Crunchy Oats and Honey Granola Bar – Nut & Gluten Free
Crunchy oats and honey granola bar – if you like thin, crunchy granola bars with classic, no nut ingredients, then this bar is for you.
In our house, it’s my girl that loves crunchy, simple oat bars. And now, finally, after many attempts, we have an oats and honey granola bar recipe that doesn’t crumble, satisfies her cravings and meets my desire for more fibre and less salt and sugar. And because it’s nut free, there’s no problem sending these bars to school.
Crunchy Oats and Honey Granola Bar Recipe
Crunchy Oats and Honey Granola Bars
Ingredients
- 2 cups large flake oats
- 1/4 cup oat flour grind 1/4-1/3 cup oats*
- 1/4 cup ground flax seeds
- 1/4 cup hemp hearts or sesame seeds
- 1/2 cup quinoa puffs
- 3/4 cup brown rice cereal
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 cup canola oil
- 1/3 cup honey
- 2 Tbsp packed brown sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- Toast oats, by spreading on large baking sheet and baking at 325°F for 10 to 15 minutes.
- Line 9x13 pan with parchment paper.
- In large bowl, combine oats, oat flour, flax seeds, quinoa puffs, brown rice cereal and salt.
- In small bowl, mix oil, honey, vanilla and brown sugar.
- Pour wet ingredients into dry and mix well.
- Transfer to prepared pan and press down firmly into an even layer.
- Bake for 25 minutes or until light golden brown on top. Bake slightly longer for crispier bars.
- Cool in pan for 15 minutes, then use parchment paper to lift bars onto cutting board. Cool completely, then cut into bars. (I usually cut 3 across and 8 or 9 along the long edge).
- Store in an airtight container or freeze if keeping more than 7 days.
Notes
To ensure this recipe is gluten free, buy oats rolled in a gluten free factory (the oat package will state if it is gluten free). Like any bar, you can swap in your favorite ingredients (nuts, dried fruit, chocolate seeds, etc.). Just keep the ratio of small flour like bits and larger bits about the same.
Tips and Tricks for Crunchy Granola Bars
1.Toasting the oats helps make these bars crunchy. The toasting prevents the liquid ingredients from softening the oats. Don’t skip this step if you want your bars crunchy! It also adds a more nut like flavor.
2.Use a glass, your hand and parchment paper, a rolling pin, or the bottom of a pot or measuring cup to firmly press the raw ingredients into the baking pan. Seriously – press hard!
3. The combination of honey and brown sugar helps set these bars. If you use one or the other or substitute with other sweeteners, results will vary as sweeteners harden differently.
4. When the bars come out of the oven, let them cool in the pan for 15 minutes before moving them. And then let them cool some more before cutting them.
I used a long straight edged blade to chop through the bars. I just pressed down, no back and forth see saw motion.
5. Using a 9 x 13 inch pan makes these bars fairly thin – that’s a good thing because it helps get them crunchy and it helps with portion control!
6. The oat flour or ground up oats help stick everything together. The flour will fill in the nooks and crannies that are left if you use just big pieces of oats and add-ins. The bigger your ingredient pieces the more air pockets there will be and the higher the risk of crumbly bars.
Other Oat Recipes
Large flake oats are a staple in our house, we eat them for breakfast at least three times a week. Oats are one of the most nutritious, versatile, delicious and easy to cook whole grains available. If you don’t believe me, check out this article on Oats written by one of my trusted sources for nutrition info, Canadian Registered Dietitian Rosie Schwartz.
In addition to this oats and honey bar recipe, here are some other ways we enjoy oats.
If you have any questions, let me know, I’m always happy to connect with readers.
In the meantime, if you make these bars, please take a pic and share it with me by tagging @getgettys on Instagram. Or leave a comment and let me know how it went.
Sign up to get articles by Getty delivered to your inbox. You’ll get recipes, practical tips and great food information like this. Getty is a Professional Home Economist, speaker and writer putting good food on tables and agendas. She is the author of Manitoba’s best-selling Prairie Fruit Cookbook, Founder of Fruit Share, a mom and veggie gardener.
Hi Getty:
Not sure if you know, but Co-op @ Grant Park sells a certified gluten-free brand called “Only Oats” I’ll be trying this yummy
looking recipe! Bulk Barn sells this brand too, but it’s quite a bit more expensive.
Great tip, thanks Aleta!
Getty