Coconut Chocolate Granola Bars

Try these granola bars for a sweet and filling snack that has a chewy texture and is full of flavor.

Ohhhh man, I’ve forgotten how good these granola bars are. I first shared this recipe four years ago, but I wanted to update the pictures to do the bars more justice.

Although I think the flavor combo of these Coconut Chocolate Granola Bars is to die for, it’s the texture that I find so addicting. They’re so perfectly chewy with some crunch from the dark chocolate chips hiding inside.

I used to just make these granola bars by mixing the ingredients, forming the base for the bars, and then chilling it for a few hours to help it set up. But this past time, I discovered a life-changing step: baking them.

The only issue I’ve had with these bars is they’re a bit sticky and can get messy. So on a whim, I decided to throw them in the oven for a little while to see if that would help improve the structure. And yes, I’m happy to report it somehow made these granola bars even better!

I usually turn this recipe into 8 granola bars, but if you want it to go farther, it works well to split that in half again, so you have 16 small granola bar squares. I ended up doing that this past time, except then I kept going back 5 minutes later to eat the other half of the bar I had split in half. Because, like I said, these can get addicting.

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Coconut Chocolate Granola Bars

Servings 8 bars

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups rolled oats
• 1/2 cup dark chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
• 2/3 cup chopped almonds
• 1/8 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup creamy almond butter
• 1/2 cup pure honey
• 1 Tbs pure maple syrup
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and prepare an 8×8 baking dish by lining it with parchment paper. Set aside.
• Combine the oats, chocolate, coconut, almonds, and salt in a large bowl. In a separate bowl, mix the almond butter, honey, syrup, and vanilla.
• Pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients, and mix it using a hand mixer to thoroughly incorporate everything.
• Pour all ingredients into the prepared baking dish, and using wet hands or a spatula, press down on the mixture to spread it out and make it level.
• Bake for about 20 minutes, or until the sides begin to turn golden brown.
• Remove from the oven and let cool completely. Refrigerate for about an hour to help the chocolate solidify and the bars to set up.
• Cut into 8 granola bars by slicing 3 evenly spaced vertical lines and 1 horizontal line down the middle.
• Store in the fridge to help the bars last longer.

This recipe works well for a filling snack, and it does double duty as a way to satisfy your sweet tooth in the process! Enjoy. 🙂

The original version of this post was published on April 6, 2015.