A food blogger has shared a revised approach to homemade granola bars after a store-bought version sparked a quest for a thicker, chewier texture. The blogger, who previously wrote about granola bars last September, said she had forgotten about a batch stored in her freezer until December, by which point they had become so crisp she had to crumble them over yogurt with a mallet.
Inspiration struck two weeks ago when she bought a house-made granola bar at Whole Foods. She described it as thick, chewy, and ingredient-laden, but also “crazy sweet,” noting it contained about twice the sugar she preferred. That experience led her back to the drawing board and to a recipe on the King Arthur Flour website, a source she said she has trusted since it led her to “the best whole wheat muffin I’ve ever eaten.”
With a few tweaks—reducing the sugar significantly and baking in a smaller pan to increase thickness—she said the bars were “exactly what I had been pining for.” The blogger also suggested the bars make a practical food gift for new parents, describing them as “delicious nutrient-rich food in compact/one-hand-eating-friendly packages.”
The recipe change also addresses a personal need: breakfast. Since hiring a nanny to watch her son Jacob in the mornings so she can work, the blogger said she cannot bring herself to spend work time eating. By the time the nanny leaves, she is “so hungry I am forced to eat the baby,” she joked, adding that if the granola bars do not become part of her morning routine, Jacob “is only going to have one arm and half a cheek by the time he starts preschool.”
So far, the bars have exceeded expectations. The blogger said the hardest part will be making them last until Monday morning’s breakfast.
She also linked to previous recipes from one, two, and three years ago: Thick, Chewy Oatmeal Raisin Cookies, Escarole and Orzo Soup with Meatballs, and Vegetable Dumplings.
Editorial Notes