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Crunchy Homemade Muesli Bars with Honey, Nuts, and Chocolate Recipe

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4.2 from 8 reviews

These crunchy muesli bars are a deliciously wholesome snack made with toasted oats, almonds, pepitas, and sultanas, bound together with honey and peanut butter. Baked to golden perfection, these granola bars offer a perfect balance of sweetness, crunch, and chewiness, ideal for on-the-go energy or a healthy treat at home.

Ingredients

Binding Ingredients

  • 1/4 cup honey
  • 1/4 cup natural peanut butter, smooth or crunchy

Dry Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 cups rolled oats (not steel cut)
  • 1/2 cup almonds, roughly chopped
  • 1/4 cup pepitas (pumpkin seeds)
  • 1/2 cup sultanas
  • 3/4 tsp cinnamon powder (or pumpkin spice)
  • 1/4 tsp cooking / kosher salt

Optional

  • 2 tbsp small chocolate chips or 3 tbsp regular dark chocolate chips

Instructions

  1. Preheat the Oven: Set your oven to 160°C (325°F), or 140°C if using a fan-forced oven. Line a 20 cm / 8″ square baking tin with baking paper, allowing an overhang for easy removal later; no greasing is required.
  2. Toast the Dry Ingredients: Spread the rolled oats, chopped almonds, and pepitas evenly on a baking tray and toast them in the oven for 10 minutes to enhance their flavor. Once toasted, transfer them to a heatproof bowl. Add the sultanas, cinnamon powder, and salt to this mixture.
  3. Make the Muesli Mixture: In a heatproof jug, microwave the honey and peanut butter together on high for 30 seconds, then stir until combined. Pour this warm sticky mixture over the toasted oat and nut mixture. Mix thoroughly using a cutting motion to ensure even coating; it may seem difficult to mix initially, but persistence will help the ingredients bind well.
  4. Press into Pan and Add Chocolate: Transfer the combined muesli mixture into the prepared baking tin, pressing it firmly and evenly to compact the mixture. If using, scatter chocolate chips on top. Place a sheet of baking paper over the chocolate chips and press down firmly with your hands to embed them into the mixture.
  5. Chill to Set: Refrigerate the pressed mixture for at least 1 hour or until it is firm enough to lift out from the tin without bending.
  6. Preheat Oven Again: Preheat your oven again to 160°C (325°F), or 140°C fan-forced as before, preparing for baking the bars to crunchiness.
  7. Cut Into Bars: Using the baking paper overhang, lift the set muesli slab from the tin to a cutting board. Cut the slab in half, then cut each half into five bars, making a total of 10 bars. Arrange the bars spaced apart on a baking tray lined with baking paper.
  8. Bake for Crunchiness: Bake the bars for 25 minutes until the surfaces are quite golden and the edges golden brown but not burnt. This baking step ensures the bars become crunchy once cooled.
  9. Cool and Store: Remove the tray from the oven and let the bars cool completely on the tray; they will harden and become crunchy as they cool. Store the bars in an airtight container, refrigerating if the environment is warm. These bars remain crunchy for up to 3 weeks.

Notes

  • Note 1: Honey acts as a natural sweetener and binder.
  • Note 2: You can use either smooth or crunchy natural peanut butter depending on your texture preference.
  • Note 4: Adding chocolate chips is optional; small chips distribute more evenly than larger ones.
  • Note 5: Toasting the oats and nuts enhances their flavor and crunchiness.
  • Note 6: Warming the honey and peanut butter makes them easier to combine and mix with the dry ingredients.
  • Note 7: Use a cutting or folding motion to incorporate the wet mixture; persistence ensures proper coating.

Find it online: https://lauracooks.com/crunchy-homemade-muesli-bars-with-honey-nuts-and-chocolate-recipe/