These healthy granola bars get their sweet chewy goodness from dates, pistachio, apricot and almonds. Additionally, these delicious sweet treats are dairy and gluten free.
Chewy, nutty, sweet and wholesome!
When you are hungry or craving something sweet, reach for one of these delicious snack bars. No time for breakfast? Simply grab one of these delicious bars and a piece of fruit. And because they are packed with nuts and dried fruit, these bars offer plenty of delicious sustenance. Furthermore, these chewy bars are perfect for on the go nutrition. Consider these healthy snack bars for sports practice, road trips or a quick pick me up. My husband loves to take a batch of these on fishing trips to share with his buddies. If you are making these for manly men or hungry teenagers, consider doubling the recipe and making a thicker heftier bar.
During the holidays consider these pretty bars as an alternative to giving cookies. The contrast of colors from the green pistachio and peachy apricot make these chewy granola bars colorful and festive. By cutting the bars into smaller pieces, they will also make nice cookie bites for your holiday cookie exchange.
The Nuts
For this recipe, I chose pistachios with their beautiful green color and flavor. Consider looking for pistachios at warehouse stores like Costco. They are much more cost effective. Additionally, pistachios pair perfectly pairing with dried apricots. If you are not a fan of pistachios, they can be exchanged with almonds for the same caloric and point exchange.
The Dried Fruits
The apricots are delicious in this bar and they are quite pretty against the green pistachios. But dried cherries and goji berries work nicely as well. Cranberries can be replaced for the apricots as well, but the caloric and WW point exchange will be higher as they have added sugar. When looking for a replacement dried fruit, it is important to make sure that there is no added sugar.
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The dates are used for their natural sugar. However their sticky texture also serves as a binder that helps to keep the granola mixture together. Therefore, replacing the dates will affect the texture of the finished bar as the bar will become dry and crumbly.
For a slightly different flavor profile, consider trying my recipe for Chewy Almond Fig Granola Bars.
A Few Simple Techniques
Because this mixture is sticky, it can be difficult to work with. Therefore, I’ve included a few techniques that I have found simplify making these bars.
Mixing and Preparing Pan
- Use a mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, as this mixture is sticky and difficult to hand mix.
- Line baking pan with two sheets of parchment paper crossing over each other. This step will aide in forming the granola mixture as well as making for easy removal from pan when baking is complete.
- Transfer granola mixture into prepared baking pan.
1. Mix with Paddle Attachment 
2. Line pan with parchment sheets. 
3. Transfer granola mixture to pan.
Forming into Pan
- Press the granola mixture into pan. Use a silicone spatula to help spread and flatten. As this mixture is stiff and sticky, it will be difficult to spread into corners.
- Carefully lift uncooked bars from pan using parchment end to lift. Set on a flat surface for next step.
- Fold the parchment flaps in over the uncooked granola mixture. All edges will be folded in towards the middle of the pan creating a protective envelope. In this way, the parchment will be used to cover the sticky granola texture, keeping it from sticking to the rolling pin.
- Use a rolling pin or jar to gently flatten out granola mixture. By gently rolling back and forth, it will be easier to spread the mixture into the corners and create a level, even layer.
- Dampen fingertips with water and gently push and square off the sides, while spreading any excess mixture back towards the center of pan.
- Fold parchment flaps back in towards the center.
- Place granola mixture back into pan.
- Place into preheated oven and bake until golden. Let cool for 5 minutes. Using parchment flaps, lift cooked bars from pan and place on a rack to cool completely.
- Cut into bars and serve.
1. Using spatula flatten and spread. 
2. Using parchment, lift from pan 
3. Fold flaps over mixture. 
4. Spread mixture evenly
with rolling pin.
5. Square off sides 
6. Fold parchment sides back over. 
7. Place back into pan. 
8. Place into preheated oven and bake. 
9 Cut into bars and enjoy!
This recipes makes an 8 x 8 inch pan.
Cut into 16 equal bars. Each bar is 4 WW Smart Points.
Cut into 15 equal bars. Each bar is 5 WW Smart Points.
Buon Appetito!
PrintPistachio-Apricot Granola Bars
Chewy granola bars with Apricot, Pistachio, Dates, Almonds and Oats perfect for snacks, road trips and pretty enough for a holiday cookie exchange.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 16 bars 1x
- Category: Snacks/Dessert
- Method: Bake
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
- 1/2 Cup Almonds
- 1 cup Pistachios
- 1/2 cup Oatmeal, Old Fashioned
- 44 grams Dates, chopped
- 44 grams Dried Apricots, chopped
- 1/4 cup Honey
- 2 Tablespoons Almond Butter
- 1 Tablespoon Almond Flour
- 3/4 teaspoon Salt
- 1 1/2 Tablespoons Water
Instructions
To Prepare the Bars:
- 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. Spray parchment paper with Bak-Kleene.
- Chop the almonds in a food processor, using 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, transferring chopped pistachios to mixing bowl.
- Repeat process again with both the apricots 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 the Bars:
- 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 baking rack to continue to cool.
- Once completely cool, cut bars into 16 equal pieces. I do this by cutting one side into four equal strips. Then turn the square and cut the bars into four equal strips again. ***However, if you prefer a slightly larger granola bar cut square into 15 equal pieces. I do this by cutting one side into four equal strips. Then turn the square and cut bars every 1 1/2 inches.
- Store bars in an air tight container, using the cut pieces of baking parchment to separate the layers. This will keep them from sticking to themselves.
