Chewy Granola Bars

Almond butter granola bars, perfectly chewy and with just the right amount of sweetness, are ideal for satisfying your sweet tooth without being overly indulgent. These chewy granola bars strike a delightful balance of flavor and texture.

You may have noticed my love for granola and everything associated with it, including bars. Constantly exploring new and fun ways to enjoy granola is a passion of mine.

My latest rendition involves using equal parts of dates and figs. This mixture is a favorite because it results in exceptionally chewy granola bars. While I’ll eat crunchy granola bars – hardly ever turning up my nose at anything edible – my preference leans towards chewy granola bars.

Which do you prefer? Chewy or crunchy? Let me know by leaving me a comment.

Ingredients and substitutes

• Dates
• Figs
• Chia seeds
• Maple syrup
• Hot water
• Rolled oats – old-fashioned, not quick-cooking oats.
• Almonds – raw and unsalted – or other nuts like cashews.
• Slivered almonds
• Pumpkin seeds – raw and unsalted.
• Raisins
• Almond butter – peanut butter, or another nut butter.
• Salt
• Chocolate chips – bittersweet, either regular-sized or mini chocolate chips.

Storage

You can store these bars in an airtight container on the counter for up to 4 days, or in the refrigerator for 10 days. You can also freeze them in a single layer in an airtight container or in layers with parchment paper between them.

How to make these granola bars

Pre-step

Get a medium-sized baking dish and grease it. You can also cut parchment paper to the bottom of the pan, but I’d also grease it. Also, get a large bowl and a sturdy rubber spatula.

Step one

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit.

Step two

Gather some ingredients: figs, dates, raisins, chia seeds, and maple syrup. (A)

Step three

Cut up the figs and dates into little pieces and add them to your large mixing bowl. Add chia seeds, maple syrup, and hot water.

Let the date mixture sit for 15 minutes.

Step four

Gather the almond butter, oats, almonds, slivered almonds, pumpkin seeds, and chocolate chips. (B)

Step five

The dates and figs have rested and hydrated, so add all the other ingredients to the bowl. (C)

Step six

Take a rubber spatula and stir it and fold the ingredients together.

Step seven

Add the granola mixture to a greased medium baking dish. I pack it down. (D)

Step eight

Place it in the oven and bake it for 35 minutes.

Let the granola bars cool to room temperature before cutting them with a sharp knife . Remember, it may be gooey, but that is a good thing. Gooey means chewy!

All cut up and ready to eat.

I hope you enjoyed this chewy granola bars recipe!

Other bar recipes

• Lemon bars
• Congo bars
• S’mores granola bars

And as always, may all your dishes be delish!

If you’ve tried these I’d love the hear what you thought about it in the comments below. I love hearing from you! You can also FOLLOW ME on FACEBOOK, TWITTER, INSTAGRAM and PINTEREST  to see more of my delicious food and delightful cocktails!