Apple and Cinnamon Granola Bars

Apple and cinnamon granola bars are a classic snack that's easy to make at home. They're packed with oats, nuts, seeds, and dried fruit, and they're sweetened with honey and maple syrup. These bars are a great way to start your day or to enjoy as a midday snack.

The history of granola bars is a long and winding one. It all started in the late 1800s, when a group of Seventh-day Adventists in Battle Creek, Michigan, began experimenting with new ways to cook oats. They wanted to create a food that was healthy, filling, and easy to digest. After much trial and error, they came up with a recipe for granola, a mixture of oats, nuts, seeds, and dried fruit. Granola quickly became a popular breakfast food among Adventists, and it eventually spread to other parts of the country. In the early 1900s, granola bars were invented as a way to make granola more portable. Granola bars quickly became a popular snack food, and they're now enjoyed by people of all ages.

Prep time: 10 | Cook time: 25 | Serves: 12

Ingredients

• 1 cup old-fashioned oats
• 1/2 cup chopped nuts
• 1/4 cup chopped seeds
• 1/4 cup dried fruit
• 1/4 cup honey
• 1/4 cup maple syrup
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. Line a 9x13 inch baking pan with parchment paper.
3. In a large bowl, combine oats, nuts, seeds, dried fruit, honey, maple syrup, vanilla extract, and cinnamon.
4. Press mixture into prepared pan.
5. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until golden brown.
6. Let cool completely before cutting into bars.

Why It Works

• The combination of oats, nuts, seeds, and dried fruit provides a good balance of carbohydrates, protein, and healthy fats.
• The honey and maple syrup add sweetness and help to bind the bars together.
• The cinnamon adds a warm, spicy flavor to the bars.