Soft and Chewy Granola Bars

Toasted oats, cashews, and pistachios with honey and citrus are topped with a layer of salted dark chocolate and chopped pistachios.

Course Breakfast, Dessert, Snack

Cuisine American

Keyword cashew butter granola bars, granola bars, healthy granola bar, pistachio granola bars

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 15

Chill Time 1 30

Total Time 2

Servings Granola Bars

Calories 265kcal

Author Mason Woodruff

Ingredients

1 ¾ cups (168g) Rolled Oats
1 cup (112g) Cashews unroasted and unsalted
1 cup (120g) Shelled Pistachios unroasted and unsalted
2 cups (340g) Pitted Dates
½ cup (128g) Cashew Butter or your choice of nut butter
¼ cup (84g) Honey
1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
1 teaspoon Kosher Salt
1 Lemon or Orange zested

For the Chocolate Topping

1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
3 oz Dark Chocolate
2 Tablespoons (15g) Shelled Pistachios

Instructions

Add the oats, cashews, and pistachios to a sheet pan and toast for 15 minutes at 350ºF. Keep the additional 2 tablespoons of pistachios for the topping separate, either toasting on a separate pan at the same time or toasting after.
While the nuts and oats cool briefly, add the dates, cashew butter, honey, vanilla, salt, and lemon zest to a food processor or blender. Pulse a few times to just bring everything together. You're not looking to make a smooth puree.
Add the cooled nuts and oats and pulse a few more times. Again, just mixing everything together and not completely blending.
Once everything is sticking together, transfer to a dish or sheet pan to form the bars. Press the mixture into an even layer inside the dish and refrigerate for 30 minutes. (I used a 9"x11" baking dish. The bars will work in any dish but will vary in thickness.)
After 30 minutes, melt the chocolate and olive oil together over low heat. Once melted, pour over the chilled granola and spread to an even layer. Roughly chop the extra 2 tablespoons of toasted pistachios and sprinkle over the bars along with a pinch of flaky salt. Refrigerate for an hour before slicing.
Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a month.

Notes

If you have roasted cashews and pistachios on hand, you can toast the oats on their own. Omit the extra salt if you're using roasted and salted nuts.

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