Lately I have had a really hard time finding food for breakfast during the weeks. I get really cranky if I don't eat breakfast, but I have to make it something fast. I don't really like a lot of the granola bars from the store because of all the extra sugar added and how expensive they are. So off I go to look for granola bar recipes.
I found this wonderful recipe for Thick, Chewy Granola Bars on Smitten Kitchen and I decided to try it.
The recipe was pretty flexible and she has a lot of good detail of what add-ins you can use but this is the basic recipe I followed.
Thick, Chewy Granola Bars:
1 2/3 cup quick oats
1/2 cup brown sugar (was out of granulated)
1/3 cup oats processed into flour in food processer
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp cinnamon
2 1/2 cups dried fruit and nuts (I used craisins and almond slivers)
1/3 cup peanut butter
1 tsp vanilla
6 Tbsp melted butter
1/4 cup honey
2 Tbsp corn syrup
1 Tbsp water
I mixed it all together in a large mixing bowl.
The recipe called for baking it in a 8x8 pan, lined with parchment paper that had been greased. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 to 40 minutes.
This is where I went wrong. I don't have an 8x8 baking pan so I used a 9" round pan. I got scared that they were too thick while I was pressing them in so I did them in 2 9" round pans. They were to thin and one of the pans got a little too crispy.
Also, I didn't have any parchment paper and so I used wax paper- big mistake. I ended up with wax paper stuck to the back of the granola bars. It is a big mess to try and get the edible part off.
Next time I will put them all in a 9" circle pan (if I don't break down and go buy a 8x8 baking dish) and either use parchment paper or just grease the bottom really well.
No pretty granola bar pictures here. Just keeping it real.
They didn't turn out perfectly for me- but I will definitely try them again. They were so delicious and very filling. I ate them for breakfast and I didn't get hungry until lunch time. I like that they have peanut butter in them to add some protein and fat.
Thanks for stopping by! Happy Crafting, Cooking and Creating!
I love granola... I'll have to try this and let you know how they turn out! Thanks!
ReplyDeleteSounds yummy to add the peanut butter--the recipe I use doesn't have that! I also like the idea of grinding some of the oats into flour, instead of using the white flour my recipe calls for. I ccok mine in a glass baking dish and they don't stick too bad.
ReplyDeleteI'm gonna have to try these because getting hungry before lunch time is a pain in the butt. Especially with five kids to look after. Come on on over and see a stylish toilet seat.
ReplyDeleteI tried them this morning... the kids and I LOVED them! Thanks for the inspiration!
ReplyDelete