Chewy + Gooey Granola Bars (gf + vegan)
I love to snack. I snack basically all the time! I mean who doesn’t? This week, I had a brainstorm for the perfect snack – a chewy granola bar that’s sweet, wholesome, and a little bit decadent. In an attempt to create that, I made these bars and threw in basically all of my favorite ingredients. The oats and coconut give the bars their body and a nice, subtle flavor. The pecans add extra crunch and nuttiness. The dates and chocolate chips create an incredible chewy, gooey texture that really can’t be beat.
I sweetened these bars with agave and coconut sugar – both help the bars to stay together. The coconut oil adds some healthy fats, plus a nice flavor. Finally, the chia egg also keeps the bars together, besides adding a little protein and fiber!This recipe comes together so quickly and makes the perfect snack to have on hand throughout the week – enjoy the bars for breakfast, midday snack, or dessert!
Happy baking!
xoxo
The Secret GF
Ingredients:
2 cups GF rolled oats
½ cup shredded coconut
½ cup chopped pecans
6 medjool dates, pitted and chopped into small pieces
½ cup dark chocolate chips
⅓ cup coconut sugar
½ cup coconut oil, melted
½ cup agave
1 chia egg (mix 1 tbsp chia seeds + 3 tbsp water and let sit for 5 minutes to form a gel)
Steps:
Preheat the oven to 350⁰ Line an 8x8 inch baking dish with parchment paper.
In a mixing bowl, combine all ingredients and stir until thoroughly mixed.
Pour the mixture into the baking dish and flatten with a large spoon or your hands. Next, pack it down as much as you can – this is an important step to help the bars stay together. I took a slightly smaller baking dish, covered the bottom with plastic wrap and used that to press everything down.
Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until golden brown.
Let cool completely before slicing into bars.
