Gluten-Free Cranberry Coconut Granola Bar

Oat-Free & Gluten-Free Granola Bars with Cranberry & Coconut – Naturally Sweet & Satisfying

These soft and chewy nut, fruit, and coconut bars make a delicious snack or after-dinner dessert. Or maybe you have heard of a post-breakfast snack? I love one of these granola bars for a snack after I’ve had a protein-packed breakfast. Perfect post-workout fuel!

Toasting the nuts for these granola bars really enhances the flavor.

Ingredients:

• 1 ¼ cups almonds, divided

• 1 ¼ cups sunflower seeds, divided

• 2 cups shredded unsweetened coconut

• 1 cup dried cranberries

• 1 ½ cups coconut oil

• ½ cup honey

• ¼ cup ground cinnamon

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

• ½ teaspoon salt

• Instructions:

• Pre-heat your oven to 350 degrees

• Spread 3/4 cups of sunflower seeds and 3/4 cups of almonds on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper

• Once the oven is preheated, put your baking sheet of seeds and nuts in for 6 minutes

• After your nuts and seeds are toasted, place 3/4 cups almonds and 3/4 cups sunflower seeds into a food processor; chop until nuts are in small pieces, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from food processor and pour in a bowl. Place remaining almonds and sunflower seeds into the food processor; roughly chop into larger chunks, about 1 minute. Mix the remaining nuts, seeds, shredded coconut, and dried cranberries into the finely ground nuts. Mix until the fruit-and-nut mixture is combined.

• Place the coconut oil in a microwave-safe bowl and microwave at 30-second intervals until fully melted. Mix the melted coconut oil with honey, ground cinnamon, vanilla extract, and salt. Stir until fully combined.

• Pour the coconut oil mixture over the dried cranberries and nut mixture; stir until the granola mixture takes on the consistency of wet sand, about 1 minute.

• Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Pour the granola mixture onto the sheet; place a second sheet of waxed paper on top of the granola mixture. Push down on the waxed paper with your hands until the granola mixture has been evenly spread. Pack very tightly so bars will not fall apart.

• Let cool for 2 to 3 hours, until very firm. Cut into bars.

Thank you allrecipes.com for the recipe inspiration!

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