I munch on these as a sweet-treat fix, yet theyre healthy enough for breakfast because theyre sugar-free.
In pursuit of crunchy muesli bars
Chewy muesli barsare so easy to make.
They dont even need to be baked!
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Crunchy muesli bars, however, were irritatingly difficult to crack.
At least, without using sugar.
had a frightening amount of sugar in them for something marketed as healthy.
Muesli bars being one such thing!
Sometimes a few hours, or the day at best.
The next day they are chewy/sticky/sweaty.
Lots of iterations of the above were tried in pursuit of this final recipe!
I hope you love and munch on these crunchy muesli bars for many years to come.
Ingredients in crunchy muesli bars
Excellent recipe to cater to nut allergies!
Express pass:Just use 2 3/4 cups of your favourite muesli mix!
(Also, pure peanut butter is healthier no palm oil, no sugar etc).
I use smooth but crunchy is fine too.
Non-peanut alternatives Hazelnut, almond and cashew butter work great!
While tahini would be an option I think the sesame flavour would dominate a little too much.
Honey The sweetener for the glue and also what makes the muesli bar crunchy once baked.
Maple syrup also works but they are not quite as crunchy and dont hold together quite as well.
But a good alternative.
Rolled oats Just plain rolled oats, like we use for recipes likeoatmeal cookiesandAnzac biscuits.
Not quick oats, not a ready-made porridge mix, not steel cut oats.
Almonds I like chunky bits of almonds in my muesli bars.
Sultanas My nostalgic dried fruit of choice, though you could absolutely substitute with anything you want.
Other spices I like to dabble with include: all spice, mixed spice and ginger.
Salt Dont skip this!
Just a touch makes a difference.
It does not make it salty.
Mini ones are about 5mm / 0.2 wide.
So dont fret if you cant find them, just use regular ones.
Alternative Chocolate drizzle across the top.
Do this after baking!
I just pop a small handful of chocolate chips or chocolate melts in a small ziplock bag.
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Microwave until melted, snip the corner off then drizzle across the muesli bars.
How to make crunchy muesli bars
The order of the steps matter for long-lasting crunchiness!!!
And cutting the muesli bars before baking to lock in crunchiness is key.
Toastthe oats and nuts in the oven for just 10 minutes.
The mixture is thinner when its warm which makes it easier to mix through.
Pour over the warm glue then mix until thoroughly combined.
It might seem like theres not enough glue, but there is!
Persist, use a cutting motion if needed.
Then press the mixture evenly into the pan.
Hands is easiest, I find.
Choc chips post press!
But if you are in pursuit of crunchy, plough on!
Bakefor 25 minutes in a moderate oven (160C/325F (140C fan-forced) until they are quite golden.
Check at 22 minutes to be cautious.
You will be able to feel that the muesli bars are crunchy but touching them.
Storing crunchy muesli bars
Once fully cool, store them in an airtight container to preserve crunch.
In normal weather, they will stay crunchy for up to 5 days just keeping them in the pantry.
This also means you’re able to pop them in a lunchbox and theyll stay crunchy!
), store the muesli barsin the fridge.This keeps them crunchy for well over a fortnight.
Im up to three weeks and they are still fine!
(I like to think his first favourite is wherever I am!)
