Chocolate Chunk Toffee Bars

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Everything I love in a granola bar- a crisp, toffee-like exterior with a chunky and chewy middle. Be sure to allow the bars to cool completely before slicing. If you adapt the recipe, please leave a comment with the changes you made and how it turned out! I’m curious if other flours and nut butters might work.

Yield
9 large bars
Prep Time
20 Minutes
Rest time
45 Minutes
Cook time
32 Minutes
Total Time
1 Hour, 37 Minutes

Ingredients:

  • 1.5 cup oats
  • 1/4 cup whole grain spelt flour
  • 2 tbsp chia seeds
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp kosher salt
  • 1 cup walnuts, chopped
  • 1/2 cup brown rice syrup
  • 2 tbsp Earth Balance (or other non-dairy spread)
  • 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
  • 1/4 cup all natural peanut butter (my PB is very ‘drippy’- if yours is dry add another tbsp Earth Balance)
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1/2 cup chocolate chunks or chips

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F and line an 8-inch pan with 2 pieces of parchment paper (one going each way), so the bars do not stick to pan.
  2. In a large bowl, stir together the dry ingredients (oats, flour, chia seeds, cinnamon, salt, walnuts).
  3. In a microwavable bowl, stir together the brown rice syrup, Earth Balance, brown sugar, and peanut butter. Microwave on high for 45 seconds. Alternatively you can heat this on the stovetop.
  4. Pour wet mixture onto dry and stir well. The mixture will be very tough to stir (it’s a thick dough!) so don’t be alarmed. Allow the dough to cool a bit before mixing in the chocolate (otherwise, if you add in the chocolate too soon, it will melt, and it’s best chunky).
  5. Scoop into prepared pan and with a wet spoon spread out the mixture. The dough will be very thick and sticky. I dipped a pastry roller into water and rolled it out. Try to get it as even as possible!
  6. Bake for 30-32 minutes at 350°F. Allow to cool in the pan, on a cooling rack, for at least 15 minutes. Remove carefully from pan and allow to cool on the rack for another 20-30 minutes. If you cut the bars before completely cooling, they will crack, so it’s a good idea to wait as they will firm up.

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