Homemade Granola Bars

This recipe is from Barefoot Contessa. It is pretty simple and very delicious. Ben loves these!

You can play around with the dried fruit, I have tried dried cherries and have also tried them as written. I am not a big fan of the apricots. My favorite combination so far has been with dried cranberries and dates and then sprinkle white chocolate chips over the top before baking. Yummy! Hope you give these a try, you won't be sorry!

Ingredients

• 2 cups old-fashioned oatmeal
• 1 cup sliced almonds
• 1 cup shredded coconut, loosely packed
• 1/2 cup toasted wheat germ
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2/3 cup honey
• 1/4 cup light brown sugar, lightly packed
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup chopped pitted dates
• 1/2 cup chopped dried apricots
• 1/2 cup dried cranberries

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Toss the oatmeal, almonds, and coconut together on a sheet pan and bake for 10 to 12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned. Transfer the mixture to a large mixing bowl and stir in the wheat germ.

Reduce the oven temperature to 300 degrees F.

Place the butter, honey, brown sugar, vanilla, and salt in a small sauce pan and bring to a boil over medium heat. Cook and stir for a minute, then pour over the toasted oatmeal mixture. Add the dates, apricots, and cranberries and stir well.

Pour the mixture into a 8 X 12 baking dish that has been sprayed liberally with Pam. Using the back of a spatula, press the mixture evenly into the pan. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until light golden brown. Cool for at least 2 to 3 hours before cutting into squares. Serve at room temperature.