Once you bite into these DELICIOUS HOMEMADE GRANOLA BARS you won’t stop dreaming of making another batch!
I prayed and prayed that no child of mine would suffer from a peanut allergy like I do. Peanut butter is heavenly and I miss it oh so much, one thing people with a peanut allergy know is that granola bars are usually off limits. Most contain some kind of nut or are produced in a facility with peanuts. My son has a pretty severe peanut allergy that I’m hoping for his sake (at least the severity) he outgrows one day, but in the meantime I love making him my favorite Dark Chocolate Roasted Coconut and Candied Mandarins Granola Bars.
These granola bars are phenomenal and full of delicious flavors to appease kids and adults
Assembling the bars myself ensures there is no cross contamination with peanuts or any other nuts. Being a parent of a child with a severe nut allergy is terrifying, especially when the child is too little to understand. Recently, Maxwell started preschool and even though the school is technically a “Nut free zone”, there has still been incidents where other parents have sent in peanut items. I urge all parents to take any allergy the school says they have a child attending with very seriously, as if it were your own child.
Keep scrolling for the YUMMY GRONOLA BAR RECIPE
The blend of sweetness, mixed with the texture of the chewy granola, gives a perfect balance to this delectable snack. Adding in the roasted coconut, dried mandarins and dark chocolate takes this great tasting granola and turns it into a sinful treat!
I just want to take a moment to thank Trader Joe’s for carrying one of my absolute favorite dried fruits ever, Soft & Juicy Mandarins! Candied Mandarins are what they go by in our home, with their slightly sweet and chewy texture. Of course if you can not find dried mandarins you could substitute with dried cranberries.
1/2 cup of finely chopped Trader Joe’s dried mandarin oranges
1/2 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
1/2 cup of chopped dark chocolate
Optional: If drizzling with more chocolate: Plus 1 cup of dark chocolate chunks or chips, plus 3 tablespoons of heavy cream
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350F
Place oats on a large baking sheet and give the pan a shake to scatter evenly
Bake the oats for 15 minutes and stirring once half way through cooking
The oats will be a golden color and smell toasty when finished
While oats are getting toasty in the oven, in a small sauce pan heat the oil, maple syrup, brown sugar, honey, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt
Over medium high heat bring the mixture to a simmer, make sure the brown sugar dissolves completely and remove from heat
Line a 9×9 pan with parchment paper use enough paper to cover the pan and back over the top of the bars
Place oats in a large bowl and immediately lower the temperature to 325F throw your coconut shavings onto the baking sheet you removed the oats from and roast coconut for 4 to 5 minutes or until golden brown color, watching closely
In a large bowl with toasted oats pour the contents of sauce pan all over, mixing till coated evenly
Add your toasted coconut and chopped mandarins to the granola
Press the granola into the pan prepared with parchment paper and press down evenly
Allow to cool for 5 to 10 minutes before adding your chopped dark chocolate chunks to the top of the granola, pressing the dark chocolate into the granola
Cover the granola with parchment and place into the fridge
Allow the bars to set at least one hour, preferably overnight
Gently remove bars from the pan and place on a cutting board
Cut directly in half and then into 12 even bars
(Optional) Chocolate Drizzle:
Warm 3 tablespoons of heavy cream in small sauce pan
Once simmering turn off heat to lowest setting and add the dark chocolate chunks, whisking quickly
Place chocolate into a Ziploc bag and cut a small tip of one corner (Tip: I use a tall glass and drape the opening of the zip lock over the glass to pour in sauce)
Drizzle the bars with desired amount of chocolate
Enjoy or store granola bars in an airtight container
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