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Pumpkin Pie Granola Bars

Prep Time2 hours 59 minutes
Cook Time2 hours 59 minutes
Course: Snack bars
Calories:
Author: Chris Scheuer adapted from Once Upon a Chef

Ingredients

  • 1 ½ cups old fashioned rolled oats
  • ¼ cup sesame seeds
  • ¼ cup ground flax seeds*
  • 1 cup sliced almonds
  • cup shredded coconut
  • ¼ cup honey
  • ¼ cup pure maple syrup
  • 3 tablespoons light brown sugar
  • 2 ½ tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • ½ cup chopped dates
  • 1 cup crisp rice cereal

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  • Spread the oats, flax seed, sesame seeds and almonds on to prepared baking sheet. Place in the oven and toast for 7 minutes. Add coconut and toss well, then place back in the oven to cook about 6-8 minutes more. Keep an eye on it towards the end; the coconut can burn quite easily, you want it golden, not burned.
  • While oat mixture is toasting, combine the honey, maple syrup, brown sugar, butter, vanilla extract, pumpkin pie spice and salt in a microwave safe bowl. Microwave on high for 1 minute. Stir and repeat this process for a total of 3 minutes. Stir with a whisk to make sure the brown sugar is completely dissolved.
  • Once the oat mixture is finished baking, remove it from the oven and reduce heat to 300 degrees. Combine the the oat mixture, honey-maple syrup mixture, dates and rice cereal in a large bowl and mix until dry ingredients are coated with the syrup mixture. Set aside the parchment lined sheet pan.
  • Spray a 9 x 13-inch baking pan with cooking spray, line with parchment paper, then spray parchment paper generously with cooking spray. Turn granola bar mixture out into the prepared baking pan and spread evenly with the back of a flat metal spatula, being careful not to press down too hard. Bake for 20 minutes (be sure heat is reduced to 300 degrees).
  • Remove from the oven and cool or 10 minutes. Invert the entire pan onto a cutting board and usig a large sharp knife cut the bars into rectangles. I cut the bars in half lengthwise and then into rectangles approximately 1 ½ inches wide.
  • Place the bars onto the parchment lined sheet pan and return to oven for 10 minutes. Remove from oven, cool completely and store in an airtight container.

Notes

*Use ground flax seeds rather than whole because the whole seeds are not digested.