Chocolate Coconut Granola Bars

Ingredients

• 2 cups rolled oats
• ½ cup flax seed meal
• ½ cup sliced almonds
• ½ cup unsweetened shredded coconut
• ¼ cup chia seeds (Optional)
• ½ cup honey
• ¼ cup firmly packed brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons coconut oil
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon coconut extract
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 5 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

Step 1

Warm your oven to 350°F (175°C) and lightly grease a 9-inch square baking dish. Spread the oats, flax seed meal, sliced almonds, shredded coconut, and chia seeds evenly on a baking sheet. Pop them in the oven and toast, stirring every 5 minutes, until they’re nicely golden and fragrant—about 15 minutes.

Step 2

Turn the oven down to 300°F (150°C). While it cools, combine the honey, brown sugar, coconut oil, vanilla and coconut extracts, cinnamon, and salt in a saucepan over medium-low heat. Stir everything until the sugar melts completely, which should take around 3 minutes. Then, whisk in the cocoa powder until it’s smooth and well mixed.

Step 3

Pour the warm chocolate mixture over the toasted oats and stir it all together so everything is evenly coated. Press this mixture firmly into your prepared baking dish, making sure it’s packed down evenly. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes, until the bars turn a lovely golden brown.

Step 4

Let the bars cool in the pan for about 10 minutes, then cut them into squares while they’re still warm. Once sliced, you can gently lift them out and enjoy!