After school snacks are suddenly a big part of my weekly meal planning. When two young children who have been playing hard come home after just one meal at school, snacks are necessary. This Toasted Coconut Oatmeal Bars are a super simple thing you can do almost on a whim.
These bars only have five ingredients, but you could add more! Check out my add-in list below for some ideas! But the base bars are very tasty on their own.
I originally got the idea for this after looting and eating my kid’s Halloween candy Everyone her almond joys. This has similar flavors but in the form of an oatmeal bar. You can feel good about it. It has no added sugar and has a good amount of protein.
My children love Coconut and gobbled up these Easy Coconut Oatmeal Bars.
How to toast coconut
Toasting the coconut without burning it is the most important part of this recipe. Everything else is very easy.
Start with sweetened coconut flakes and add to a pan over low heat. Coconut burns quickly, so keep a close eye on it and turn it occasionally to make sure it cooks evenly. After a few minutes it smells very nice and is golden brown around the edges. Remove from the heat and it will continue to toast slightly while the coconut cools.
If it looks something like this, you’re done!
Preparation of the coconut oatmeal bars
Now to the base for these bars. Place peanut butter, butter (or coconut oil), and honey in a saucepan over low heat. Boil the oat mixture to warm it up and mix into a smooth mixture.
This mixture should never vape at all. You just want to warm it up so it’s easier to work with and spread around the prepared pan.
Add-ins for the oat bars
I’ve kept my version of these bars very simple, but there are SO many delicious add-ins to mix and match. You could try:
- chocolate chips
- A dash of vanilla extract
- Any kind of nut, chopped
- dried fruits
If you decide to add some add-ins, I would limit the total add-ins to about 1/2 cup. If you add too many things, the sticks won’t stick together well.
Next, just stir everything into the pot! Mix it up well!
When the mixture is ready, bite off with a spoon. Just as a test…
Then transfer to a foil-lined 8×8 baking dish. Really press on it to make sure the bars hold their shape. I like to sprinkle some coconut on top.
Let these coconut oatmeal bars set in the fridge for a few minutes, then chop them up!
Leftover bars can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for a few days, or you can refrigerate them for up to two weeks.
Hungry children are grumpy children! To solve the Problem!
My recipe for a toasted coconut oatmeal bar
Toasted Coconut Oatmeal Bars
Just a few ingredients and FULL of flavor! Easy no-bake toasted coconut oatmeal bars with peanut butter and honey.
- 1 Cup sweetened coconut toasted
- 1 Cup peanut butter
- â…“ Cup honey
- 2 tablespoon butter or coconut oil
- 2 cups oatmeal
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Place coconut flakes in a small pan over low heat. Toast for a few minutes until coconut is lightly browned and fragrant. Stir occasionally and watch closely to avoid burning. Remove from stove.
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In a medium saucepan, add peanut butter, honey, and butter or coconut oil over low heat. Warm to combined and smooth.
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Stir the oatmeal and coconut into the peanut butter mixture.
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Transfer the bar mixture to an 8×8 baking dish lined with foil or parchment paper. Wrap the bars tightly and sprinkle with some extra coconut.
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Let the bars set in the fridge for about 30 minutes. Then take the bars out of the mold, remove the parchment and shred the bars!
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Keep the bars on the counter for a few days or in the fridge for up to two weeks.
Portion: 1barCalories: 193kcalCarbohydrates: 19GProtein: 5GFat: 12GSaturated Fatty Acids: 4GPolyunsaturated fat: 2GMonounsaturated fatty acids: 5GTrans fats: 0.1GCholesterol: 4mgSodium: 96mgPotassium: 151mgFiber: 2GSugar: 10GVitamin A: 44ieVitamin C: 0.04mgCalcium: fifteenmgIron: 1mg
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Take a picture and tag it @macheesmo so i can see your work
