These fruity chewy granola bars are sweetened only with fruit, packed with fiber and easy to make. They make a great snack or grab and go breakfast.
This post may contain affiliate links, where we earn from qualifying purchases. See more details in the policy page.
We have a fairly funny, but probably typical, eating situation in our house these days. My one year old wants to eat pretty much everything, though he's getting a little pickier. Meanwhile my four year old is more limited in his tastes, questions everything, but sometimes surprises you with the things he does eat. Sometimes I need to get a little creative to sneak some goodness into my eldest.
Recently these fruity chewy granola did the job perfectly as an after school snack. Sweetened only with fruit, packed with fiber, and easy to make, they're a great snack for anyone. My son for one instantly loved them.
I've been meaning to make granola bars, or something similar, for ages and have tried the odd recipe from other people. However invariably, I find them too sweet. I also find myself tempted to throw a little bit of everything in to them which I'm not sure really works.
Well, maybe sometimes but I wanted to go for something a little simpler here. There are a number of different fruits in these chewy granola bars, so you get some different flavors coming through, but that's it other than oats.
A feast of fiber
These fruity chewy granola bars have figs, prunes and apple in them, all great sources of fiber (along with oats). They also have dates for a little extra sweetness and 'glue'. True, they are still a bit crumbly so I think I'll add a few more dates or some chia seeds next time to see if they're a little less so, I just didn't manage before today. Flavor-wise, though, these are delicious and as I said my son has been devouring them.
How they're made
They're really easy to make as all you do is blend together the applesauce and dates, then mix in everything else. Press the mixture into a lined baking dish then bake until it firms up. That's it! Leave it to cool before cutting into pieces. Here's a short video showing quite how easy they are:
These fruity chewy granola bars are packed full of goodness and they're easy to make. They make a great grab and go breakfast or after school snack. Or after dinner, as my son did yesterday after spotting them. Whenever you enjoy them, you can feel good about eating something both tasty and good for you. The best combination.
Try these other healthier treats:
- Apple oatmeal cookies
- Healthy carrot and banana bread
- Sweet potato brownies
- No bake chocolate cashew bars
- Cranberry apricot cookies
- Plus get more snack recipes, both sweet and savory, in the archives.
Fruity chewy granola bars
Ingredients
- ¼ cup Medjool dates 50g, stones removed and slightly broken up
- ¾ cup applesauce 165g
- 2 cups old fashioned oats 185g, rolled oats
- ¼ cup chopped dried figs 35g
- ¼ cup chopped prunes 40g
- ¼ cup dried cranberries 32g
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325F/160C. Line a baking dish with parchment paper, at least bottom and up longer sides. I used a dish approx 7x5in (18x13cm) so I'd suggest a similar volume is best.
- Blend together the dates and applesauce. Add everything else and mix well.
- Pour the mixture into prepared baking dish and press down well into the dish. Flatten the top then bake for 20-25min until firm on top and starting to brown slightly.
- Allow to cool then use the parchment to help you remove from the baking dish. Cut into pieces.
Nutrition
See some of my favorite cooking tools and ingredients in the Caroline's Cooking Amazon store.
See all the heart healthy fiber-rich recipes being shared today:
- 5-Way Cincinnati Chili Spaghetti Squash Boats from Palatable Pastime
- Apple Oatmeal Breakfast Bake from Cookaholic Wife
- Baked Oatmeal from A Day in the Life on the Farm
- Black-eyed Pea Salad - Saladu Ñebbe from Food Lust People Love
- Cranberry Nut Muffins from Hardly A Goddess
- Heart Beet Smoothie from Sew You Think You Can Cook
- Moroccan Sweet Potato and Lentil Stew from Culinary Adventures with Camilla
Remember to pin for later!
Lauren @ Sew You Think You Can Cook
Your household sounds exactly like mine! My 15mo old has become less adventurous and I'm kidding myself to believe it's due to teething and has nothing to do with becoming picky just like his older 2.5yr old brother... I bet they'd both like these granola bars though!
Caroline's Cooking
Thanks Lauren, they definitely do become more challenging for a while - can't wait for them to grow out of it! But at least we can appreciate the things they do enjoy that are good for them in the meantime!
Kathleen
I alway love making up healthy recipes my kids and grandkids will love. My husband too, but he might be the hardest. Try ground flaxseed as a binding agent too. It's also packed with fiber and has almost no taste. These look great. Love your video too.
Caroline's Cooking
Thanks Kathleen, I did think about adding flaxseed as well, I just wasn't sure my son would go for the texture but will add it to my experimenting list 🙂
Barrie
These look great! I love healthy snacks like this that are easy to make too- sometimes if my bars like this come out too dry I add inexpensive raisins, or if I have dates, I use those.
Caroline's Cooking
Thanks Barrie - yes dates and raisins are great to add too.
Nichole
So much better than the store-bought variety!
Caroline's Cooking
Thanks Nichole, I very much agree!
Camilla @ Culinary Adventures
I definitely need to make a batch of these. I've gotten lazy this school year, but these are much better in lunches than those store-bought ones. Thanks for the nudge, Caroline.
Caroline's Cooking
Thanks Camilla, I always intend to make them, but even though they are easy it doesn't happen enough. I should more, though, especially when they are so much healthier as these ones are.
Wendy
So much better than those store bought granola bars held together with corn syrup. Thanks for sharing.
Caroline's Cooking
Absolutely! Thanks Wendy.