I adapted this recipe from a more sugary one I found in Martha Stewart Living. Because these are low in sugar, they’re a bit more crumbly that the Martha Stewart version. (Sugar works as a glue.) But they’re still super tasty. If you’d like to up the cocoa/chocolate flavor, substitute chopped dark chocolate or chocolate chips for some of the dried fruit. You can also substitute cashew or hazelnut butter for the peanut butter for a fancier flavor.
Use certified gluten-free oats if you need to avoid gluten for medical reasons. Oats are naturally gluten-free, but sometimes come into contact with gluten-containing grains such as wheat and rye in processing.
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups rolled oats (old-fashioned or quick style)
- 2/3 cups shredded coconut (unsweetened)
- 1/2 cup cocoa nibs
- 1/3 cup dried apple pieces (chopped into bite-size chunks)
- 1/3 cup chopped prunes
- 2/3 cups chopped hazelnuts
- 3/4 cup natural peanut butter (I use unsweetened)
- 1/4 cup maple syrup
- 4 Tablespoons coconut oil
Instructions
- Mix all dry ingredients together in a bowl.
- Heat syrup, peanut butter, and oil together on the stove on low heat, or in microwave until oil is melted and syrup warm. (Took two 30 second sessions in my microwave.) Stir until smooth.
- Pour syrup mixture into dry ingredients and mix well.
- Press into the bottom of a greased 9″ x 12″ baking dish.
- Score into bar shapes. (I do 16 bars per pan.)
- Bake about 15 minutes in a 350ºF oven.
- Let cool completely before removing bars from pan. Recut along the lines you scored before baking, then lift out.