Mary Berry Granola Bars Recipe

This Mary Berry Granola Bars Recipe is a crisp and wholesome recipe, which includes nutrient-rich pumpkin seeds and tart dried cranberries. It’s a fantastic mid-morning treat, ready in about 40 minutes.

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Mary Berry Granola Bars Ingredients

The Binding Syrup:

• 125g Butter: Unsalted is best, but salted works if you like a sweet-salty contrast.
• 125g Golden Syrup: The essential British ingredient for the gooey texture. Honey can be used, but golden syrup holds better.
• 75g Light Muscovado Sugar: Provides a caramel-like toffee flavor that granulated sugar lacks.

The Dry Mix:

• 250g Jumbo Oats: Using jumbo oats (rolled oats) gives a better texture than instant porridge oats, which can become mushy.
• 50g Walnuts or Pecans: Roughly chopped for crunch.
• 50g Sunflower Seeds: Adds nutty flavor and texture.
• 50g Pumpkin Seeds: Adds a pop of green and extra nutrition.
• 50g Dried Cranberries or Apricots: Chopped. Adds a tart sweetness to cut through the syrup.

How To Make Mary Berry Granola Bars

1. Prep: Preheat the oven to 160°C (140°C Fan / 325°F). Grease a 12 x 9 inch (30 x 23 cm) traybake or roasting tin and line the base with non-stick baking parchment.
2. Melt the Syrup: Measure the butter, golden syrup, and light muscovado sugar into a large saucepan. Heat gently over low heat, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon until the butter has melted and the sugar has dissolved. Do not let it boil vigorously.
3. Combine Dry Ingredients: While the butter melts, mix the oats, chopped nuts, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, and dried fruit in a large mixing bowl.
4. Mix: Pour the melted butter and sugar mixture into the bowl with the dry ingredients. Stir well until every oat and seed is thoroughly coated in the syrupy mixture.
5. Press (Crucial Step): Tip the mixture into the prepared tin. Using the back of a metal spoon or a spatula, press the mixture down very firmly. It needs to be compact to ensure the bars don’t fall apart when cut.
6. Bake: Bake in the preheated oven for about 30 minutes. The mixture should be golden brown around the edges but still feel slightly soft in the middle (it hardens as it cools).
7. Score and Cool: Remove from the oven. While the mixture is still warm, score it into about 16 bars with a sharp knife. Leave it in the tin to cool completely before removing and breaking along the scored lines.

Recipe Tips

• Compacting is Key: Use a potato masher or the bottom of a glass to press the mixture into the tin before baking. If the oats are loose, the bars will crumble into granola dust when you try to pick them up.
• The Golden Binding: Stick to golden syrup if possible. Unlike honey, which can make the bars too soft, golden syrup bakes into a firmer “toffee-like” glue that holds the seeds together perfectly.
• Clean Cuts: Do not wait for the block to go cold before marking your slices. Once the sugar sets, it becomes brittle like hard candy; scoring while it’s warm ensures neat, professional edges.
• Oat Selection: Avoid “instant” or “quick” oats. They absorb the butter too fast and turn into a soggy cake texture. Jumbo (rolled) oats maintain their shape for that crucial chew.

What To Serve With Mary Berry Granola Bars

• Greek Yogurt: Crumble a bar over yogurt for breakfast.
• Fresh Fruit: An apple or banana completes the snack.
• Afternoon Tea: A sturdy alternative to delicate biscuits.
• Coffee: The sweetness pairs well with a black Americano.

How To Store Mary Berry Granola Bars

• Room Temperature: Store in an airtight tin or container at room temperature. They keep exceptionally well for up to 1 week.
• Freezing: Wrap individual bars in parchment paper and freeze for up to 2 months. They are a great “grab and go” snack from the freezer (they thaw quickly).

Mary Berry Granola Bars Nutrition Facts

• Calories: 240 kcal
• Carbohydrates: 28g
• Fat: 12g
• Protein: 4g
• Sugar: 16g

Nutrition information is estimated per bar.

FAQs

Try More Recipes:

• Mary Berry Blackberry Mousse Recipe
• Mary Berry​ Millionaire Caramel Shortbread Recipe
• Mary Berry Ginger Flapjacks​ Recipe