salt to the recipe.
How to Make a Homemade Granola Bars
- Toast the oats and almonds in a 350°F oven for 5 minutes.
- Mix the brown rice syrup and almond butter together until smooth.
- Combine the oats, almonds, apricots and chocolate chips in a bowl. Pour the syrup mixture over and stir to combine.
- Press the mixture into a parchment-lined 8-by-8-inch baking pan. Freeze for 15 minutes. Cut into bars.
FAQs
Brown rice syrup is critical for holding the bars together. If you want to make them sweeter, you can add another sweetener like honey or maple syrup in addition to the ½ cup of brown rice syrup, but don't replace it.
These will keep for up to 2 weeks.
These will store fine at room temperature if you're travelling or camping, but I prefer to keep them in a container or resealable plastic bag in the fridge. If you don't have access to a fridge or cooler, keep them in a cool spot out of direct sunlight to avoid melting the chocolate chips.
Tips and Troubleshooting
- If you find it difficult to get the brown rice syrup and almond butter to mix together, set it in a saucepan over low heat for a couple of minutes to warm the mixture. Alternatively, pop it in the microwave and zap it in 15 second increments to soften it.
- A pizza cutter works well for slicing through the bars.
- These white chocolate granola bars are suitable for gluten-free diets.
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Recipe
Apricot and White Chocolate Granola Bars
Equipment
- 8-by-8-inch baking dish or cake pan
Ingredients
- 2 cups rolled oats
- ½ cup raw almonds coarsely chopped
- ½ cup dried apricots chopped
- ⅓ cup white chocolate chips
- ½ cup brown rice syrup
- ¼ cup smooth almond butter
- Pinch salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Spread the oats and almonds on a large baking sheet. Toast in the oven for 5 minutes. Let cool slightly.
- Combine the oats, almonds, apricots, and white chocolate chips in a large bowl.
- In a liquid measuring cup, mix the brown rice syrup, almond butter, and a pinch of salt. Stir until smooth.
- Scrape the syrup mixture into the bowl with the oats and use a spatula to mix thoroughly. The mixture should be extremely stiff, sticky, and difficult to work with. Spend 2 to 3 minutes stirring to evenly coat everything.
- Line a 8-by-8-inch baking pan with parchment. Scrape the granola mixture onto the parchment and press into an even layer, spreading right to the edge of the dish. Use your fingers to firmly press everything into an even layer. This may take a few minutes as you want to really pack it in.
- Chill the granola bars in the freezer for 15 minutes.
- Using the edges of the parchment, remove the square from the pan and use a sharp knife or pizza cutter to slice it into 10 even bars. Store in a sealed container or bag in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.
Notes
- If you find it difficult to get the brown rice syrup and almond butter to mix together, set it in a saucepan over low heat for a couple of minutes to warm the mixture. Alternatively, pop it in the microwave and zap it in 15 second increments to soften it.
- A pizza cutter works well for slicing through the bars.
- These white chocolate granola bars are suitable for gluten-free diets.
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