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Lunchbox Treat Cranberry Oat Bars

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Lunchbox Treat Cranberry Oat Bars

Every few weeks I enjoy making a homemade lunchbox treat like my new cranberry oat bars. This cranberry oat bar recipe is semi-healthy and also could be eaten as a breakfast bar.  My homemade oat bars are made with spelt flour but feel free to add your preferred flour. Be creative with this lunchbox treat and mix and match this recipe to suit your taste buds and what you have in the cupboard.

I also love that this easy oat bars recipe as it has no peanut butter, and I also make this oat bar with coconut oil and brown rice syrup for a slightly healthier recipe.

A perfect snack bar that is school safe as it has no nuts.

Takes = 10 minutes prep.
Bakes = 25 minutes
Makes = 16 squares or 12 bars

Ingredients

  • Unsalted butter or Coconut oil melted – 125g (about 1/2 cup)
  • Light or Dark Brown Sugar – 100g (1/2 cup)
  • Liquid Sweetener: Maple syrup, Brown Rice Syrup, Honey or golden syrup) – 125 ml  (about 1/2 cup)
  • Vanilla extract – 1/2 teaspoon
  • Baking soda – 1/2 teaspoon
  • Porridge Oats – 200g (2 cups + 2 tbs)
  • Wholegrain Spelt flour –  90g (3/4 cup)
  • Sunflower Seeds – 40g (1/4 cup)
  • Pumpkin Seeds – 40g (1/4 cup)
  • Dried Cranberries or sultanas (leave out if desired or swap for nuts) – 70g (about 1/2 cup)
  • Unsweetened Desiccated coconut – 40g (about 1/2 cup)
  • Ground cinnamon – 2 teaspoon
  • Ground cardamom (optional) – 1 teaspoon
  • Ground ginger – 1 teaspoon
  • Water or milk (if dry) – 1 to 2 tablespoons

Method

Step 1
PREHEAT oven to 150˚C fan, 170˚c, then lightly grease a square baking tin and line with baking paper and leave long on the sides slightly long to lift out to slice.

Step 2
MELT butter or oil, the add in brown sugar and liquid sweetener and gently heat about 2-3 minutes until the sugar is dissolved and it is slightly forming small bubbles around the edge. Remove from the heat and then add in vanilla extract and baking soda.

Step 3
MIX in a large bowl balance of ingredients oats, coconut and cranberries or your choice of dried fruit. Then pour over the bubbly butter sugar mixture and stir into dry ingredients. Add 1-2 tablespoons of water if it looks too dry.

Step 4
PRESS the mixture into the tin until firm and smooth. Bake for 25 minutes until golden brown. Allow to cool on the bench for a few hours. Chill in the fridge for an hour then slice up.