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26 Apr Date Sweetened Cranberry Granola Bars

Okay, so I kinda made too many promises in my last post…  Apparently I said something about a french inspired recipe and I also promised to post said recipe the following week. Life(read school) got in the way, but I’m making up for it this week by sharing the recipe for these amazing date sweetened cranberry granola bars! It’s been a long time since I last made energy bars which is such a shame since they’re so easy to make, yet delicious.

As you may know by now I love dried cranberries and like to put them in everything(scones, cookies, waffles) so when I spotted Ashley’s chewy granola bars I knew I wanted to make a cranberry version of them. This is one of the few recipes I’ve tried for granola bars that actually hold together, even though the cranberries make them a little bit more difficult to cut nicely. I know you’ll love these granola bars because they require just a few simple ingredients, they’re easy to make and they taste amazing, especially because of the cinnamon. And the best thing about these bars is that the dates both act as a binder and sweetener!

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Date Sweetened Cranberry Granola Bars

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 8 minutes

Yield: 12 bars

Date Sweetened Cranberry Granola Bars

Ingredients

  • 1 3/4 cup GF rolled oats
  • 1 cup chopped raw nuts (I used a mix of brazil nuts, almonds, hazelnuts and cashew nuts)
  • 15 fresh dates (or 10-12 medjol dates)
  • 3 tbsp unrefined coconut oil
  • 1 tbsp nut butter (I used hazelnut)
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/2 cup dried cranberries
  • 2 tbsp chia seeds
  • 1/2 tsp fine grain sea salt

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 300°F / 150°C
  2. Pulse oats in a food processor for about 10 seconds until ground into a course meal. Toast on a baking sheet in the preheated oven for 15 min. Place the chopped nuts in the food processor and pulse until ground into a course meal with a few bits of more coarsely chopped nuts. Transfer the nut meal to the baking sheet with the oats in the oven. The nuts will be in the oven for about 10 min once the oats are done.
  3. Remove the baking sheet from the oven and let cool for 10 min.
  4. Line a square or rectangular pan with parchment paper and increase the oven temperature to 350°F /175°C
  5. Place the pitted dates in the food processor and mix until a smooth paste forms, takes about 1 minute. Add the coconut oil, hazelnut butter, vanilla extract and cinnamon and mix until evenly combined.
  6. Scrape the date paste into a medium sized bowl and add the toasted oats and nuts, dried cranberries, chia seeds and sea salt. Mix together and evenly distribute the mixture in the lined pan. Place a piece of parchment paper on top and firmly press with the palms of your hands to form an even compact layer.
  7. Bake for 8 minutes. Remove and let cool for 1 hour. Place in the fridge and let chill for at least 2 hours. Carefully transfer to a cutting board and cut into bars with a long sharp knife. Store covered in the fridge for 1-2 weeks.

Notes

They hold together very well when stored in the fridge but they're a little bit too delicate too wrap in foil and put in your handbag.

21 Comments
  • Amanda Paa
    Posted at 00:47h, 27 April

    I love that you used dates for binding and sweetening! I always have trouble with honey or maple syrup making the granola bars to crunchy, so I bet the dates keep them nice and soft. Thanks for sharing the recipe!

    • Thea Tillberg
      Posted at 11:26h, 27 April

      Thanks Amanda! The dates are perfect binders 🙂

  • Cailee
    Posted at 01:36h, 27 April

    This looks amazing! Love it! 🙂 Great recipe!! …and don’t worry about it! I totally understand… it can be hard to balance school and blogging and everything! You’re doing a great job! Thanks for sharing!

  • trisha
    Posted at 10:17h, 27 April

    This looks great! and sounds so healthy and nutritious.

    Thanks for sharing this

  • Donna Castellano
    Posted at 18:27h, 27 April

    Beautiful, healthy, delicious! Can’t wait to make these!

    • Thea Tillberg
      Posted at 21:11h, 27 April

      Thanks Donna! Hope you’ll try them 🙂

  • Abby
    Posted at 20:16h, 27 April

    These bars look wonderful, Thea! It’s so insanely difficult to find a granola bar recipe that actually holds together… so I’ll be trying these, obvs. <3

    • Thea Tillberg
      Posted at 21:11h, 27 April

      Thanks Abby! I know, but I hope you’ll try these! <3

  • Dani @ DaniCaliforniaCooks
    Posted at 05:49h, 28 April

    Love the idea of toasting the oats and nuts before mixing together the rest of the ingredients!

    • Thea Tillberg
      Posted at 12:13h, 28 April

      They taste so much better when toasted!

  • Josefine
    Posted at 09:10h, 29 April

    Haha, I always end up making too many promises too 😉 Doesn’t matter
    These look great Thea – definitely on my to make list

    • Thea Tillberg
      Posted at 09:33h, 29 April

      Hope you’ll try them Josefine! 🙂

  • The Healthy Apple
    Posted at 14:20h, 04 May

    Yum these look AMAZING! I absolutely adore homemade granola bars!!!

  • Beverley @ sweaty&fit
    Posted at 22:56h, 06 May

    Your photos and entire website are absolutely beautiful!! I love the look of it all.
    I feel the same way about cranberries – salads, scones, cookies, you name it, theyre in there!

    • Thea Tillberg
      Posted at 19:36h, 07 May

      Thanks Beverley! <3 Cranberries are the best!

  • Josefine
    Posted at 16:34h, 17 June

    I finally got to try these – and they are SO delicious. Thanks for a lovely recipe

    • Thea Tillberg
      Posted at 17:21h, 18 June

      Oh, thanks so much Josefine! So glad you liked them 🙂

  • The Smoothie Lover
    Posted at 12:51h, 04 July

    […] simply love Thea and all of her fantastic recipes at Baking Magique. These gluten free toasted granola bars were beyond amazing // Jeg elsker simpelthen alle Thea fra Baking Magiques opsrifter. De her […]