FRUIT AND NUT GRANOLA BARS

Fruit and Nut Granola Bars image

Provided by rebeccaa2

Time 40m

Yield 9 granola bars, 9-12 serving(s)

Number Of Ingredients 9

2 1/2 cups rolled oats
1 cup chopped nuts (I use walnuts, almonds and a small handful of sunflower seeds)
1 cup chopped dried fruit (I use dried apricots and dried cherries)
1/2 cup honey
3 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons butter (optional)
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt

Steps:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Grease an 8x8 glass pan.
Place nuts and oats on a baking sheet, and bake for about 12 minutes or until lightly toasted.
While oats and nuts are toasting, place in a saucepan over medium heat the honey, brown sugar, butter, vanilla, cinnamon and salt.
Stir until the mixture bubbles, and keep it boiling and stirring for about 2 minutes.
When oats and nuts come out of the oven, turn it down to 325.
Take the pan off the heat, and when the oats are finished, pour them right into the saucepan and mix to combine honey mixture evenly.
Stir in the chopped dried fruit.
Press mixture into the glass pan with the back of a spoon - it will be pretty sticky.
Bake at 325 for 20 minutes, and let cool completely before cutting.
Wrapped in saran wrap, these will keep for at least a couple of weeks!