Nut Butter Granola Bars

Nut Butter Granola Bars

Baked Nut Butter Granola Bars cut and wrapped with a ribbon.

NUT BUTTER GRANOLA BARS

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These slightly chewy, a little bit crunchy Nut Butter Granola Bars are the perfect snack or grab and go breakfast. As the name implies, they are made with nut butter, and my personal preference is natural chunky peanut butter. I’ve also made them with almond butter, which is tasty too, however the peanut flavour really comes through when using peanut butter and it’s a great flavour that marries up nicely with the honey. So tasty!

Nut Butter Granola Bars pressed into a 9x13 pan and ready for baking.

From this recipe, you get 16 nicely sized bars that wrap and freeze well for those of you who like to get a little meal prep done. If it’s likely that your hungry family will hoover through these is a short time, they’ll last for several days in a sealed container at room temperature.

Nut Butter Granola Bars are gluten-free, packed full of protein from the goodness of nuts and egg whites. The fat from the peanut butter and ground-up nuts helps to keep you feeling full and dried fruit and honey give a little chewiness and natural sweetness. There’s no excuse not to have a batch of these ready for snacking, enjoy!

Baked Nut Butter Granola Bars cut and wrapped with a ribbon.

Author:  Compelled to Cook, adapted slightly from Bon Appétit

Nut Butter Granola Bars
Print Recipe
    Servings Prep Time
    16 bars 30 minutes
    Cook Time Passive Time
    30-35 minutes 5 minutes
    Servings Prep Time
    16 bars 30 minutes
    Cook Time Passive Time
    30-35 minutes 5 minutes
    Nut Butter Granola Bars
    Print Recipe
      Servings Prep Time
      16 bars 30 minutes
      Cook Time Passive Time
      30-35 minutes 5 minutes
      Servings Prep Time
      16 bars 30 minutes
      Cook Time Passive Time
      30-35 minutes 5 minutes
      Ingredients
      Servings: bars
      Instructions
      1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Arrange nuts and pumpkin seeds on a rimmed baking sheet and toast for 10-12 minutes until golden, stirring once. Remove from oven and allow to cool.
      2. Meanwhile, reduce the oven to 300°F. Spray a 13x9" pan with non-stick spray and line with parchment paper, overhanging the long sides.
      3. Using a food processor, pulse cooled nuts and 1 cup of oats until a sandy consistency and no large pieces of oats remain. Transfer to a large bowl, along with the remaining cup of whole oats. To the same bowl stir in dried fruit and oil (chop any dried fruit bigger than a raisin).
      4. In a medium saucepan whisk together honey, salt and vanilla over medium heat until at a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook for about 3 minutes until bubbling vigorously and smells like caramel.
      5. Add peanut butter to oat mixture along with the hot honey and stir to fully combine. By adding together, the hot honey will help melt the peanut butter. Whisk egg white in a small bowl and stir into oat mixture until fully incorporated.
      6. Scoop into prepared pan and pack down firmly and evenly. Using the bottom of a measuring cup helps to compact the mixture and get it flat.
      7. Bake until golden and no longer sticky 30-35 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool for 5 minutes before scoring into 16 pieces (2x8). Let cool completely in the pan before lifting out using the parchment overhang. Cut along score marks into bars.
      Recipe Notes

      -don't skimp on the amount of listed salt.

      -I used a combination of almonds, pecans and cashews.

      -cut bars can be wrapped and frozen, kept in a sealed container for up to 1 month.

      -cut bars will last for about 5 days stored in an airtight container at room temperature.

      -other nut butter such as almond butter work well too.

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      Pumpernickel Seed and Nut Crisps

      Pumpernickel Seed and Nut Crisps

      A white bowl piled high with Pumpernickel Seed and Nut Crisps.

      Pumpernickel Seed and Nut Crisps

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      It’s time for a little blog cleanup, so I’m picking away at updating and putting a polish on a few of my older posts. Today’s cleanup goes back to 2016 with these wholesome, rustic and vegan Pumpernickel Seed and Nut Crisps. Not only are these crisps beautiful with their dark cracker base they are also delightfully healthy with no added fat, eggs or dairy. I find some of my great recipes get left in the dust, never to be made again because my head is down and focused on always creating NEW content. Doing a little blog cleanup allows me to go back and redo the recipes, reminding me of just how good they really are.

      In this recipe, I used nuts and seeds that I had on hand, but you can certainly change them up to whatever is your favourite. I love these Pumpernickel Seed & Nut Crisps because of their texture which is crispy, yet still, some bites give a little chew. The currents are a nice addition because their size adds just the right amount of sweetness without becoming overbearing. Enjoy!

      Baked Pumpernickel Seed and Nut Crisps in loaf form on a wooden cutting board garnished with fresh thyme.
      A small white plate with Pumpernickel Seed and Nuts Crisps, cheese slices and apricot jelly.
      A white bowl piled high with Pumpernickel Seed and Nut Crisps.

      Pumpernickel Seed & Nut Crisps
      Print Recipe
      Crisp wholesome seed and nut crackers perfect for a vegan diet.
        Servings Prep Time
        64 crackers 15 minutes
        Cook Time Passive Time
        70 minutes 90 minutes
        Servings Prep Time
        64 crackers 15 minutes
        Cook Time Passive Time
        70 minutes 90 minutes
        Pumpernickel Seed & Nut Crisps
        Print Recipe
        Crisp wholesome seed and nut crackers perfect for a vegan diet.
          Servings Prep Time
          64 crackers 15 minutes
          Cook Time Passive Time
          70 minutes 90 minutes
          Servings Prep Time
          64 crackers 15 minutes
          Cook Time Passive Time
          70 minutes 90 minutes
          Ingredients
          Servings: crackers
          Instructions
          1. Preheat oven to 350℉.
          2. In a large bowl whisk together all ingredients until just combined.
          3. Spray 2 8"x3" loaf pans with non-stick spray and divide batter evenly between them. Bake for approximately 25-30 minutes or when a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Remove from oven and allow to cool on a rack to room temperature. Once cool, remove loaves from their pan and place in the freezer for about an hour to help firm up for cutting.
          4. Reheat oven to 300℉.
          5. Remove from the freezer and cut each loaf into 1/8" slices. You should get approximately 30-33 slices per loaf. Lay each slice flat on a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake for 15-20 minutes. Flip each piece and continue to bake for an additional 15-20 minutes (they will continue to crisp up as they cool). Remove from oven and place each slice onto a cooling rack and allow to cool to room temperature. Store in an airtight container once completely cooled.
          Recipe Notes

          -Any seeds and nuts can be used, but in this recipe, I used a combination of currents, pine nuts, sesame seeds, sunflower seeds and pepitas.

          -Regular 9"x 5" loaf pans can be used, however, I used 8" x 3" foil loaf pans because they are narrower and therefore produce a slightly taller cracker and the loaves pop right out of the foil pans.

          -Freezing is only required to assist in cutting even thin slices.  If you are good with a knife, feel free to skip this step.

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          I may receive compensation for purchases made through this site, at no cost to the purchaser. Compelled to Cook is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com
          Five Spice Mixed Nuts

          Five Spice Mixed Nuts

          Five Spiced Mixed Nuts in a small bowl on a gold tray with white napkins and glasses of champagne.

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          Do you have a New Year’s Eve gathering and need tasty nibbles to pass along with your bubbly? Five Spice Mixed Nuts are very snackable and rather addictive with a hint of spice and sugar. They’re the party favour that you just can’t stop grabbing at. You’ll find a pleasant mixture of Chinese five-spice, maple syrup and brown sugar. The nuts are coated just enough for a light sugary chew with a lingering spice that you can’t quite put your finger on. The added dried cherries lend a little extra sweetness and soft texture to balance the crunchy nuts.

          Five Spice Mixed Nuts is a simple recipe to toss together and will keep in an airtight container for a couple of weeks. They’re perfect to make ahead for any social gathering. Enjoy your holidays and Happy New Year to you and your family. I wish you a wonderful year ahead!

          Five Spice Mixed Nuts
          Print Recipe
            Servings Prep Time
            5 cups 10 minutes
            Cook Time Passive Time
            60 minutes 1+ hours
            Servings Prep Time
            5 cups 10 minutes
            Cook Time Passive Time
            60 minutes 1+ hours
            Five Spice Mixed Nuts
            Print Recipe
              Servings Prep Time
              5 cups 10 minutes
              Cook Time Passive Time
              60 minutes 1+ hours
              Servings Prep Time
              5 cups 10 minutes
              Cook Time Passive Time
              60 minutes 1+ hours
              Ingredients
              Servings: cups
              Instructions
              1. Preheat oven to 225°F. Spray a large baking tray with non-stick spray.
              2. In a large bowl toss together nuts.
              3. In a medium bowl whisk together maple syrup, brown sugar, egg white, water, Chinese five spice and sea salt. Pour over nuts and stir to coat evenly.
              4. Spread nuts evenly on a large baking tray. Bake for 60 minutes, turning every 15 minutes. If using dried cherries stir them in halfway through baking time.
              5. Remove from oven and loosen from the baking tray. Allow nuts to cool completely before breaking apart. Will keep in an airtight container for up to two weeks.

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              I may receive compensation for purchases made through this site, at no cost to the purchaser. Compelled to Cook is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com
              Molasses Crinkle Cookies

              Molasses Crinkle Cookies

              A stack of Molasses Crinkle Cookies that sit in front of a silver box filled with cookies and decorated with white ribbon and acorns.

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              Molasses Crinkle Cookies are one of my holiday favourites. They’re perfectly chewy, lightly spiced with ginger, dusted with sugar and absolutely delicious. I tend to be an all or nothing kind of person when it comes to holiday baking. Some years I can’t wait to start and will typically make numerous types of cookies and squares. You know, gotta have a chocolate square, a raspberry coconut square, butterscotch squares, shortbread, etc etc. This year I’m opting to only make one type of square and one cookie. I know, I know, people will wonder what’s wrong with me. The truth of the matter is time or should I say the lack of it. As a food blogger with a full-time job, I struggle at times to get a post out weekly. I’m not complaining, because I love doing it, but I realize that I have to make priorities. This includes making time for myself personally and the people in my world. But as a food blogger, I cannot bring myself not to make any treats for giving and sharing. So the compromise is moderation, and you won’t be disappointed with my choice of cookie for the season.

              Cookie dough balls arranged on a baking tray and on a small plate of sugar for rolling in preparation for Molasses Crinkle Cookies.

              Tips for amazing Molasses Crinkle Cookies:

              -Chill the dough for at least 3 hours. The cookies spread while baking and the chilled dough keeps the process consistent during baking and prevents the cookie from overspreading. The result is a perfectly chewy cookie that’s not too thick.

              -Weigh or measure each cookie for uniform cookies and even baking.

              -Bake one tray at a time in the center of the oven. It takes more time, but worth it.

              -If the dough balls soften while rolling them, give them a ten-minute chill just before baking.

              -Generously coat in sugar when rolling into balls. This not only prevents the dough from sticking to your hands but gives the cookies a holiday look, especially if you use coarse sugar.

              – The cookies will spread on their own without flattening.

              -Don’t over-bake!! Can’t stress this enough. They only take 9-10 minutes.

              Molasses Crinkle Cookies stacked five high and tied with a white ribbon and decorated with an acorn.

              Author:  Compelled to Cook, adapted from Fine Cooking Magazine winter 2003 Molasses Crinkles.

              Molasses Crinkle Cookies stacked five high and tied with a white ribbon and decorated with an acorn.
              Molasses Crinkle Cookies
              Print Recipe
                Servings Prep Time
                38-40 cookies 40 minutes
                Cook Time Passive Time
                9-10 minutes 3+ hours
                Servings Prep Time
                38-40 cookies 40 minutes
                Cook Time Passive Time
                9-10 minutes 3+ hours
                Molasses Crinkle Cookies stacked five high and tied with a white ribbon and decorated with an acorn.
                Molasses Crinkle Cookies
                Print Recipe
                  Servings Prep Time
                  38-40 cookies 40 minutes
                  Cook Time Passive Time
                  9-10 minutes 3+ hours
                  Servings Prep Time
                  38-40 cookies 40 minutes
                  Cook Time Passive Time
                  9-10 minutes 3+ hours
                  Ingredients
                  Servings: cookies
                  Instructions
                  1. In a medium bowl whisk together flour, baking soda, spices and salt. Set aside.
                  2. Using an electric mixer or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment cream butter and brown sugar until light.
                  3. Add oil and molasses and beat until combined. Add egg and beat until fully incorporated.
                  4. Mix in flour until well combined.
                  5. Flatten dough into a round disk and chill for a minimum of three hours or overnight.
                  6. Preheat oven to 375°F and line baking trays with parchment.
                  7. Divide dough into equal portions using a tablespoon or weigh (I used 20g each). The dough balls should be an approximate inch in diameter.
                  8. Roll each ball in sugar to coat completely. If the dough has warmed while you were rolling, rechill rolled dough for about 10 minutes to firm up again (this prevents the cookies from overspreading). Arrange prepared dough on baking trays placing at least 2" apart. There's no need to flatten cookies. Sprinkle the tops with additional sugar.
                  9. Bake cookies on the middle rack for 9-10 minutes only. Remove from oven and allow to cool on pan for 5 minutes before moving to a cooling rack.
                  Recipe Notes

                  -Start these cookies several hours ahead as they need time to chill.

                  -Using coarse sugar makes for a pretty holiday cookie.  It will take a little more coarse sugar than granulated sugar for rolling.

                  -I find the dough warms up too much while rolling into balls, especially if taking the time to weigh each one. Therefore, I suggest that you rechill the rolled balls for about 10 minutes to prevent too much spread. You can do this before rolling in sugar, after rolling in sugar, or once they are prepped on the baking tray (this is great if you can fit the tray in your fridge)

                  -At 20 grams each, I get 38-2 3/4" cookies.

                  -Do not overcrowd the cookies on the cookie sheet and do not overbake. These cookies are wonderfully chewy at the 9-minute mark.

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                  I may receive compensation for purchases made through this site, at no cost to the purchaser. Compelled to Cook is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com
                  Whole Wheat Peach Streusel Muffins

                  Whole Wheat Peach Streusel Muffins

                  Whole Wheat Peach Streusel Muffins stacked on a metal stand with a split muffin on a plate in the foreground.

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                  These naughty but nice Whole Wheat Peach Streusel Muffins are perfect for back to school.  They have minimal added sugar, are made with whole wheat flour and pureed peaches for a healthy-ish muffin.  The streusel topping and juicy peach chunks keep it being the muffin you want to eat or send in your child’s lunch, without the guilt. 

                  Muffins are not only a great item to add to breakfast or brunch, but also great as a snack.  They come together easily, freeze well and are a must to have on hand whether you pack lunches or not.

                  Fresh peaches stacked on a metal tray in preparation for Whole Wheat Peach Streusel Muffins.

                  Tips for great muffins:

                  *DO NOT OVERMIX!  I really can’t stress this enough.  Once the flour is added to the wet ingredients in any quick bread recipe, the batter only needs to be mixed enough to incorporate the ingredients.  Any more mixing than that will start to develop the gluten in the flour.  The result will be tough muffins or loaves.

                  *Divide batter evenly into the muffin tins to ensure the muffins bake uniformly and evenly.

                  *Don’t overbake!  Bake just long enough that they spring back when lightly touched or a toothpick inserted comes out clean.  Overbaked muffins will be dry and dense.

                  * Bake muffins on the middle oven rack for even baking without scorched bottoms or tops that are too dark.

                  *Use muffins liners or a well-greased muffin tin to prevent the muffins from sticking.  Nobody wants to fight with trying to unstick a dozen muffins only to have bits of muffin stuck to the pan anyway.  It’s just a waste of perfectly good muffin bits.

                  *Allow the muffins to cool for at least 5-10 minutes before trying to remove from the pan.  This will prevent any “squishing” mishaps that are likely to happen when trying to pull them out while they are hot and soft.

                  Now is the time that fresh peaches are abundant, so enjoying these delicious Whole Wheat Peach Streusel Muffins is a must.

                  Peach Streusel Muffins
                  Whole Wheat Peach Streusel Muffins
                  Print Recipe
                    Servings Prep Time
                    12 muffins 30 minutes
                    Cook Time
                    18-22 minutes
                    Servings Prep Time
                    12 muffins 30 minutes
                    Cook Time
                    18-22 minutes
                    Peach Streusel Muffins
                    Whole Wheat Peach Streusel Muffins
                    Print Recipe
                      Servings Prep Time
                      12 muffins 30 minutes
                      Cook Time
                      18-22 minutes
                      Servings Prep Time
                      12 muffins 30 minutes
                      Cook Time
                      18-22 minutes
                      Ingredients
                      Streusel Topping
                      Muffins
                      Servings: muffins
                      Instructions
                      Streusel Topping
                      1. Combine all ingredients in a food processor and pulse until combined and crumbly. Set aside.
                      Muffins
                      1. Set oven rack to the centre and preheat oven to 350°F. Grease or line a 12 cup muffin tin.
                      2. Peel peaches and remove stone. Chop two of the peaches into 1/2" chunks and set aside. Puree the remaining two peaches using a blender or food processor until smooth. Set aside.
                      3. In a small bowl whisk together flours, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt. Set aside.
                      4. In a large bowl whisk together oil and sugar. Add eggs, one at a time, whisking after each until incorporated.
                      5. Stir in sour cream, pureed peaches and vanilla. Whisk in dry ingredients until just combined (do not overmix). Fold in chopped peaches.
                      6. Divide batter evenly into prepared muffin tin. Sprinkle each muffin with a generous tbsp of streusel topping.
                      7. Bake for 18-22 minutes or a toothpick inserted in the centre comes out clean.
                      8. Allow to cool at least 5-10 minutes prior to removing from muffin tin. Remove to a cooling rack to cool completely or eat while warm.

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                      I may receive compensation for purchases made through this site, at no cost to the purchaser. Compelled to Cook is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com