Cocoa Coconut Granola Bars Recipes

CHOCOLATE-CHERRY-COCONUT GRANOLA BARS

Steps:

• Line a 9x13-inch baking pan with a piece of parchment paper that is large enough to go up all sides of the pan.
• Combine oats, rice cereal, coconut, almonds, and cherries in a large mixing bowl and set aside.
• Combine honey, peanut butter, brown sugar, coconut oil, vanilla extract, and salt in a small saucepan. Heat over medium heat until brown sugar is melted; continue to simmer for 1 minute more. Pour heated mixture into the dry ingredients and stir to fully combine. Stir in chocolate chips.
• Pour granola into the prepared baking pan and press firmly with a nonstick spatula or lightly oiled hands to tightly compact and distribute evenly throughout.
• Refrigerate for 2 hours.
• Remove from the refrigerator and slice into 20 equal portions. Tightly wrap individually in plastic wrap or serve immediately.

COCONUT GRANOLA BARS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit. Place the oats in a bowl and toss with the oil until thoroughly coated. Line a baking sheet or pan with parchment and spread the oats in an even layer on the parchment. Place in the oven and toast for about 20 minutes, stirring halfway through, until the grains are lightly toasted. They should have darkened slightly and should smell toasty. Remove from the oven, return to the bowl, and add the coconut, spices, salt and nuts. Stir together. Turn the oven down to 300 degrees.
• Place the honey and vanilla in a saucepan or container that can accommodate at least three times the volume of the honey, and bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce the heat to low and simmer 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and pour over the oat mixture. Stir until the oat mixture is evenly coated with honey.
• Oil a 9-by-13-by-2-inch pan and line with parchment. Oil the parchment. Scrape the granola mixture into the pan and spread in an even layer. Place in the oven for 25 minutes, until just golden. Do not allow to become too brown, or the bars will be too hard. Remove from the heat and allow to cool completely, then cut into 2-inch squares. Some of the mixture may crumble when you do this, but crumbles are tasty little morsels! Store in a tin or container.

COCOA-COCONUT GRANOLA BARS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 9-inch square baking dish.
• Spread rolled oats, flax seed meal, sliced almonds, shredded coconut, and chia seeds onto a baking sheet.
• Toast oats mixture in preheated oven, stirring every 5 minutes, until lightly toasted, about 15 minutes.
• Reduce oven heat to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C).
• Combine honey, brown sugar, coconut oil, vanilla extract, coconut extract, ground cinnamon, and salt together in a saucepan over medium-low heat; cook and stir until the sugar is completely dissolved, about 3 minutes. Stir cocoa powder into the honey mixture until dissolved.
• Mix toasted oat mixture and the honey mixture in a large bowl and stir until the dry ingredients are coated; spread into the prepared baking dish and press into an even layer.
• Bake in preheated oven until golden brown, 18 to 20 minutes.
• Cool bars in pan for 10 minutes, immediately cut into squares, and remove from pan.