Chewy, oat-based bars with honey, nuts, and dried fruit—no-bake or lightly baked for easy texture control.
For crispier bars, bake the full 20 minutes until golden; cool completely before cutting. Dip your knife in hot water and wipe dry between cuts to prevent sticking.
Substitute dried fruit (cranberries, apricots, raisins) or swap nuts (almonds, pecans, walnuts) to taste. For chewier bars, reduce baking time to 12–15 minutes or skip the oven and refrigerate 2–3 hours.
Ingredients
Scale
Measurement units
- ⅓ cup honey
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 ½ cups old-fashioned rolled oats
- ½ cup sliced almonds
- ⅓ cup dried cranberries
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
Ingredients
Scale
Measurement units
- ⅓ cup honey
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 ½ cups old-fashioned rolled oats
- ½ cup sliced almonds
- ⅓ cup dried cranberries
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
Instructions
Prepare pan and preheat oven
Line an 8×8 inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving overhang on two sides for easy removal.
Preheat oven to 350°F.
Equipment: 8×8 inch baking pan, parchment paper, oven
Mix wet ingredients
In a medium mixing bowl, combine honey (⅓ cup), unsalted butter (3 tablespoons), melted, and vanilla extract (½ teaspoon).
Stir until smooth and combined.
Equipment: medium mixing bowl
Combine dry ingredients and mix
Add old-fashioned rolled oats (1 ½ cups), sliced almonds (½ cup), dried cranberries (⅓ cup), and kosher salt (¼ teaspoon) to the wet mixture.
Stir with a wooden spoon until all oats and nuts are evenly coated with the honey mixture.
Press into pan
Transfer the mixture to the prepared baking pan and press firmly and evenly into the bottom using a spatula or the back of a spoon.
Ensure the surface is level and compact to prevent bars from crumbling.
Bake bars
Bake at 350°F for 18–20 minutes, until the edges are light golden brown and the center is set but still slightly soft.
Cool and cut
Remove from oven and let cool in the pan for 10 minutes.
Lift the slab out of the pan using the parchment overhang and transfer to a cutting board.
Cool completely, about 15 minutes, then cut into 4 equal bars using a sharp knife dipped in hot water.
Equipment: oven, sharp knife
Before you cook
Cook notes
- • For chewier bars, reduce baking time to 12–15 minutes or skip the oven and refrigerate 2–3 hours.
- • For crispier bars, bake the full 20 minutes until golden; cool completely before cutting.
- • Dip your knife in hot water and wipe dry between cuts to prevent sticking.
- • Substitute dried fruit (cranberries, apricots, raisins) or swap nuts (almonds, pecans, walnuts) to taste.
- • Store in an airtight container at room temperature up to 5 days, or freeze up to 1 month.
- • Do not overbake; bars continue to firm as they cool.
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