Granola bars are a popular snack for many people, but they can be expensive to purchase at the store. In this blog post, we will show you how easy it is to make your own homemade Goji Berry Granola Bars! All that you need is five minutes and a few ingredients from your kitchen cabinet. Read through the step-by-step instructions for our recipe. Let us know what you think in the comments section below!
Let’s start with the ingredients:
– One cup of quick oats
– Two tablespoons honey
– ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
– ¼ teaspoon salt
– A pinch of nutmeg (optional)
– One tablespoon chia seeds or hemp hearts for added protein and texture.
You can also use whole almonds, walnuts, macadamia nuts, pumpkin seeds, sunflower kernels or peanuts if you want to add some crunch.
Alternatively, you could try using a combination!
Experiment with the different types until you find your favorite flavor combo. If you don’t have any on hand but would like to substitute something else in their place then we recommend adding at least one more tablespoon of rolled oats to make up for it.
Alternately: raw cacao nibs, raisins, shredded coconut or dried banana chips can also be used as a substitute for the goji berries.
– ½ cup honey (or maple syrup)
– One egg
– Two teaspoons of vanilla extract
Mix everything together and press into an even layer in a pan lined with parchment paper to make it easier to remove from the pan once baked. Bake at 325 degrees Fahrenheit/ 160 Celsius until golden brown on top – about 25 minutes total baking time. Let cool completely before cutting into bars! You can store them individually wrapped in plastic wrap or you could double up on the layers if you want more dense granola bar texture. Enjoy!
FAQs
Question: Why are the bars dry and crumbly?
Answer: The mixture may be too loose for these baked granola bars. Remember to pat down firmly with a spatula before baking, so that it firms up as it bakes.
Question: What is in between the layers of oats and nuts?
Answer: We use sunflower seeds or pepitas to make sure the goji berries don’t sink into the bottom layer during cooking.
Tip: These Goji Berry Granola Bars taste even better after they’ve been stored overnight!
Question: What is the difference between these bars and a muffin?
Answer: These are not as moist or “cake-like” as they don’t have any oil, butter or eggs in them. They’re also quite chewy!
Tip: We like to eat these with some nut milk poured over top for a nice breakfast snack that fills you up without weighing you down too much.
Question: What kind of goji berries should I use?
Answer: We use dried goji berries because they’re easier to work with and have a more intense flavor.
Tip: You can also top this granola bar off with some goji berry syrup or seasonal fruit for an extra special treat!
Question: How many bars will this recipe make?
Answer: This recipe will yield about eight bars but the size of your pan may vary so you might get ten, twelve or fourteen depending on how thinly you spread it in the baking dish. The number is not set as everyone’s oven heats differently and each individual has their own preference when it comes to thickness.
Tip: Save any unused oats mixture from the bottom of your bowl by stirring them into oatmeal, porridge or yogurt bowls instead of tossing them out.
Tip: If you need to store your bars for a while, we recommend wrapping them tightly in parchment paper and storing them at room temperature or refrigerating up to two weeks.
Our favorite way to use these is with some peanut butter as the protein-packed balance of fatty acids will help release energy slowly throughout the day! Plus it tastes like an oatmeal cookie – who doesn’t love that?
Additional tips:
- Ensure the bars are cut into small pieces
- Add a dash of cinnamon to the mixture, if desired
- Let it cool before cutting and wrapping – this will make for easier handling.
- If using an ice cream scoop with a release mechanism that makes perfect balls (like Pampered Chef) you can pop them out onto cookie sheets lined with parchment paper or wax paper then flatten slightly by hand while still on the sheet pan so they don’t stick together when cooling. This is especially great if you want to give as gifts because the recipient doesn’t have to bother with unwrapping. To wrap in cellophane bags: Cut off one corner diagonally down from point; place bag over ball and twist top closed where tape meets bag; twist opposite corners together tightly in same way.