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Homemade Trail Mix Bars photo

Trail Mix Bars

No-bake trail mix bars made with dates, oats, nut butter, nuts or seeds, and dried fruit or chocolate chips. They press into an 8x8 pan, chill until firm, and cut into bars.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 8 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Servings: 16 servings
Course: Snack
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Ingredients
  • 2 cupsquick oats regular or gluten free
  • 1/2 cplus 2 T peanut butter or nut butter
  • 15 pitted medjool dates soaked in warm water
  • 1 cupchopped nuts or seeds
  • 3/4 cupdried fruit and/or chocolate chips raisins, cranberries, etc.
  • 1 tspvanilla
  • 1 tspcinnamon optional
  • 3 – 4 T100% pure maple syrup
  • 1/2 tspsea salt

Equipment

  • Small Bowl
  • Food Processor
  • Large mixing bowl
  • Spatula
  • Measuring cup
  • 8x8 inch Baking Pan
  • Parchment Paper

Method
 

Instructions
  1. Place 15 pitted Medjool dates in a small bowl, cover with warm water, and soak 10–15 minutes until softened. Drain well and pat the dates dry.
  2. Put the drained dates into a food processor and process until a sticky, smooth paste forms (it may pull into a ball). If the paste seems too dry to come together, add 1 tablespoon maple syrup (from the 3–4 T) and process again.
  3. In a large mixing bowl, combine the date paste, ½ cup plus 2 tablespoons peanut butter, 3 tablespoons maple syrup (reserve up to 1 tablespoon for adjustment), 1 teaspoon vanilla, and ½ teaspoon sea salt. Stir or scrape with a spatula until evenly combined.
  4. Add 2 cups quick oats to the bowl and mix thoroughly until the oats are evenly incorporated into the wet mixture. If the mixture still seems too dry, add up to the reserved 1 tablespoon maple syrup.
  5. Stir in 1 cup chopped nuts or seeds, ¾ cup dried fruit and/or chocolate chips, and 1 teaspoon cinnamon (optional) until evenly distributed.
  6. Line an 8x8-inch baking pan with parchment paper (leaving an overhang). Transfer the mixture to the pan and press firmly and evenly into the pan (use the bottom of a measuring cup or a spatula to compact).
  7. Refrigerate the pan for about 30 minutes to firm. Lift the mixture from the pan using the parchment overhang and cut into bars.

Notes

One serving is a 2 inch by 2 inch piece of this recipe.
I prefer natural creamy peanut butter that is nice and drippy for this recipe. It stirs much more easily than a typical Jif peanut butter does.
I keep the cinnamon optional. Sometimes I add it, other times I don’t. It typically depends on what I am adding in and if it makes sense with those flavors.