Nut Bars Ingredient notes
- Raw almonds
- Raw cashews
- Unsweetened coconut flakes
- honey
- salt
- vanilla (optional)
- Other ingredients to add: dried fruit, any other nut, seeds (chia, sesame, flax, poppy)
How to make Nut Bars
Step one: Toast the nuts and coconut. Place in the oven, for 10 minutes @ 325F , stirring halfway through. This really enhances the flavor!
Heat the honey, water, and a pinch of salt, on med-low heat until it reaches 270F (hard ball stage) on a candy thermometer. Please see the recipe notes if you don’t have a candy thermometer!
If you heat the honey any longer it will still taste good, but result in a very brittle bar. If you heat the honey to a lower temp, the bars will be too soft and not hold together.
Heating the honey may take longer than you think.…about 20 minutes on med-low heat. I have found that once the honey reaches 250F, don’t walk away. It will go quickly from there.
How to store Nut Bars
Allow to cool completely before transferring to an airtight storage container with parchment paper between layers. For take-along convenience, use parchment paper and string to wrap individual bars—store at room temperature for up to 10 days.
Wrap Nut Bars for Gifting!
I hope you enjoy these as much as we have!
xoxo
More Snack recipes you may enjoy!
- How to Make Seed Bars
- Sprouted Pumpkin Seed Snacks
- Vegan Energy Balls with Masala Spice
- Maple Pecans
Homemade Nut Bars
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Cook Time: 50 mins
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: 12 bars
- Category: snacks, granola bars,
- Method: baked
- Cuisine: american
Description
Delicious, healthy Nut Bars, similar to “Kind Bars”! A gluten-free, paleo, grain-free granola bar recipe that you will fall in love with!
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup raw almonds, lightly toasted
- 3/4 cup raw cashews, lightly toasted
- 1 1/2 cup unsweetened coconut FLAKES, lightly toasted
- 1/2 cup honey
- 3 tablespoons water
- Generous pinch salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla (optional)
- Other ingredients to add: dried fruit, any other nut, seeds (chia, sesame, flax, poppy), vanilla, puffed rice or millet.
Instructions
- Preheat Oven to 325F ( to toast nuts and coconut)
- Heat honey, salt, water and vanilla (optional) in a small pot over medium heat until it starts bubbling. Stir occasionally. Lower to med-low heat and continue simmering uncovered until honey reaches 270F. You need to use a candy thermometer to get this exact ( available at most grocery stores in the baking section.) This will take about 25 minutes on med-low heat, and will happen rapidly once it reaches 250F.
- In the mean time, lightly toast nuts and coconut, in the oven, just until coconut is fragrant and lightly golden about 8-10 minutes.
- When honey has reached 270F, turn heat off and pour the nuts and coconuts into the pot, stirring well to coat. Mixture may seem dry, but just keep mixing, until evenly coated. Spread out on a parchment lined 8×8 inch pan, or baking sheet, to about ¾ inch thick.
- Using a greased spatula, spread out evenly and press down firmly, compressing it down as much as you can. Cover with parchment and use the bottom of a cup or pot or even your hands (if it’s not too hot) and press down really hard, compacting it as much as possible. This will help the bars stay together when you go to cut them. Let cool uncovered on the kitchen counter for 45 minutes. ( no longer)
- Once it has cooled 45 minutes, place a cutting board over the mixure and gently flip it onto the cutting board (in one piece). With a big sharp knife, cut bars before they cool down completely (otherwise they will break when you try to cut them).
- After you cut them, let them cool down completely on parchment (a couple hours) before storing. Store in an air tight container layered with parchment, or just leave them on the counter like I do and watch them disappear. Or wrap them individually with parchment and string.
Notes
If you don’t have a candy thermometer. Heat honey, just until warmed. Combine with remaining ingredients and spread out in a parchment-lined 8×8 baking dish, flattening firmly with a wet spatula. Bake at 300F on the middle rack. Check at 25 mins, rotate if need be, and continue baking. For a chewy consistency, take them out at 40-45 minutes, for a crispy crunchy consistency, let cook the full 50 -55 minutes. Keep in mind, all ovens are different, so heat may vary. The key is….You want to take them out when they are perfectly golden, before they get too dark. So watch them like a hawk after 35-40 minutes. If you take them out too early (before they are golden) they can be too sticky. Pay attention to the color.
For example, I’ve cooked these in two different ovens. In the gas oven, 50-55 minutes delivered perfectly golden bars. In the electric oven, 40 minutes were enough for perfectly golden. 55 minutes would have totally burnt them.
Remove from oven, and cool completely. You could place in the fridge to cool faster. When it’s completely cooled, take the parchment out of the pan, turn it over and remove parchment. Flip back over and cut into desired shapes or bars. Store at room temp.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bar
- Calories: 144
- Sugar: 12.5 g
- Sodium: 198 mg
- Fat: 9.6 g
- Saturated Fat: 6.2 g
- Carbohydrates: 15.6 g
- Fiber: 2.1 g
- Protein: 2 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
Oh my goodness, I saw the part about cooking in the Notes and not the actual recipe so I did not bake but still tasted good. I must not be striking on all the cylinders today. Made 2 batches for my granddaughter’s breakfast and for my landscaper who’s going on a jet plane today.
Oh wow, well somedays there is just too much to keep track of! Glad they turned out!
I would like to try this bars.
Give it a go Martha!
Hello,
I am getting ready to a make these, but was wondering if I had to put the in the over. Would it work if I only pour the hot liquid and let it cool? thinking of Lara bar type of snacks.
Thanks
Yes, I am sure there are other ways, but I have only tested this recipe for this way. 🙂 You would have to experiment…which could be fun!