Pistachio Granola Bars

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I know better than to leave my house without two essential staples: water and snacks.

No matter where I go, how long or short the trip may be, whether I’m making a quick pit stop at the grocery store to grab some eggs or preparing for an all-day hike in the park, I ensure that I always have a jumbo-sized water bottle filled to the top and a full inventory of snacks ready to go.

While the water is a permanent given, my personal snack stash is a frequently rotating stock of whatever I’m currently craving.

Recently, I’ve been keeping a few containers of these homemade pistachio granola bars in constant supply in my purse, backpack, car, and pantry.

In fact, another batch is baking in the oven right now to replenish my quickly dwindling reserve!

There are no crazy ingredients here – you’ll see all of the usual heavy-hitters expected to show up in a simple and easy granola bar recipe. But with just a little more fanfare dedicated to the pistachio, the gorgeously green nut speckled throughout these bars!

Along with chopped raw pistachios, two different varieties of oats, apricots, and cranberries create a multicolored base.

Combined with honey, almond butter, vanilla, and salt, the mixture is then pressed into an 8-inch square pan and baked until lightly golden brown around the edges.

Creamy almond butter and honey are a delightfully sticky duo in this recipe. Both are necessary binding agents for all of the dry ingredients, keeping the bars soft and chewy without having to mix in any other oils or sugars.

Mixing everything together in your stand mixer will be easier and faster than trying to combine the sticky and tacky ingredients by hand, especially if you are in constant pursuit of ways to shave off some time spent in the kitchen.

But if you’re ready for a good upper body workout, combine it all by hand with a sturdy spoon or spatula – I certainly won’t stop you, but I’ll watch from the sidelines!

How is your own snack supply? Don’t leave the house empty handed! If you need a refill, make these sweet and chewy pistachio granola bars ASAP.

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Cooking by the Numbers…

Step 1 – Prep

Preheat the oven to 300°F and position the rack in the center of the oven. Set out an 8-inch square pan and lightly grease the bottom and sides with cooking spray.

Line the pan with two small pieces of parchment – one will be placed perpendicular to the other to create a criss-cross shape, and the paper will extend up each side of the pan.

Don’t try to cut or tear away the excess paper – this will be useful to help you lift the whole baked granola square out of the pan.

Lightly grease the paper with more cooking spray.

Measure out the old-fashioned oats, quick oats, dried cranberries, honey, almond butter, vanilla, and salt.

Measure and chop the dried apricots and pistachios, using a sturdy cutting board and sharp knife.

In a pinch, use unsalted roasted pistachios if raw nuts are not available.

While almond butter is a popular spread found in most grocery stores, pistachio butter is a rare and special treat that would be the perfect substitution if you’re looking for something a little different to use in this recipe that will also bump up the flavor even more.

If you’re willing to splurge on the nut spread, consider buying it online. This natural pistachio butter from Nutty Gourmet is available in two-packs of 10-ounce containers on Amazon.

Step 2 – Mix Dry Ingredients Together

In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix all of the dry ingredients together on low speed: the pistachios, oats, dried apricots, dried cranberries, and salt.

Mix until everything is equally distributed. This will only take about 30 seconds.

Step 3 – Add Wet Ingredients and Mix

Turn off the mixer before adding the honey, almond butter, and vanilla to the bowl.

With the mixer on low speed, mix everything together for another 30 seconds to form a wet and sticky mixture. It will hold together when pressed lightly with your hand.

Scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula and remix briefly at low speed.

Step 4 – Press into Pan

Dump the contents of the bowl into the prepared pan, using a rubber spatula to help you scrape anything that is sticking to the bottom and sides of the bowl.

Using your hands, very firmly press the mixture down into the bottom of the pan and slightly up the sides. Make sure it is flat and dispersed evenly. The top of the parchment paper on each side of the pan will still be exposed.

To prevent having a big, sticky mess on your hands, you can use another piece of parchment paper placed on top of the mixture to act as a barrier while you are pressing it down. You can also use the bottom of a clean measuring cup to help you flatten everything down into the pan.

Step 5 – Bake

Transfer the pan to the preheated oven, placing it in the center of the rack.

Bake for 25 to 30 minutes. The mixture will be incredibly aromatic – you will smell the intoxicating scents of warm honey and vanilla! – and lightly golden brown around the edges when it’s done.

Step 6 – Cool, Cut, and Serve

Remove the pan from the oven and place it on a heatproof surface. Cool the granola bar square completely in the pan, which will take about an hour.

Don’t try to cut into the square right away – be patient!

The mixture still needs to cool and set completely in the pan before cutting. If you try to remove it and cut it too soon, the square may crumble and fall apart.

Step 7 – Cut and Serve

Did you read the recipe in full, allowing it to cool completely? Perfect!

You can now lift the square out of the pan, using the excess paper to help you lift it.

Remove and dispose of the paper, and place the square on a clean cutting board.

Slice the square into 12 rectangular bars with a sharp chef’s knife. Serve them now, or store in an airtight container at room temperature or in the fridge for up to one week.