I’ve made granola many, many times (here, here, here and here are a few of the recipes I have tried) I’ve never made granola bars, though.

Until now.

These Chewy Coconut Almond Raisin Granola Bars come from one of my favorite bloggers, Joy The Baker. (I wrote about a baking class of hers that I took in this post. So awesome.) Simple to prepare and packed with flavor, the bars get a spicy edge from a pinch of ginger and a hint of citrus from a splash of OJ.

Chewy Coconut Almond Raisin Granola Bars

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cup old-fashioned oats
1/2 cup oat flour
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
2 tablespoons ground flaxseed
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground ginger
1 cup shredded coconut
1 cup raisins
1/2 cup slivered almonds
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons honey
1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
1 tablespoon fresh orange juice

Directions:

1. Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350℉.

2. Line an 8-inch square baking dish with foil so that some foil hangs over the edges of the pan. Butter the foil and set aside.

3. In a large bowl, combine the first 10 ingredients.

4. In a small bowl, whisk together honey, butter and orange juice. Pour over the oat mixture and toss together with a fork. The mixture will be dry but sticky. Continue to blend until all of the dry ingredients are moistened by the honey mixture.

5. Spoon oat mixture into the prepared baking dish. With slightly oiled fingers, press the oat mixture into the dish until tight and solid in the pan.

6. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until browned around the edges. The baked granola will still be soft even after baking, but will harden as it cools.

7. Remove granola from the oven and cool for 30 minutes.

8. Place the baking dish in the refrigerator for an hour before slicing to avoid having the bars crumble.

9. Use the overhang foil to remove the baked granola from the baking dish. Use a large, sharp knife to cut block into 12 bars. Wrap individually in plastic wrap and store in an air tight container. Granola bars will keep, well wrapped, at room temperature for up to 2 weeks.

Makes 12 granola bars

Recipe from Joy the Baker Cookbook

Lovely piano. Lashes of psychedelia. Sad lyrics. Vocals that glide above all.

“Adrift” has me firmly anchored. Love it.

“Our minds they may be gone
too far along
We did not know
that help was right around the corner”

Check out Justin DiFebbo on his Website where you can buy the music.

Cheers!