Our tradition of having a family-friendly Valentine’s day celebration will continue this year (nope, no date nights insight, y’all. Sigh.) …with these homemade chocolate chip and cranberry granola bars!
Picking a Valentine’s Day-themed treat was just a little bit tougher this year though as the 14th falls on a Thursday. Presently, Thursday is the most jam-packed day of the week for us with a full day of school for the kids and then extra-curriculars in the evening. I genuinely don’t get much time with anyone (including myself!) on that particular day of the week, so I decided a breakfast-y or lunch box-worthy sweet treat would be the best thing.
My original thought was to make some of our favorite sour cream chocolate chip muffins or some variation of them because the kids and I love them. But, Evan’s not really a big fan of sweets or bread for breakfast (I know, what a weirdo). In his opinion, muffins fall into the ‘cupcake’ food group and therefore, they mostly get classified as a dessert. So, a homemade granola bar was a better choice to suit everybody.
These granola bars have a comforting combination of flavors: tangy cranberries, sweet coconut, luscious chocolate chips and just a hint of warm cinnamon spice. Yep, totally lunch-box worthy.
These hearty granola bars can be made ahead of time and they keep well on the counter-top inside a covered container for a few days. No matter what time of day you make them, I’m sure these homemade chocolate chip and cranberry granola bars will be terrific treat for your family and friends on Valentine’s day (or any other day too).
They are absolutely worthy of your true love… or loves as your case may be.
I’m sharing this recipe today along with the awesome #FoodBloggerLove event! Allison from the The PinterTest Kitchen blog hosts this fun blogging event as well as many others throughout the year (Thank you, Allison!). All #FoodBloggerLove participating bloggers are showing each other some love today by sharing in one of a few ways: re-making a recipe from another blogger’s site, sharing a blogger-inspired original recipe or a Valentine’s Day-inspired recipe for this link-sharing party.
I’m sharing my recipe for these tasty chocolate chip and cranberry granola bars today, but please be sure to join the fun and check out the other great recipes and blogs down below! Enjoy! xoxo – M
Chocolate Chip and Cranberry Granola Bars #FoodBloggerLove
4
servings30
minutes40
minutesKeep the screen of your device on
Ingredients
1/2 cup (1 stick) salted butter, room temperature
1 cup light brown sugar
1 large egg
3 tablespoons pure maple syrup
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
3/4 cup coconut flour (or sub all-purpose flour)
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/3 cup milk (or sub your fave milk alternative)
1-1/2 cups oats
1/3 cup finely chopped pecans
1 cup dried cranberries
1 cup sweetened shredded coconut
1 cup mini-chocolate chips (semi-sweet)
Directions
- Pre-heat the oven to 350° and prepare a cookie sheet (15 x 10.5) with aluminum foil and set it aside. In large mixing bowl, cream butter and brown sugar together until light and fluffy. Mix in the egg, maple syrup and vanilla extract and set bowl aside.
- In another medium-size bowl, mix together coconut flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. Add the dry mixture, alternating with milk, to the butter mixture. Fold in the pecans, cranberries, coconut and chocolate chips.
- Turn out the batter onto the prepared baking sheet and using your hands or a spatula, press the dough into a 1/2-inch thick rectangle (roughly 12 x 9). Bake for 20-25 minutes or until the top and sides are lightly browned.
- Allow pan to cool on a rack and allow granola to cool completely before cutting (helps keep it from crumbling). Cut into bars and enjoy!
Notes
- Recipe as published on A Little Fish in the Kitchen at www.alittlefishinthekitchen.com. All content is owned by Marcelle G. Bolton. Please contact the author for permission to republish.
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Wow yummy recipes you have.
Congratulations.
Olga.
These sound great, I'd love to make a batch to have for a morning snack.
Hello Andrea! Thank you very much!
Hi there, Karen! They didn't last long 🙂 Thank you!
Hi Jolene, and thank you!
Dear Marcelle, your Chocolate Chio and Cranberry Granola Bars really look like absolutely delicious homemade treats – the very best!!!
I bet your family really appreciated them, especially knowing how busy you are.
I'll take any excuse to use maple syrup 🙂 These sound amazing!
Thank you, Grace!
Thank you, David!! 🙂
Hi Velva, thank you!!
i've made granola a gazillion times, but i've never ventured into granola bars! this recipe looks great. 🙂
How lucky is your family! Great homemade treats like these are amazing!
Happy Valentine's Day! Thursday is a tough day to celebrate this romantic and relaxing holiday. Your granola bars are perfect for anytime of day.
All the best,
Velva
Thank you so much, John! 🙂
Gosh, what great looking bars! Really excellent recipe — just loaded with flavor. Thanks!
Hi there, Angie!! Thank you! 🙂
Homemade granola bars are the BEST! Yours look so good, Marcelle.
Hello and thank you!! 🙂
These bars look like just the right combination of decadent and healthy. I'd love to try them.
Hi Amy, thank you!
I love homemade granola and these bars look packed with great flavors and ingredients!