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    Recipes » Snacks

    Easy Nut and Fruit Bars

    Published: May 7, 2014 · Modified: Aug 31, 2017 by Marissa Stevens · 17 Comments

    Gluten FreeVegetarianVegan

    This post may contain affiliate links.

    Jump to Recipe
    homemade fruit and nut bars on a baking sheet

    If you love Kind fruit and nut bars, you've got to try this fruit and nut bar recipe! It's so easy to create a copycat version where you choose the combination of nuts seeds and fruit and the bars come together in just a few minutes.

    homemade fruit and nut bars on a baking sheet

    I wish that I'd read these words of wisdom before my first attempt at making these fruit and nut bars;

    Before you start making plans to substitute your favorite brand of agave nectar, honey, or maple syrup for the specified syrups, hear me out: It will not work. Instead of a stack of bars, you will have a pile of crumbles.

    True.

    The first time I made these, I tried to use honey and did end up with a pile of crumbles, they were delicious mind you, but not very portable. 

    So when you make these, use brown rice syrup or light corn syrup. If you just recoiled at the thought of 'corn syrup', note that light corn syrup is not the same as high fructose corn syrup. Here's a good explanation if you're interested.

    What I love about these bars is that they're feather light but pack a punch in both flavor and satisfaction - the perfect thing to toss into your backpack on some spring hike or bike ride or into your purse to oust an afternoon craving.

     fruit and nut bar Ingredients in a bowl

    To make these, I started with the recipe in this post and adapted it to the flavors I wanted. That's what so great about the recipe, it's really just a ratio of ingredients. Stick with the ratio of nuts, dried fruit, and seeds or cereal, to the amount of binder, aka syrup.

    Popped Amaranth in a white bowl

    For the seeds and cereal portion, I added black sesame seeds and popped amaranth. I've been intrigued for a while about popped amaranth. Have you heard about it? You add the tiny grains to a very hot pan and they pop, like teeny-tiny popcorn. After burning the first few batches I tried, I finally got the hang of it. The fix was counterintuitive as the pan was not hot enough the first couple of times, causing the grains to burn. You want the grains to pop within about 5 seconds of hitting the pan - while you constantly stir. Here's a video if you want to see the popping in action.

    Easy Nut and Fruit Bars

    Marissa Stevens
    If you love Kind fruit and nut bars, you've got to try this fruit and nut bar recipe! It's so easy to create a copycat version where you choose the combination of nuts seeds and fruit and the bars come together in just a few minutes.
    Save Recipe Saved! Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 15 mins
    Cook Time 20 mins
    Total Time 35 mins
    Course Breakfast, Snack
    Cuisine American
    Servings 16 bars
    Calories 248 kcal

    Ingredients
      

    • 3 cups assorted raw or toasted nuts (I used a mix of sprouted almonds sprouted pepitas, toasted walnuts, and raw pecans)
    • ⅓ cup popped amaranth
    • ⅓ cup black sesame seeds
    • ½ cup golden raisins
    • ½ cup raisins
    • ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
    • ⅔ cup brown rice syrup or light corn syrup

    Instructions
     

    • Preheat the oven to 325°F.
    • Line a 13 x 9-inch baking pan with parchment paper. Cut a second piece of parchment paper the same size (you'll use this to press the bars into shape).
    • Stir together all ingredients except for brown rice syrup until combined. Pour syrup over and stir until mixture is evenly coated.
    • Add to prepared baking dish and lay second piece of parchment paper over the top. Using your hands or an 8-inch square baking dish, firmly press the mixture into an even layer in the pan - put some muscle into this, you want your bars to stay together. Recycle extra parchment sheet.
    • Bake for 20 minutes or until light brown at the edges and slightly soft at the center. Remove from oven and allow to cool for 30 minutes on a wire rack.
    • Using the liner, lift mixture from the dish and transfer to cutting board. Cut into desired shape / number of bars. (I ended up with 16 bars)
    • Wrap each bar tightly with plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks or in the freezer for 1 month.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 248kcalCarbohydrates: 26gProtein: 6gFat: 16gSaturated Fat: 2gSodium: 52mgPotassium: 254mgFiber: 3gSugar: 11gVitamin A: 4IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 65mgIron: 2mg
    Keyword healthy snack
    Tried this recipe?I'd love to see it! Tag me on Instagram at @pinchandswirl or leave me a comment and rating below.
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      Recipe Rating




    1. Sandi Wilson says

      January 07, 2022 at 7:15 am

      Hi Marissa, I am interested why you think these bars are only going to be good for a week out of the frig. You are using preserved items and binding them with a shelf-stable product, i.e. rice syrup. They should be good for months as long as they are sufficiently sealed. Can you give me some idea of what you are thinking in regard to the need for refrigeration/freezing? Thanks so much!

      Reply
      • Marissa Stevens says

        January 07, 2022 at 2:43 pm

        Hi Sandi. Because these are homemade, they definitely don't hold up like the commercially made bars. I find that they start to get soft if left at room temperature for several days. For longer storage, I recommend storing them in the refrigerator or freezer.

        Reply
    2. Sarah says

      September 10, 2019 at 7:20 am

      Why do these have to be refrigerated? Can they be stored in a cool dry place at room temp?

      Reply
      • Marissa says

        September 10, 2019 at 8:00 am

        Hi, Sarah. Sure, you can store them at room temperature for up to a week. I store mine in the refrigerator to extend that. 🙂

        Reply
    3. Kirsten says

      July 23, 2014 at 9:42 am

      I made these the other day using egg whites to hold them together. I used 3 egg whites and a squirt of agave with the recipe. I didn't have any amaranth so I popped some millet...delicious!

      Reply
      • Marissa says

        July 23, 2014 at 9:55 am

        I've never popped millet - great idea!

        Reply
    4. Paula @ Vintage Kitchen Notes says

      May 26, 2014 at 2:44 am

      I have a promise to make granola bars to my work colleagues, and this one is calling my name Marissa! Love the amaranth part. I even found it, already popped and packed, at the store. Quinoa too. I'm loving these bars!

      Reply
    5. Tess @ Tips on Healthy Living says

      May 16, 2014 at 2:45 pm

      These look really good! I could see these making the perfect on-the-go morning snack. Thanks for sharing!

      Reply
    6. Lorraine @ Not Quite Nigella says

      May 13, 2014 at 1:05 pm

      These look better than the ones that you can buy Marissa! 😀

      Reply
    7. Shashi @ RunninSrilankan says

      May 11, 2014 at 7:24 pm

      These sound amazing - such healthy and delicious sounding bars!

      Reply
    8. Faye says

      May 09, 2014 at 9:35 am

      Yummy and healthy! Can't beat that!!

      Reply
    9. Cheralee says

      May 09, 2014 at 8:24 am

      These look fantastic! I was wondering if the size of the variables makes a difference, do you think? I don't care for the flavor of sesame seeds, but if I substituted poppy seeds vs something large, like pine nuts, do you think it would matter? I will have to give it a try. Like you said, still yummy - just not portable. 🙂

      Reply
      • Marissa says

        May 09, 2014 at 8:32 am

        It's funny that you'd mention poppy seeds, I almost used them instead of sesame seeds - they're similar in size though, so I'm not sure about the pine nuts. Honestly, I wouldn't use pine nuts in this recipe - they're pretty fragile (though delicious!); I'm afraid they would burn.

        Reply
    10. Elizabeth / In the Loop says

      May 09, 2014 at 7:53 am

      These look amazing! I was just looking at recipes for good snack bars - can't wait to try these ASAP!

      Reply
    11. Shaina says

      May 08, 2014 at 7:58 pm

      These look fabulous! So many yummy ingredients, these would be perfect for a post-workout snack!

      Reply
    12. Ashley | Spoonful of Flavor says

      May 08, 2014 at 7:02 pm

      Oh, I would love one of these as an afternoon snack. I love how they are perfect for shipping too!

      Reply
    13. Elizabeth@ Food Ramblings says

      May 08, 2014 at 11:54 am

      These look great! Great thing to send to your SRC partner!

      Reply

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