Ingredients
- 5 1/2 cups old fashioned oats
- 1 1/2 cups toasted hazelnuts
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
- 2/3 cup honey
- 2/3 cup Imperial Sugar Light Brown Sugar
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 cup dried apricots
- 1/2 cup semi sweet chocolate chips
Directions
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Line a 13 x 9 inch pan with plastic food film and set aside.
- Scatter oats evenly onto two cookie sheets and place in oven for 12 minutes tossing oats a few times while toasting. Remove from oven and toss in hazelnuts.
- Cut each dried apricot in about 6 -8 slivers and set aside.
- In a pan large enough to hold all ingredients combine butter, honey, brown sugar and salt. Stir to a boil and remove from heat. Stir a few more minutes until sugar is well dissolved.
- Add vanilla extract, apricot pieces, toasted oats and hazelnuts. Stir to combine and add chocolate chips.
- Transfer mixture into prepared pan. Cover with additional plastic food wrap and press very hard onto the surface to firmly pack the mixture. This is a vital step to ensure that the granola bars will not fall apart. (You may want to stand on your toes and have your torso weight help with pressing.)
- Place pan in the refrigerator for 2 hours before cutting.
- Lift granola bars out of the pan and cut in desired size. Wrap each or a few together in plastic food wrap. The bars will last at least a week.
Imperial Sugar Insight
This same recipe base can be used to make Chocolate Peanut Butter Granola Bars and Cherry Almond Granola Bars.