GLUTEN FREE "GRANOLA BARS

Gluten Free

Provided by bakedperfectionGF

Time 40m

Yield 20 Granola Bars, 2 serving(s)

Number Of Ingredients 7

1/2 cup honey
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup peanut butter (creamy or crunchy) or 1/2 cup almond butter (if you want to make almond granola bars)
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 cups gluten-free oats
2 cups almonds
1 cup dried cherries

Steps:

Butter an 8 X 10 inch pan generously OR line it with parchment paper than also comes up the sides of the pan about 1/2 of an inch.
Preheat the oven to 400°F.
Toast your nuts/seeds in the oven for a few minutes until slightly golden. While you are doing this, make your "granola glue" or peanut butter sauce.
To make the "granola glue" or peanut butter sauce, combine honey and brown sugar in a small saucepan. Heat, while stirring, until the brown sugar dissolves. Bring mixture to a simmer and simmer for 1-2 minutes until evenly foamy/bubbly on top. Remove from the heat. Add one teaspoon vanilla extract. Stir (it will steam a bit). Add peanut butter and stir briskly until lumps are gone and the consistency is uniform.
Mix granola base (oats or cereal) with your toasted nuts/seeds. Pour peanut butter mixture over the top and stir until evenly distributed. Add dried fruit and stir again to distribute.
Pour mixture into pan (on to parchment paper). Spread evenly and then press down in to the bottom of the pan. Press the granola together firmly.
Bake for 20 minutes at 350°F.
Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely (it will firm up as it cools) before cutting.
Cut into bars (1″ wide and 4″ long). Wrap bars in cling wrap or wax paper and store in a Ziploc bag or airtight container on the counter until consumed. (I've store mine up to 10 days, but it depends on the weather.) These can be refrigerated; however, I haven't tried freezing them yet.