Crunchy muesli bars (granola bars)

Tailored from my chewy muesli bars, it is a recipe for crunchy muesli bars that dwell crunchy for over 3 weeks! I munch on those as a sweet-treat repair, but they’re wholesome sufficient for breakfast as a result of they’re sugar-free. Without end customisable!

In pursuit of crunchy muesli bars

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

Crunchy muesli bars, on the other hand, have been irritatingly tough to crack. A minimum of, with out the usage of sugar. Wildly in style crunchy muesli bars from my college playground days (mysteriously tough to search out in this day and age – if in any respect?) had a daunting quantity of sugar in them for one thing advertised as “wholesome”.

Whilst I’m really not one to shy clear of sugar in my baking, I simply at all times really feel that some issues will have to be a bit of extra healthy. 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’s going to pop out crunchy however doesn’t dwell that means for terribly lengthy. Once in a while a couple of hours, or the day at perfect. 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, sit back to company

• minimize, then bake.

Numerous iterations of the above have been attempted in pursuit of this ultimate recipe! I’m hoping you’re keen on and munch on those crunchy muesli bars for many years yet to come. 🙂

Components in crunchy muesli bars

Superb recipe to cater to nut allergic reactions! Simply use 2 3/4 cups of “the rest you need” despite the fact that 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’re going to get started shifting into nut-bar territory (chunkier) and the glue (peanut butter + honey) could also be inadequate to carry the bar in combination.

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

• Herbal peanut butter – This recipe requires herbal peanut butter which is solely natural peanuts with out sugar and salt added. It’s runnier than industrial peanut butter unfold (Bega/Kraft, Skippy, Jif) so it’s more straightforward to combine thru. I concern in the event you do this with industrial peanut butter unfold, you’re going to be cursing me with a thick doughy aggregate! (Additionally, natural peanut butter is more healthy – no palm oil, no sugar and so on).

  I take advantage of easy however crunchy is okay too.

  Non-peanut possible choices – Hazelnut, almond and cashew butter paintings nice! Whilst tahini could be an possibility I feel the sesame flavour would dominate a bit of an excessive amount of.

• Honey – The sweetener for the glue and likewise what makes the muesli bar crunchy as soon as baked. Maple syrup additionally works however they aren’t relatively as crunchy and don’t grasp in combination relatively as neatly. However a excellent selection.

• Rolled oats – Simply undeniable rolled oats, like we use for recipes like oatmeal cookies and Anzac biscuits. Now not fast oats, no longer a ready-made porridge combine, no longer metal minimize oats.

• Almonds – I really like chunky bits of almonds in my muesli bars. It’s perfect to offer them a coarse chop else you find yourself with massive items of almonds all over which may make it tougher to get blank cuts.

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

• Sultanas – My nostalgic dried fruit of selection, despite the fact that you’ll be able to completely exchange with the rest you need.

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

• Salt – Don’t skip this! Only a contact makes a distinction. It does no longer make it salty.

• Mini chocolate chips (non-compulsory) – The choc chips in retailer purchased choc chip muesli bars are mini ones which can be 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 type of puts the place you assist your self and pay by way of weight) however since deciding to put up this recipe, they’ve transform surprisingly onerous to search out! So don’t worry if you’ll be able to’t to find them, simply use common ones.

  Choice – Chocolate drizzle around the most sensible. 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 around the muesli bars.

Learn how to make crunchy muesli bars

The order of the stairs topic for long-lasting crunchiness!!! And chopping the muesli bars sooner than baking to fasten in crunchiness is essential. 🙂

1. Toast the oats and nuts within the oven for simply 10 mins. Drying out the oats just a little is a crunchiness insurance coverage step, and toasting the nuts brings out the flavor.

2. Muesli glue – Heat the peanut butter and honey within the microwave (simply 30 seconds) then give it a excellent combine to mix. The mix is thinner when it’s heat which makes it more straightforward to combine thru.

3. Combine – Put the nice and cozy oats/nuts right into a heatproof bowl and upload the entirety else: dried fruit, cinnamon powder and salt. Pour over the nice and cozy glue then combine till totally blended. It could appear to be there’s no longer sufficient glue, however there may be! Persist, use a chopping movement if wanted. If it will get too onerous to combine, microwave the bowl for 20 seconds which can loosen the combination up and assist you combine.

4. Press – Put a sheet of paper over a 20 cm / 8″ sq. pan (no want to grease and create extra washing up for your self). Then press the combination frivolously into the pan. Palms is highest, I to find.

Not obligatory choc chips

5. Cool then press – If you’re topping your muesli bars with choc chips, let the combination cool just a little first else the choc chips will soften! Then sprinkle around the floor and press in by way of overlaying with every other sheet of paper (to stop melting on touch along with your fingers).

6. Choc chips – publish press!

7. Refrigerator – Put the pan within the refrigerator for 1 hour or till it’s company sufficient to raise the entire slab out with out it sagging. At this degree, those are chewy muesli bars so you’ll be able to devour them as is. However in case you are in pursuit of crunchy, plough on!

8. Minimize into 10 bars.

9. Bake for 25 mins in a reasonable oven (160°C/325°F (140°C fan-forced) till they’re relatively golden. You want to be courageous right here as a result of light = no longer as crunchy as they might be, however burnt = sour! Take a look at at 22 mins to be wary.

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 pick out them up till they’re absolutely cool so they’ll set and harden.

Storing crunchy muesli bars

As soon as absolutely cool, retailer them in an hermetic container to keep crunch. In “commonplace” climate, they’ll dwell crunchy for as much as 5 days simply holding them within the pantry. This additionally way you’ll be able to pop them in a lunchbox and so they’ll dwell crunchy!

However to lengthen the crunchy-life of those muesli bars and maximum particularly in sizzling, humid climate (ie Sydney at the moment!), retailer the muesli bars within the refrigerator. This helps to keep them crunchy for neatly over a fortnight. I’m as much as 3 weeks and they’re nonetheless effective!

And in reality, in heat climate, munching on cool muesli bars instantly out of the refrigerator is in reality very interesting.

Hope you experience! – Nagi x

Watch the best way to make it

Hungry for extra? Subscribe to my e-newsletter and practice alongside on Fb, Pinterest and Instagram for the entire newest updates.

Crunchy muesli bars (granola bars)

Writer: Nagi

Prep: 10 mins minutes

Prepare dinner: 35 mins minutes

Refrigerator & cooling: 2 hours hrs

Breakfast, Snack

Australian, Western

Servings10 bars

Faucet or hover to scale

Recipe video above. I have by no means come throughout a crunchy muesli bar recipe that stayed crunchy past an afternoon. So I determined to make my very own – and those dwell crunchy for three+ weeks! Tailored from my chewy muesli bars, I discovered the important thing to be evenly toasting the oats then chopping the bars sooner than baking. The chewy muesli bars actually have a upper ratio of honey and peanut butter which is what makes them chewy!PS Although they are sugar unfastened, I munch on those after I want a sweet-treat repair, but they are wholesome sufficient for breakfast.

Directions

• Preheat the oven to 160°C/325°F (140°C fan-forced). Position 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 mins. Tip right into a heatproof bowl. (Be aware 5) Upload the sultanas, cinnamon and salt.

• Muesli aggregate: Microwave the honey and peanut butter in a heatproof jug for 30 seconds on top. Combine to mix. (Be aware 6) Pour over the oat aggregate and blend thru. It could appear adore it would possibly not combine in, however persist, it’s going to! Use a chopping movement if wanted. Final hotel – Be aware 7

• Press: Tip the muesli aggregate into the pan then press firmly into the pan. As soon as cooled, scatter the choc chips throughout floor (if the usage of). Quilt with a sheet of paper then press down firmly along with your fingers to push the choc chips in.

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

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

• Minimize: Use the paper overhang to raise the muesli slab onto a chopping board. Minimize in part, then each and every into 5 (10 bars). Switch onto a tray the usage of the paper, then area the muesli bars out.

• Bake for 25 mins or till relatively golden at the floor and golden brown at the edges however no longer burnt.

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

Recipe Notes:

* Transfer those with no matter you need, use 2 3/4 cups overall. See Be aware 3 for more information.
1. Honey – Maple syrup will also be substituted however it doesn’t have relatively the similar glueing power as honey. However it’s going to nonetheless paintings, the muesli bars simply fall apart a bit of extra simply whilst you chunk into them.
2. Peanut butter – Herbal, natural peanut butter this is 100% peanuts with out a sugar, salt and so on added is perfect right here, for flavour and thickness (industrial unfold is way thicker so it’s tougher to combine thru).
Non-peanut possible choices – almond, cashew or hazelnut butter. Tahini has been steered which I haven’t attempted as a result of I believe the sesame flavour would crush.
3. Stuff – You’ll be able to principally use 2 3/4 cups of any “stuff” you need (I’ve made this the usage of only a funds muesli combine) despite the fact that you wish to have no less than 3/4 cup oats for the combination to have the appropriate density to connect in combination. I just like the ratio I’ve indexed above – enough dried fruit for herbal sweetness, correct quantity of nuts for crunch!
4. Choc chips utilized in industrial muesli bars are smaller than the baking chips used for chocolate chip cookies. I discovered them at Scoop Wholefoods (the ones puts the place you assist your self and pay by way of 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 blending in case you wish to have to rewarm the combination to loosen it up.
6. Heating makes it thinner so more straightforward to combine thru.
7. Final hotel – microwave for 20 seconds to loosen the combination up.If the combination will get too thick to combine the “glue” thru frivolously, microwave for 20 seconds to loosen the combination up then combine once more.
Garage – They’re going to dwell more energizing and crunchier for longer if they’re saved within the refrigerator in an hermetic container. They’re in reality in reality great eaten chilly, instantly from the refrigerator! But when it’s no longer sizzling and humid the place you’re, they may be able to also be saved for round 5 days simply within the pantry. 
Vitamin in step with bar. I to find that one bar makes a excellent breakfast – and I’ve a hearty urge for food!

Vitamin 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%)Diet A: 1IUDiet C: 0.5mg (1%)Calcium: 34mg (3%)Iron: 1mg (6%)

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

Did you are making this recipe?I really like listening to the way you went with my recipes! Tag me on Instagram at @recipe_tin.

Lifetime of Dozer

Early morning at his 2d favorite position on earth – Bayview canine seaside. (I love to assume his first favorite is anyplace I’m!)