Almond Fig Granola Bars are the perfect chewy pick-me-up loaded with nuts, oatmeal, honey, figs and dates. Furthermore, they are simple to make with a few short steps.
The perfect snack for a busy day.
The whole family will enjoy these chewy granola bars loaded with fig, dates and almond. Pack them in lunches, take them to soccer practice. Bake them for the tailgate party or pack them for a long road trip. My husband loves them as an afternoon snack when he is busy working on the boat. And they are the perfect breakfast bar for my daughter when she has an early shift at work. I cannot keep them in the house.
Fear of Figs
If you are not a big fan of dried figs, fear not. You can substitute any dried fruit like apricots, dried mulberries, goji berries, dried cherries or blueberries. The key is to make sure the fruit is dried and not dehydrated or freeze dried. The caloric exchange would be the same, as well as the point value as long as the fruit you choose has no added sugar. Or perhaps, you would like to try my recipe for Pistachio-Apricot Granola Bars.
This recipe will make a 8 X 8 inch square pan.
Bars cut into 16 equal portions (2 inches long by 2 inches wide) are 4 WW Smart Points each or 110 Calories.
Bars cut equally into 15 equal portions are 5 WW Smart Points each or 117 Calories Each. Cut bars by making three equal cuts across one side (every 2.6 inches) and 5 cuts across the other side (every 1.6 inches).
Buon Appetito!
After trying a number of different brands of dried fruit, I found this brand made by Wild and Raw. They make a variety of dried fruits without additives or added sugar. I am particularly fond of their dried apricots as they are moist and flavorful.
PrintChewy Almond Fig Granola Bars
Almond Fig Granola Bars are chewy and nutty in texture. These healthy snack bars get their natural sweetness from dried figs, dates and honey.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 16 bars 1x
- Category: Snack
- Method: Baked
- Cuisine: Healthy
Ingredients
- 100 grams (1 cup) Sliced Almonds
- 2 ounces (1/2 Cup) Pistachios, chopped
- 40 grams (1/2 Cup) Oatmeal, Old Fashioned
- 7 Dried figs (1/2 cup chopped) Dried Figs, minced
- 27 grams Dates, (about 4), minced
- 1/4 cup Honey
- 2 Tablespoons Almond Butter
- 1 Tablespoon Oat Flour
- 3/4 teaspoon Salt
- 1 1/2 Tablespoons Water
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F. If your oven runs hot turn the heat down to 275 degrees. It is better for these bars to cook a little more slowly, as it will help to keep them from becoming too crumbly.
- Line a square 8-inch pan with two strips of parchment paper. Cut your pieces of parchment at least 8-10 inches longer than the width of the pan. The excess paper will serve as handles to lift the bars from the pan, as well as aid in the compression of the dough into the pan.
To Make Dough:
- Chop the almonds in a food processor, using the pulse action until nuts are about the size of split peas. Remove from the processor bowl and put into large mixing bowl fitted with a paddle attachment. Repeat with pistachios and transfer the chopped pistachios to mixing bowl.
- Repeat this process again with both the figs and dates, processing both until the dried fruits are minced. Transfer to bowl with the nuts.
- Add the oatmeal, honey, almond butter, oat flour, water and salt.
- Using the paddle attachment of your mixer, combine all the ingredients together. This mixture is very thick and dense, and is almost impossible to mix by hand.
- Gently press the mixture into an 8-inch square pan that has been lined with parchment paper. If necessary, sometimes I remove the dough sandwiched between the parchment and use my rolling pin to help spread it out. Then I replace it back into the pan to be baked.
To Bake:
- Place the baking pan in the center of your oven and bake for 25-30 minutes. The dough should be slightly golden. Remove from oven and let cool on a rack for 10 minutes.
- Gently lift the cooked square from the pan. This can be done easily by using the edges of parchment paper to lift it from the pan. Set onto a baking rack and continue to cool.
- Once completely cool, cut the bars into 16 equal pieces. I do this by cutting one side into four equal strips of two inches each. Then turn the square and repeat. If you prefer to make a larger bar, cut into 15 equal portions.
- Store in an air tight container, reusing the cut pieces of baking parchment to separate the layers. This will keep the bars from sticking to themselves.
Notes
Weight Watchers and Waist Watchers
- Recipe makes 16 bars and each bar is 4 WW Smart Points.
- Recipe cut into 15 bars are 5 WW Smart Points Each.
