Crunchy muesli bars (granola bars)

Tailored from my chewy muesli bars, this can be a recipe for crunchy muesli bars that keep crunchy for over 3 weeks! I munch on these as a sweet-treat repair, but they’re wholesome sufficient for breakfast as a result of they’re sugar-free. Endlessly customisable!

In pursuit of crunchy muesli bars

Chewy muesli bars are really easy to make. They don’t even must be baked!

Crunchy muesli bars, nonetheless, have been irritatingly tough to crack. At the very least, with out utilizing sugar. Wildly fashionable crunchy muesli bars from my college playground days (mysteriously tough to search out as of late – if in any respect?) had a daunting quantity of sugar in them for one thing marketed as “wholesome”.

Whereas I’m not one to draw back from sugar in my baking, I simply at all times really feel that some issues needs to be a little bit extra healthful. Muesli bars being one such factor!

Cracking the crunchy muesli bar code

In a nutshell – in the event you bake a fundamental muesli bar recipe, it should come out crunchy however doesn’t keep that means for very lengthy. Typically a number of hours, or the day at finest. The following day they’re chewy/sticky/sweaty.

For stay-crunchy muesli bars, I discovered I needed to do a double-bake scenario:

• toast the oats and nuts

• combine with glue (peanut butter and honey)

• press in pan, chill to agency

• reduce, then bake.

Plenty of iterations of the above have been tried in pursuit of this last recipe! I hope you’re keen on and munch on these crunchy muesli bars for a few years to come back. 🙂

Substances in crunchy muesli bars

Wonderful recipe to cater to nut allergic reactions! Simply use 2 3/4 cups of “something you need” although I’d use no less than 3/4 cup of oats (my recipe makes use of 1 1/2 cups) for muesli-bar density. Any much less and you’ll begin shifting into nut-bar territory (chunkier) and the glue (peanut butter + honey) could also be inadequate to carry the bar collectively.

Categorical move: Simply use 2 3/4 cups of your favorite muesli combine!

• Pure peanut butter – This recipe requires pure peanut butter which is simply pure peanuts with out sugar and salt added. It’s runnier than business peanut butter unfold (Bega/Kraft, Skippy, Jif) so it’s simpler to combine by means of. I concern in the event you do this with business peanut butter unfold, you can be cursing me with a thick doughy combination! (Additionally, pure peanut butter is more healthy – no palm oil, no sugar and so forth).

  I exploit easy however crunchy is okay too.

  Non-peanut options – Hazelnut, almond and cashew butter work nice! Whereas tahini can be an possibility I believe the sesame flavour would dominate a little bit an excessive amount of.

• Honey – The sweetener for the glue and in addition what makes the muesli bar crunchy as soon as baked. Maple syrup additionally works however they don’t seem to be fairly as crunchy and don’t maintain collectively fairly as properly. However a very good various.

• Rolled oats – Simply plain rolled oats, like we use for recipes like oatmeal cookies and Anzac biscuits. Not fast oats, not a ready-made porridge combine, not metal reduce oats.

• Almonds – I like chunky bits of almonds in my muesli bars. It’s finest to offer them a tough chop else you find yourself with big items of almonds all through which may make it harder to get clear cuts.

• Pepitas (pumpkin seeds) – These at all times make an look in my muesli bars for a pleasant splash of inexperienced color.

• Sultanas – My nostalgic dried fruit of selection, although you’ll be able to completely substitute with something you need.

• Cinnamon – For flavour. Pumpkin spice combine can be beautiful, as is a dab of vanilla extract (combine into the glue). Different spices I prefer to dabble with embrace: all spice, blended spice and ginger.

• Salt – Don’t skip this! Only a contact makes a distinction. It doesn’t make it salty.

• Mini chocolate chips (elective) – The choc chips in retailer purchased choc chip muesli bars are mini ones that are smaller than common choc chips utilized in cookies. Mini ones are about 5mm / 0.2″ vast. I discovered them at my native Scoop Wholefoods (a kind of locations the place you assist your self and pay by weight) however since deciding to publish this recipe, they’ve turn out to be surprisingly onerous to search out! So don’t fret in the event you can’t discover them, simply use common ones.

  Different – Chocolate drizzle throughout the highest. Do that after baking! I simply pop a small handful of chocolate chips or chocolate melts in a small ziplock bag. Microwave till melted, snip the nook off then drizzle throughout the muesli bars.

Easy methods to make crunchy muesli bars

The order of the steps matter for long-lasting crunchiness!!! And slicing the muesli bars earlier than baking to lock in crunchiness is essential. 🙂

1. Toast the oats and nuts within the oven for simply 10 minutes. Drying out the oats a bit is a crunchiness insurance coverage step, and toasting the nuts brings out the flavour.

2. Muesli glue – Heat the peanut butter and honey within the microwave (simply 30 seconds) then give it a very good combine to mix. The combination is thinner when it’s heat which makes it simpler to combine by means of.

3. Combine – Put the nice and cozy oats/nuts right into a heatproof bowl and add every part else: dried fruit, cinnamon powder and salt. Pour over the nice and cozy glue then combine till totally mixed. It would look like there’s not sufficient glue, however there’s! Persist, use a slicing movement if wanted. If it will get too onerous to combine, microwave the bowl for 20 seconds which can loosen the combination up and make it simpler to combine.

4. Press – Put a sheet of paper over a 20 cm / 8″ sq. pan (no have to grease and create extra washing up for your self). Then press the combination evenly into the pan. Fingers is best, I discover.

Non-compulsory choc chips

5. Cool then press – In case you are topping your muesli bars with choc chips, let the combination cool a bit first else the choc chips will soften! Then sprinkle throughout the floor and press in by overlaying with one other sheet of paper (to stop melting on contact together with your arms).

6. Choc chips – publish press!

7. Fridge – Put the pan within the fridge for 1 hour or till it’s agency sufficient to raise the entire slab out with out it sagging. At this stage, these are chewy muesli bars so you’ll be able to eat them as is. However in case you are in pursuit of crunchy, plough on!

8. Lower into 10 bars.

9. Bake for 25 minutes in a average oven (160°C/325°F (140°C fan-forced) till they’re fairly golden. That you must be courageous right here as a result of pale = not as crunchy as they may very well be, however burnt = bitter! Verify at 22 minutes to be cautious.

10. Cool for crunch! It is possible for you to to really feel that the muesli bars are crunchy however touching them. However don’t attempt to transfer or choose them up till they’re absolutely cool so they are going to set and harden.

Storing crunchy muesli bars

As soon as absolutely cool, retailer them in an hermetic container to protect crunch. In “regular” climate, they are going to keep crunchy for as much as 5 days simply conserving them within the pantry. This additionally means you’ll be able to pop them in a lunchbox they usually’ll keep crunchy!

However to extend the crunchy-life of those muesli bars and most particularly in sizzling, humid climate (ie Sydney proper now!), retailer the muesli bars within the fridge. This retains them crunchy for properly over a fortnight. I’m as much as three weeks and they’re nonetheless advantageous!

And truly, in heat climate, munching on cool muesli bars straight out of the fridge is definitely very interesting.

Hope you take pleasure in! – Nagi x

Watch how one can make it

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Crunchy muesli bars (granola bars)

Writer: Nagi

Prep: 10 minutes minutes

Prepare dinner: 35 minutes minutes

Fridge & cooling: 2 hours hrs

Breakfast, Snack

Australian, Western

Servings10 bars

Faucet or hover to scale

Recipe video above. I’ve by no means come throughout a crunchy muesli bar recipe that stayed crunchy past a day. So I made a decision to make my very own – and these keep crunchy for 3+ weeks! Tailored from my chewy muesli bars, I discovered the important thing to be frivolously toasting the oats then slicing the bars earlier than baking. The chewy muesli bars even have a better ratio of honey and peanut butter which is what makes them chewy!PS Although they’re sugar free, I munch on these once I want a sweet-treat repair, but they’re wholesome sufficient for breakfast.

Directions

• Preheat the oven to 160°C/325°F (140°C fan-forced). Place a sheet of baking paper over a 20 cm / 8″ sq. tin with overhang so it is simple to raise out later (no greasing wanted).

• Toast: Unfold the oats, chopped almonds and pepitas on a tray. Bake for 10 minutes. Tip right into a heatproof bowl. (Notice 5) Add the sultanas, cinnamon and salt.

• Muesli combination: Microwave the honey and peanut butter in a heatproof jug for 30 seconds on excessive. Combine to mix. (Notice 6) Pour over the oat combination and blend by means of. It would look like it will not combine in, however persist, it should! Use a slicing movement if wanted. Final resort – Notice 7

• Press: Tip the muesli combination into the pan then press firmly into the pan. As soon as cooled, scatter the choc chips throughout floor (if utilizing). Cowl with a sheet of paper then press down firmly together with your arms to push the choc chips in.

• Refrigerate for 1 hour or till agency sufficient to raise out with out bending.

• Preheat the oven to 160°C/325°F (140°C fan-forced).

• Lower: Use the paper overhang to raise the muesli slab onto a slicing board. Lower in half, then every into 5 (10 bars). Switch onto a tray utilizing the paper, then area the muesli bars out.

• Bake for 25 minutes or till fairly golden on the floor and golden brown on the perimeters however not burnt.

• Cool & crunchy: Take away from the oven and funky on the tray – it should turn out to be crunchy! Retailer in an hermetic container as soon as cooled, within the fridge if it is heat the place you’re. It’s going to nonetheless be crunchy 3 weeks later!

Recipe Notes:

* Change these with no matter you need, use 2 3/4 cups complete. See Notice 3 for more information.
1. Honey – Maple syrup will be substituted however it doesn’t have fairly the identical glueing power as honey. However it should nonetheless work, the muesli bars simply crumble a little bit extra simply if you chunk into them.
2. Peanut butter – Pure, pure peanut butter that’s 100% peanuts with no sugar, salt and so forth added is finest right here, for flavour and thickness (business unfold is far thicker so it’s more durable to combine by means of).
Non-peanut options – almond, cashew or hazelnut butter. Tahini has been recommended which I haven’t tried as a result of I really feel the sesame flavour would overwhelm.
3. Stuff – You’ll be able to mainly use 2 3/4 cups of any “stuff” you need (I’ve made this utilizing only a price range muesli combine) although you want no less than 3/4 cup oats for the combination to have the proper density to attach collectively. I just like the ratio I’ve listed above – adequate dried fruit for pure sweetness, correct quantity of nuts for crunch!
4. Choc chips utilized in business muesli bars are smaller than the baking chips used for chocolate chip cookies. I discovered them at Scoop Wholefoods (these locations the place you assist your self and pay by weight). Else, simply use common choc chips OR drizzle the muesli bars with melted chocolate (like retailer purchased ones).
5. Use a heatproof bowl for mixing in case you want to rewarm the combination to loosen it up.
6. Heating makes it thinner so simpler to combine by means of.
7. Final resort – microwave for 20 seconds to loosen the combination up.If the combination will get too thick to combine the “glue” by means of evenly, microwave for 20 seconds to loosen the combination up then combine once more.
Storage – They may keep more energizing and crunchier for longer if they’re saved within the fridge in an hermetic container. They’re truly very nice eaten chilly, straight from the fridge! But when it’s not sizzling and humid the place you’re, they’ll even be saved for round 5 days simply within the pantry. 
Diet per bar. I discover that one bar makes a very good breakfast – and I’ve a hearty urge for food!

Diet Data:

Energy: 183cal (9%)Carbohydrates: 24g (8%)Protein: 5g (10%)Fats: 8g (12%)Saturated Fats: 1g (6%)Polyunsaturated Fats: 2gMonounsaturated Fats: 4gTrans Fats: 0.002gSodium: 89mg (4%)Potassium: 211mg (6%)Fiber: 3g (13%)Sugar: 8g (9%)Vitamin A: 1IUVitamin C: 0.5mg (1%)Calcium: 34mg (3%)Iron: 1mg (6%)

Key phrases: crunchy granola bars, crunchy muesli bars, muesli bars

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Lifetime of Dozer

Early morning at his second favorite place on earth – Bayview canine seashore. (I prefer to assume his first favorite is wherever I’m!)