Almond-Apricot Granola Bars

By Mark Bittman

Updated Dec. 7, 2022

Almond-Apricot Granola Bars
Evan Sung for The New York Times
Total Time
1½ hours
Rating
5(245)
Comments
Read comments

Many granola bars are assumed to be healthy, but aren’t. These are. A combination of granola, almonds, apricots and crisp brown rice, the recipe is wide open to interpretation as long as you keep the ratio of glue (the almond butter and honey mixture) to granola and mix-ins about the same. Mix everything together, press it into an oiled dish lined with plastic wrap, and throw it all in the fridge for an hour. These bars are more chewy than crunchy, and will fit well into a child’s lunch bag or a grown-up’s breakfast plate.

Featured in: Granola Bars, Unwrapped

  • or to save this recipe.

  • Subscriber benefit: Give recipes to anyone

    As a subscriber, you have 10 gift recipes to give each month. Anyone can view them - even nonsubscribers. Learn more.

    Subscribe

  • Share this recipe

  • Print this recipe

Advertisement

Ingredients

Yield:about 16 to 20 granola bars
  • ½cup almond butter or other nut butter
  • ½cup honey
  • 1cup crispy brown rice cereal
  • 1cup granola
  • ½cup almonds, chopped
  • ½cup dried apricots, chopped
  • ¼teaspoon salt
  • Vegetable oil for greasing
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (18 servings)

146 calories; 9 grams fat; 4 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 4 grams monounsaturated fat; 1 gram polyunsaturated fat; 15 grams carbohydrates; 1 gram dietary fiber; 11 grams sugars; 2 grams protein; 36 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

Powered by

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Put almond butter and honey in a small saucepan over medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes or until they melt together; whisk to combine.

  2. Step 2

    Put the crispy cereal, granola, almonds, apricots and salt in a bowl and add the mixture of almond butter and honey; stir well to combine.

  3. Step 3

    Grease a 7- or 8-inch-square baking dish with a little oil and line it with plastic wrap. Spread the granola mixture evenly into the dish, pressing down gently, and cover with more plastic wrap; refrigerate until set, at least one hour. Once set, remove by lifting the edges of the plastic wrap out of the dish; peel off the plastic and cut the bars to any size you like.

Private Notes

Leave a Private Comment on this recipe and see it here.

Ratings

5 out of 5
245 user ratings
Your rating

or to rate this recipe.

Have you cooked this?

or to mark this recipe as cooked.

Comments

Chantelle

Why oil the pan and then put plastic wrap on top?

rhosa

Made these and put them into 20 silicone mini-muffin molds. Call them “Bittman balls.” Will add more fiber and protein next time. Bittman Balls are a keeper.

Lisa

add dried cranberries and sunflower seeds

swap out honey for maple syrup

Fun Police

Delicious! But don't be fooled by the description -- these bars are by no means healthy. Assuming we cut this into ~18 bars as recommended, that comes out to ~12g sugar per bar. The daily recommended sugar intake for is 25g for women. I'm still going to eat more than two of these bars per day, but will probably cut the fruit and honey in half next time.

rhosa

Made these and put them into 20 silicone mini-muffin molds. Call them “Bittman balls.” Will add more fiber and protein next time. Bittman Balls are a keeper.

M.Pook

I agree with Katherine; leaving the bars in the fridge overnight is key. They hold together quite nicely after that.

Private comments are only visible to you.

Recipe Tags

or to save this recipe.