There’s something simple, satisfying and familiar about eating a granola bar on the trail. Lucky for us, it’s easy to make this classic snack from scratch. A favorite version of mine are these peanut butter and jelly granola bars, which I’ve made healthier by adding nutrient-rich ingredients and lowering the sugar content (this helps keep your energy levels stable).
For this bar, I took flavor inspiration from the peanut butter and jelly sandwich, using Valencia peanut butter and sugar-free raspberry preserves. I prefer using Valencia peanut butter because the nuts have fewer allergen and mold problems due to being grown in warmer climates. You can buy the nut butter online or at some grocery stores.
Depending on your tastes and dietary needs, you can easily swap out certain ingredients in this recipe. Not a fan of oats? Substitute with a blend of rolled and flaked grains—I love rolled spelt and barley flakes. To make the bars vegan, substitute coconut butter for the butter. Either way, your end result is a gooey, perfectly sweet bar for on-the-go snacking. Enjoy!
Peanut Butter and Jelly Granola Bars
Makes 16 bars | Vegetarian, gluten-free
Ingredients:
- 3/4 cup peanut butter
- 1/2 cup sugar-free raspberry preserves
- 1/2 cup honey, tapioca syrup or coconut nectar
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, plus more for coating
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 cups rolled oats
- 1/4 cup hemp seeds
- 1/4 cup puffed quinoa
- 1/4 cup sunflower seeds
- 2 tablespoons ground flaxseeds
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- Sea salt, to taste
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line an 8-by-8-inch baking dish with parchment paper. Coat the paper with butter.
In a large bowl, combine the honey, melted butter, vanilla, peanut butter and raspberry preserves. Mix well with a wooden spoon. Once everything is blended, add the rolled oats, hemp seeds, quinoa, sunflower seeds, flaxseeds, cinnamon and salt, stirring until thick and well combined.
Scrape the mixture into the baking dish. Press firmly to flatten it, making sure it is an even thickness. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until the bars are browning on top and firm to the touch.
Remove from the oven and let cool before cutting into 16 evenly sized pieces. The bars will keep at room temperature for a couple of weeks, or they can be individually wrapped and stored in the freezer for up to two months.