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Cranberry Nut Granola Bars

This is one fast and totally addicting recipe. It's easy to adjust to your tastes or what's in your cupboard - try adding chocolate chips, coconut, raisins, cherries or a spoonful of peanut butter. You'll be making this every week.
Print Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Servings 24 people

Equipment

  • 1 13x9 inch Baking Pan
  • 1 Large Mixing Bowl
  • 1 Parchment Paper
  • 1 Sturdy Spatula or Spoon For mixing and pressing the mixture
  • 1 Sharp Knife For cutting the cooled bars

Ingredients
  

Main

  • 2 cups quick-cooking oats
  • 1 cup old-fashioned oats
  • ½ cup hulled pumpkin seeds
  • ½ cup slivered almonds
  • 1 cup mixed nuts
  • 1 cup dried cranberries
  • 1 14 ounce can sweetened condensed milk

Instructions
 

  • Preheat an oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line a 13x9-inch pan with lightly-greased parchment paper; an inch or so of parchment paper should stick up on 2 sides to form lifting handles.
  • Mix the quick-cooking oats, old-fashioned oats, pumpkin seeds, almonds, mixed nuts, cranberries, and sweetened condensed milk together in a bowl; spread into the prepared pan, evenly pressing into the corners and out to the sides.
  • Bake in the preheated oven until the edges are golden brown, 20-25 minutes, using slightly less time for chewier bars and slightly more time for crunchier bars.
  • Allow the the bars cool for 5 minutes in the pan before using the parchment paper to lift them from the pan. Use a sharp knife to cut into bars. Let the bars cool completely and store in an airtight container.

Notes

Toasting the nuts and seeds lightly before mixing can significantly deepen their flavor profile and add an extra layer of complexity to the bars. Ensure you press the mixture very firmly into the pan to prevent crumbling once cut; this creates a cohesive bar. For a slightly chewier bar, bake closer to 20 minutes; for a crispier texture, extend to 25 minutes or until well golden. A pinch of sea salt in the mixture will help balance the sweetness from the condensed milk. Allow the bars to cool completely before cutting to achieve clean, defined edges and prevent them from falling apart. Consider adding a touch of vanilla extract to the condensed milk for an aromatic lift.