These jam-packed near relatives of the flapjack are my antidote to the devil's work - those big-brand 'energy' bars that fester among the chocolate on every motorway service-station counter masquerading as a late breakfast.
Rate this recipe:- 15-20 minutes
- 30 minutes
- 16
- * 125g unsalted butter
- * 150g soft brown sugar or light muscovado sugar
- * 125g no-sugar-added crunchy peanut butter
- * 75g honey, plus a little more to finish
- * Finely grated zest of 1 orange
- * Finely grated zest of 1 lemon
- * 200g porridge oats (not jumbo)
- * 150g dried fruit, such as raisins, sultanas and chopped apricots, prunes or dates, either singly or in combination
- * 150g mixed seeds, such as pumpkin, sunflower, poppy, linseed and sesame
1. Grease and line a baking tin, about 20cm square. Put the butter, sugar, peanut butter, honey and grated citrus zests in a deep saucepan over a very low heat. Leave until melted, stirring from time to time.
2. Stir the oats, dried fruit and three-quarters of the seeds into the melted butter mixture until thoroughly combined. Spread the mixture out evenly in the baking tin, smoothing the top as you go.
3. Scatter the remaining seeds over the surface and trickle with a little more honey. Place in an oven preheated to 160°C/Gas Mark 3 and bake for about 30 minutes, until golden in the centre and golden brown at the edges.
4. Leave to cool completely in the tin (be patient - it cuts much better when cold), then turn out and cut into squares with a sharp knife. These bars will keep for 5-7 days in an airtight tin.
Variation: Banana Booster Bars:
Replace the peanut butter with 1 medium ripe banana (about 175g), mashed. Stir it in after all the other ingredients have been combined.
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I made these for my kids yesterday, they worked out perfectly, I added dried Blue Berries and Cranberries, I have had to hide them from the husband though. Thanks river cottage no more processed museli bars for my little monsters, they just love them.
I made these today gluten free and they are wonderful. Only put dates and raisins in for the dried fruit but they are delicious. My 10 year old loves them. This is a great recipe if wanting something gluten free and lactose free (used dairy free margarine).
Just about to make these with the kids. There gonna be good as I take the family out running most mornings. So a little boost to get my 9 year old motivated is in order. Cheers river cottage
Do you have Sunbutter (made from sunflower seeds) available to you? That is what we used, along with the mashed banana, although Tahini sounds delicious as well.
Any suggestions on what I could use to replace the peanut butter? Can't put any peanuts in our school lunches due to allergic children in the school - would tahini work? If any one has tried that or any other peanut butter replacement I'd be glad to know how it worked out.
These are great!
First batch I added apricots - yum. Although as Brandfarlig found they kind of turned out fairly soft and crumbled apart.
Second batch I baked for a bit longer (35 mins?) - now they hold together much better and have a brilliant crunch to them - so I'd recommend trying this if they are crumbling and that's not to your taste.
Made the banana version with double quantities of everything except for the citrus fruit zest, because I forgot it, and am very pleased. As it is the Lemony taste is still very strong, I wonder how it would have been if I'd lobbed in those extra ones? As it is they are great
Oh my days! I made the banana variation and, I have to say, the mix (before I added the banana) nearly didn't make it to the oven. Perfect for my munchkin's lunch box!
Am I the only one who's having problems with the texture? They fall apart, just like the nut, fruit and honey bars :(
I made these today and they are so lovely its all we can do not to eat them all. In fact they smelled so amazing from the start that its only testament to my impending holiday and associated diet that they even made it into the oven in the first place.
I ended up popping mine in the fridge for a little while to help them set harder, and to be honest when I cut them they were still pretty gooey and broke up a little, however we are not complaining as we convinced ourselves we should eat those bits and only put the intact ones in the fridge (!!).
I'll definitely be trying the banana version, and also planning to make a Christmas themed one with brandy, candied peel and glace cherries. Seriously yum.