Chewy cranberry pecan oat bars with chunks of toasted pecans and dried cranberries combined with toasted oats, almond butter and pure maple syrup. I’m in LOVE with these bars!
Morning Maple Cranberry Pecan Oat Bars
Morning Maple Cranberry Pecan Oat BarsI love making bars for the easiest on-the-go snack. A few of my favorites are Chewy Pecan Raisin Chocolate Granola and Banana Split Bars.
I made these bars last week and I couldn’t wait to share them with you. I’ve been eating one every morning for breakfast (in fact I am having one now as I type this). These are by far, the best tasting bars I’ve ever had, they are chewy and have great texture, made with wholesome ingredients – one bar is a meal and it’s perfect to take on the go. They are also egg free, dairy free, vegan, and can be made gluten free if you use gf oats. Next time I make these, I plan on rolling them into smaller balls and turning them into healthy cookies instead.
The recipe is very slightly modified from the Power Hungry: Ultimate Energy Cookbook. Camilla really knows how to make great tasting breakfast bars, you may remember the banana split bars I made a few month back also from the same book.
You can use any type of mild flavored unsweetened nut butter, such as almond, cashew, or sunflower seed butter. Peanut butter would also work perfectly well in this recipe, but it can overwhelm the flavor of the maple syrup. Toasting the oats and pecans adds tremendous flavor, but if you are in a hurry, you can skip this step.
Once made, individually and tightly wrap the bars in plastic wrap. Store the bars at room temperature for up to 2 days, or in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. Alternatively, place the wrapped bars in an airtight container and freeze for up to three months. Let the frozen bars thaw at room temperature for about 1 hour.
More Breakfast Pastries and Treats you might enjoy:
- Pumpkin Granola
- Yogurt Chocolate Chip Muffins
- Maple Pecan Banana Muffins
- Banana Nut Bread
- Chocolate Pistachio Biscotti
Maple Cranberry Morning Bars
Ingredients
- cooking spray
- 2 cups old-fashioned or quick-cooking rolled oats, gluten-Free, if needed
- 1/2 cup chopped pecans
- 1 cup dried cranberries, chopped (by hand or in food processor)
- 1/2 cup unsweetened plain almond milk, I used almond breeze
- 1/2 cup multigrain hot cereal, use GF, if needed (I used Bobs Red Mill 10 Grain)
- 1 cup natural, unsweetened almond butter
- 1/2 cup pure maple syrup
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp fine sea salt
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Line a 9-inch square baking pan with foil or parchment paper and then spray with nonstick spray.
- Spread the oats and pecans on a large rimmed baking sheet.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 6 to 8 minutes, shaking halfway through, until golden and fragrant.
- Transfer to a large bowl; add the chopped cranberries.
- Bring the milk to a boil in a small saucepan set over medium heat.
- Stir in the multi-grain cereal and remove from the heat; let stand for 2 minutes.
- Add the nut or seed butter, maple syrup, cinnamon, and salt.
- Cook and stir the mixture over low heat for 6 to 7 minutes or until thickened; remove from the heat and stir in vanilla extract.
- Immediately add the cereal mixture to the oats mixture, mixing with a spatula until coated.
- Transfer the mixture to the prepared pan and flatten with the back of a measuring cup.
- Place a large piece of parchment paper or wax paper atop the bar mixture and use it to spread, flatten, and very firmly compact the bars evenly in the pan.
- Cool completely. Refrigerate at least 1 hour or until firm.
- Using the liner, lift the mixture from the pan and transfer to a cutting board.
- Peel off the foil or parchment and cut into 16 bars.
This was very easy and delicious!
I can’t find Bob’s Red Mill 10 grain or multi grain hot cereal. I’d really like to make these. Any other suggestions.
Excellent flavor, easy to prepare. Going in my freezer for future morning snacks.
Gina- All I can find as far as the Bob’s Red Mill 10 grain ingredient is one labeled as “hot cereal” It looks like it needs to be cooked. Is that the one?
My bad! I didn’t look down far enough into the recipe. I got it now. Sorry!
I have farina on hand. Would that be a sufficient ingredient in place of the multi grain cereal? BTW, I LOVE your recipes. They are so easy and taste so good. Who knew eating better could be so good?! 🙂 Thank you!
Gina, I have been taking the almost similar bar in my breakfast and used Yemeni Sidr Honey as an ingredient. Would you recommend using honey?
You can if you wish.
Currently as I type this, I am eating these delicious bars! It’s hard to even believe that this is healthy! Just wanted to ask though, mine came out pretty sticky. Is this normal or did I make a mistake in the recipe somehow? Thanks so much!
what is multi grain hot cereal?
Gina, Do y o think I could sub date butter for the almond butter??
I haven’t tried, let me know if you do!
Hi Gina, the bars were delicious using the date butte, but they didn’t stick together as bars, more like a crumble. Any other ideas?
Allergic to oats – will oat bran work? Also, I think I can use quinoa flakes as my multi-grain hot cereal? And the end result (pix) look like coconut flakes might be good in these too! 🙂
I was so excited when I gave my picky daughter a bite of the batter and she asked for seconds. Then I tasted it and now I am disappointed I have to share! Lol. I guess I will just have to make more! Thanks for the recipe!
I made these over the weekend and they are WONDERFUL. I eat one with plan greek yogurt in the mornings and I am able to make it to lunch without a snack. I highly recommend trying this recipe!
These have lasted up to 2 weeks for me in the fridge in a sealed container, individually wrapped. I've also made them with cherries, plums, and this newest batch is blueberries. Very versatile recipe. I love it! It's a great way to get oatmeal into my diet without having to eat it all gloppy and hot.
For those not wanting to buy a box of hot cereal, I've made it a few times now and I used a mixture of ground flax seed, fine cornmeal (also sold as "grits"), and quinoa. Or find any cereal in the cupboard and if the grains are too large, give it a whirl in a food processor or magic bullet. The half a cup stated doesn't really add anything to the taste, I find, it's more to bind the rest of the ingredients together.
Ok. I made this recipe on Friday. I only have 2 left! They were a HUGE hit! Delicious! Thank you so much!
So happy this recipe can be made gluten free! I've been craving something like this. I can't wait to make them! Thank you!
These look great as a healthy option to feed my daughter on rushed school days, but how long do they last in the refrigerator? Also, have you tried freezing them? Do they thaw ok or does it change the flavor/consistency? Thanks!!
I make a similar breakfast bar but with pistachios and a teensy bit of almond extract!
I really love all of your recipes and the photography too! Thank you!
Kelly Sue…..it is on the top of the recipe.
Servings: 16 • Size: 1 bar • Old Points: 5 pts • Points+: 6 pts
Calories: 228 • Fat: 13 g • Protein: 5 g • Carb: 27 g • Fiber: 4 g • Sugar: 12 g
Sodium: 46 mg • Cholesterol: 0 mg
Made these tonight, they are delicious!!! Just started eating clean and this is a great great. Thanks for sharing!!
So delicious! Made this today and they were a hit by everyone. Any chance you calculated the nutrition? Mainly protein and calories?
Made these last night, could not have been easier and they are DELICIOUS!
The Maple morning cranberry bars are excellent…..the most I got out of one batch was 12 bars. 6pts. For breakfast is plenty filling especially if you follow with a cup of skin milk. Add another 2pts for the skin milk.
These totally got me through the first couple of months of being a new, breastfeeding – and always hungry- mom. LOVE this recipe. Going to make it for other new moms for sure. Thanks Gina most of what I cook now is from your website and I weigh 20 pounds less then I did pre-pregnancy!
Looks very tasty!
I use peanut butter as a sub for almond butter- a bit cheaper 🙂
what can i use substitute almond butter with?
Made these this weekend. So YUMMY!!!!!!!
totally yummy! I used chopped dried apricots instead of cranberries.
I made these the other day and they are INCREDIBLE. All of your recipes are a hit with my husband and myself and I've never commented before but these bars are SO good that I couldn't keep quiet. Thank you!
I made these today & they are delicious!!!
I just made these and they are delicious! Perfect snack for before/after workout or just a yummy treat! For the hot cereal, I found some by Simply Balanced at Target. It's an organic multigrain blend. Thank you for such a great recipe!
In place of the hot cereal could I use quinoa? Or just more oats?
More oats or even bran would work.
good to know! I have oat bran and it looks to be the same texture as the multi-grain cereal. My Dr. has requested I add oat bran to my diet to help w/high cholesterol so I'm gonna try it this way as I can barely get it down as hot cereal!
You can't go wrong with maple!
Gina, I am on a cleanse right now and i can have everything but the maple syrup (due to sugar..) I can have unsweetened apple sauce… do you think that might be an ok substitute? I'm not sure if the maple is needed to hold it together at all…
It's mostly to add sweetness, I think it would work without.
Hi Gina! Just made your Slow Cooker Apple Butter (delicious by the way!) and wanted to know if I could use that here as well? Unsure since it says unsweetened/natural. Thank you!
Sure, just use less maple.
I could snack on this all day!
I am all sweaty from the treadmill and it's about 15 degrees out…but I think I'm going to have to venture out to the store to buy all the ingredients to make these tonight! They look so good!
These look awesome! I have and love Power Hungry. I think my boyfriend would be JUST FINE if I just made the carrot cake bars for the rest of his life :).
These are really delicious. I made them last night and had one for breakfast this morning. It kept me full until lunch, including through my workout. Thanks for the great recipe! I know I will be keeping this on hand regularly now.
Made these tonight. They are fantastic! Hubby wants a batch (or two or three!) for his hunting trip next week. I used soy milk, which worked just fine. GREAT recipe!
What is an alternative for the hot cereal?
Do these freeze well? I am only me and would love to make up a batch to keep in the freeze and thaw overnight for a quick breakfast.
Yes, Store the bars at room temperature for up to 2 days, or in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. Alternatively, place the wrapped bars in an airtight container and freeze for up to three months. Let the frozen bars thaw at room temperature for about 1 hour.
How long will these keep in the refrigerator since they have a milk type product in them? How long can you leave them non-refrigerated? Could they be made with water so refrigeration would not be a problem?
It's made with almond milk, but I just left mine in the fridge. Refrigerator for up to 1 week or freeze for up to three months. Let the frozen bars thaw at room temperature for about 1 hour.
I'd like to know about using regular skim milk and other cooked cereal options too. Thanks.
Yummy!!! I'm going to try to make these this weekend. Thanks so much for the recipe!!
Wondering about the hot cereal? Are there other options for that? I have all the other ingredients and don't want to head to the store 🙂
I was wondering about this one too. We don't eat pre-mixed hot cereal, although I do have millet and buckwheat, sometimes cook rice porridge and oatmeal often. So I would hate to go buy a box just for this recipe. I went ahead and cooked oats instead for that part of the recipe also, texture wise it worked out pretty good.
Sounds great. I wonder where I can find the almond butter???
you can find Almond Butter at Kroger stores, Wal Mart
Trader Joe's, too.
Are the dried cranberries sweetened (like Craisins)? Thanks!
I don't have any multigrain cereal. Can I substitute more oats?
Could I use cream of wheat for the hot cereal?
Any subs for the maple syrup?
You can use honey, or agave but I would use less since they are sweeter.
I've been waiting for you to post more vegan ideas!
Also, is it just me or is the baking time missing?? You have 350F, but never say anything about how long, just to cook on the stove for 6-7 minutes.
i read it as the 6-8 minute baking time is for toasting the oats and nuts. i don't think it is baked more than that, but i am not 100% about that.
You only toast the oats and nuts (and that's totally optional), the rest gets pressed into the pan and refrigerated, so it's really a no-bake bar if you don't toast the nuts and oats. You'll love this!
I'm shocked! I have ALL these ingredients in my house right now. These are so delicious and so healthy. Off to the kitchen I go!
will it work to use regular skim milk instead of the 1/2 cup almond milk?
Yes. I've made these with skim milk. Works fine. 🙂 And they are delicious!!!
I have coconut milk, so I will use that instead. I am making these sometime this week!
These look wonderful! I would love to start my morning with one (or 3) of these 🙂
OMG these look so good! I think I need that book.
It's a great book, I linked to it on Amazon above!