Name: Apricot-Sunflower Granola Bars
Prep time: 20 min
Total time: 90 min
Ingredients: 3 cups old-fashioned rolled oats; 1 cup crispy brown rice cereal; 1 cup finely chopped dried apricots (1/4 inch); 0.5 cup unsalted pepitas, toasted; 0.5 cup unsalted sunflower seeds, toasted; 0.25 teaspoon salt; 0.66666668653488 cup brown rice syrup or light corn syrup; 0.5 cup sunflower seed butter; 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Apricot-Sunflower Granola Bars

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Easy to make at home, these nut-free granola bars can be adjusted to your taste preferences. Simply vary the add-ins to your taste, swapping 2 cups of any combination of small (or chopped) dried fruit, seeds and/or chocolate chips for the apricots and seeds in this version. We tested several sticky sweeteners, including maple syrup and honey, but found brown rice syrup held the bars together the best.

Breana Lai Killeen, M.P.H., RD

Updated on April 2, 2020

Prep Time:

20 mins

Additional Time:

1 hr 10 mins

Total Time:

1 hr 30 mins

Servings:

Yield:

24 bars

Nutrition Profile:

Heart Healthy Low-Calorie Dairy-Free Diabetes Appropriate Egg Free Gluten-Free Vegetarian Vegan Low Sodium Soy-Free Healthy Pregnancy

Jump to Nutrition Facts

Ingredients

3 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
1 cup crispy brown rice cereal
1 cup finely chopped dried apricots (1/4 inch)
½ cup unsalted pepitas, toasted
½ cup unsalted sunflower seeds, toasted
¼ teaspoon salt
⅔ cup brown rice syrup or light corn syrup
½ cup sunflower seed butter
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Directions

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Line a 9-by-13-inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving extra parchment hanging over two sides. Lightly coat the parchment with cooking spray.
Combine oats, rice cereal, apricots, pepitas, sunflower seeds and salt in a large bowl.
Combine rice syrup (or corn syrup), sunflower butter and cinnamon in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave for 30 seconds (or heat in a saucepan over medium heat for 1 minute). Add to the dry ingredients and stir until evenly combined. Transfer to the prepared pan and firmly press into the pan with the back of a spatula.
For chewier bars, bake until barely starting to color around the edge and still soft in the middle, 20 to 25 minutes. For crunchier bars, bake until golden brown around the edge and somewhat firm in the middle, 30 to 35 minutes. (Both will still be soft when warm and firm up as they cool.)
Let cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then using the parchment to help you, lift out of the pan onto a cutting board (it will still be soft). Cut into 24 bars, then let cool completely without separating the bars, about 30 minutes more. Once cool, separate into bars.

Tips

To make ahead: Individually wrap airtight and store ar room temperature for up to 1 week.

Equipment: Parchment paper

Nutrition Facts (per serving)

152	Calories
6g	Fat
22g	Carbs
4g	Protein

Nutrition Facts
Servings Per Recipe 1
Serving Size 1 granola bar
Calories 152
% Daily Value *
Total Carbohydrate 22g	8%
Dietary Fiber 2g	8%
Total Sugars 9g
Added Sugars 5g	10%
Protein 4g	8%
Total Fat 6g	8%
Saturated Fat 1g	4%
Vitamin A 199IU	4%
Vitamin C 0mg	0%
Folate 26mcg	7%
Sodium 58mg	3%
Calcium 20mg	2%
Iron 1mg	6%
Magnesium 49mg	12%
Potassium 230mg	5%

Nutrition information is calculated by a registered dietitian using an ingredient database but should be considered an estimate.

* Daily Values (DVs) are the recommended amounts of nutrients to consume each day. Percent Daily Value (%DV) found on nutrition labels tells you how much a serving of a particular food or recipe contributes to each of those total recommended amounts. Per the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the daily value is based on a standard 2,000 calorie diet. Depending on your calorie needs or if you have a health condition, you may need more or less of particular nutrients. (For example, it’s recommended that people following a heart-healthy diet eat less sodium on a daily basis compared to those following a standard diet.)

(-) Information is not currently available for this nutrient. If you are following a special diet for medical reasons, be sure to consult with your primary care provider or a registered dietitian to better understand your personal nutrition needs.