Imen Alton Brown Granola Bars Recipe is a wholesome American-style snack. Toasted oats, sunflower seeds, and almonds are tossed with honey and wheat germ before being baked with a colorful mix of chopped dried apricots and cherries.
The first time I made this, I didn’t press the mixture down hard enough in the pan. Now I always use the back of a metal spatula to really pack it in so the bars don’t crumble into loose granola when I try to slice them. If you leave any air pockets, the honey binder won’t be able to bridge the gaps between the seeds and oats.
The wheat germ is doing more work than you’d think here. Without it, the bars lose that specific nutty depth and the texture feels a bit thin. I’ve tried using flax meal as a swap, but it doesn’t toast quite the same way or provide that sturdy, toasted crunch that makes this version better than store-bought options.
Alton Brown Granola Bars Recipe Ingredients
- 2 cups (180g) old-fashioned rolled oats
- 1/2 cup (65g) raw sunflower seeds
- 1 cup (90g) sliced almonds
- 1/2 cup (55g) wheat germ
- 1/2 cup (170g) honey
- 1/4 cup (50g) packed dark brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons (28g) unsalted butter, plus extra for pan
- 2 teaspoons (10ml) vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 6 1/2 ounces (185g) chopped dried fruit (apricots, cherries, or blueberries)
How To Make Alton Brown Granola Bars Recipe
- 1. Prep the pan: Butter an 8-by-11.5-inch glass baking dish thoroughly, making sure you get right into the corners. Heat your oven to 350°F (180°C) so it’s ready for the toasting stage.
- 2. Toast the dry ingredients: Spread the oats, sunflower seeds, almonds, and wheat germ onto a large rimmed baking sheet in a thin, even layer. Toast them in the oven for about 15 minutes, giving them a good stir halfway through so the edges don’t burn while the middle stays raw.
- 3. Make the binder: While the oats toast, combine the honey, dark brown sugar, butter, vanilla, and salt in a large saucepan over medium heat. Cook the mixture for about 3 minutes, stirring constantly until the sugar grains have dissolved and the liquid is bubbling slightly.
- 4. Combine and mix: Drop the oven temperature to 300°F (150°C) as soon as you pull the toasted oats out. Pour the hot oat mixture and all the chopped dried fruit into the saucepan with the honey binder and stir until every single oat is coated and sticky.
- 5. Shape and bake: Transfer the mixture into your prepared glass dish and use a piece of wax paper or a greased spatula to press it down into a flat, tight layer. Bake for 25 minutes until the edges are a deep golden brown and the center feels set but not hard.
- Don’t be tempted to bake these until they feel crunchy in the middle. The bars will seem quite soft when they first come out of the oven, but the honey and sugar will harden as they cool to create the perfect chewy texture.
- 6. Cool and cut: Set the pan on a wire rack and let it cool completely to room temperature, which usually takes about 2 hours. Once they’re totally cold, lift the block out and cut it into 16 even squares with a sharp knife.
Recipe Tips
- Chop the fruit small: If your dried apricots or cherries are too large, they’ll create weak spots in the bars that cause them to snap. Aim for pieces about the size of a pea so they distribute evenly throughout the oats and seeds.
- Use dark brown sugar: The extra molasses in dark brown sugar provides a much richer flavor and a stickier consistency than light brown sugar. This helps the bars hold their shape better once they’ve been sliced and handled.
- Don’t skip the toasting: Raw oats have a dusty, bland flavor that can make the bars taste like cardboard. Taking the time to brown them in the oven develops a toasted aroma that stands up to the sweetness of the honey.
- Butter the knife before cutting: Even when cold, the honey mixture can be quite tacky and pull at the oats. A quick swipe of butter or a spray of oil on your blade will help you get those clean, straight edges without tearing the fruit.
- Check the wheat germ freshness: Wheat germ has a high oil content and can go rancid quickly if it’s been sitting in your pantry too long. Give it a sniff before adding it; it should smell like toasted grain, not bitter or metallic.
- Keep the pan size exact: If you use a larger 9×13 pan, the bars will be too thin and will likely turn out crispy and brittle. Using the specified 8-by-11.5-inch dish ensures they stay thick enough to remain chewy in the center.
What To Serve With Alton Brown Granola Bars
A cold glass of almond milk or a hot cup of black tea makes a great companion for these bars. The sweetness is naturally heavy, so a drink without extra sugar helps balance the snack.
If you’re taking these on a hike, some fresh apple slices or a few sticks of string cheese add a nice bit of crispness and protein to the meal. They’re also delicious crumbled over a bowl of plain Greek yogurt for breakfast.
How To Store Alton Brown Granola Bars
- Fridge: You can store these in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week. If your kitchen is very warm, keep them in the fridge to prevent the honey from getting too soft and sticky.
- Reheat: These bars are meant to be eaten cold or at room temperature. If they’ve become too hard in the fridge, let them sit on the counter for 10 minutes rather than using a microwave, which will melt the sugar and make them fall apart.
- Freeze: Wrap each bar individually in plastic wrap and store them in a freezer bag for up to 3 months. They thaw very quickly at room temperature, making them a perfect grab-and-go option for busy mornings.
Alton Brown Granola Bars Recipe Nutrition Facts
Per serving (1 bar):
- Calories: 240 kcal
- Protein: 6g
- Fat: 11g
- Carbohydrates: 32g
- Sugar: 18g
- Sodium: 75mg
FAQs
Why are my Alton Brown Granola Bars falling apart?
This almost always happens because the mixture wasn’t pressed firmly enough into the pan or it was cut while still warm. You really have to put some weight behind the spatula to pack the oats together before they go into the oven.
Can I use maple syrup instead of honey in my Alton Brown Granola Bars Recipe?
No, maple syrup is thinner and doesn’t have the same glue-like properties as honey when it cools. If you swap them, the bars will likely turn out as loose granola rather than solid, portable squares.
Is there a substitute for wheat germ?
You can use ground flaxseeds or even more oats if you don’t have wheat germ. Just know that the texture will be slightly different and you might lose that specific nutty flavor that the germ provides.
Can I add chocolate chips to this Alton Brown Granola Bars Recipe?
Yes, but you must wait until the mixture has cooled for at least 10 minutes before pressing it into the pan. If you add them while the oats are screaming hot, the chips will melt and turn the whole batch brown.
What if I only have salted butter?
That’s fine, just leave out the extra half-teaspoon of kosher salt called for in the recipe. Using salted butter plus the added salt might make the bars taste a bit too savory for a sweet snack.
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Alton Brown Granola Bars Recipe
Description
Alton Brown’s Granola Bars are the ultimate sweet, nutty, and satisfying homemade snack. By taking the time to toast the oats, almonds, sunflower seeds, and wheat germ before baking, you develop a deep, complex flavor that store-bought boxes simply cannot match. Bound together with a rich, bubbling mixture of honey, dark brown sugar, and butter, and studded with your favorite chopped dried fruit, these bars bake up beautifully and set into the perfect, sliceable on-the-go treat.
Ingredients
Instructions
- Prep the pan: Butter an 8-by-11.5-inch glass baking dish thoroughly, making sure you get right into the corners. Heat your oven to 350°F (180°C) so it’s ready for the toasting stage.
- Toast the dry ingredients: Spread the oats, sunflower seeds, almonds, and wheat germ onto a large rimmed baking sheet in a thin, even layer. Toast them in the oven for about 15 minutes, giving them a good stir halfway through so the edges don’t burn while the middle stays raw.
- Make the binder: While the oats toast, combine the honey, dark brown sugar, butter, vanilla, and salt in a large saucepan over medium heat. Cook the mixture for about 3 minutes, stirring constantly until the sugar grains have dissolved and the liquid is bubbling slightly.
- Combine and mix: Drop the oven temperature to 300°F (150°C) as soon as you pull the toasted oats out. Pour the hot oat mixture and all the chopped dried fruit into the saucepan with the honey binder and stir until every single oat is coated and sticky.
- Shape and bake: Transfer the mixture into your prepared glass dish and use a piece of wax paper or a greased spatula to press it down into a flat, tight layer. Bake for 25 minutes until the edges are a deep golden brown and the center feels set but not hard.
- Cool and cut: Set the pan on a wire rack and let it cool completely to room temperature, which usually takes about two hours. Once they’re totally cold, lift the block out and cut it into 16 even squares with a sharp knife.
Don’t be tempted to bake these until they feel crunchy in the middle. The bars will seem quite soft when they first come out of the oven, but the honey and sugar will harden as they cool to create the perfect chewy texture.
Notes
-
Chop the fruit small: If your dried apricots or cherries are too large, they’ll create weak spots in the bars that cause them to snap. Aim for pieces about the size of a pea so they distribute evenly throughout the oats and seeds.
Use dark brown sugar: The extra molasses in dark brown sugar provides a much richer flavor and a stickier consistency than light brown sugar. This helps the bars hold their shape better once they’ve been sliced and handled.
Don’t skip the toasting: Raw oats have a dusty, bland flavor that can make the bars taste like cardboard. Taking the time to brown them in the oven develops a toasted aroma that stands up to the sweetness of the honey.
Butter the knife before cutting: Even when cold, the honey mixture can be quite tacky and pull at the oats. A quick swipe of butter or a spray of oil on your blade will help you get those clean, straight edges without tearing the fruit.
Check the wheat germ freshness: Wheat germ has a high oil content and can go rancid quickly if it’s been sitting in your pantry too long. Give it a sniff before adding it; it should smell like toasted grain, not bitter or metallic.
Keep the pan size exact: If you use a larger 9×13 pan, the bars will be too thin and will likely turn out crispy and brittle. Using the specified 8-by-11.5-inch dish ensures they stay thick enough to remain chewy in the center.
