Crunchy granola bars recipe

Great granola bars put the flavor of the oats at the forefront while supporting players back them up with a mellow sweetness. We found that toasting the oats with a little oil and salt before mixing them with the other ingredients really deepened their flavor. Honey provided plenty of stickiness to hold the bars together. We kept the other flavors simple: a little brown sugar for extra sweetness, aromatic vanilla and cinnamon, and chopped nuts for additional crunch. After multiple attempts at baking the bars resulted in a crumbly mess, we realized the key to making granola bars that held their shape was to spread the mixture onto a rimmed baking sheet and then firmly press on it with a greased metal spatula. Do not substitute quick or instant oats in this recipe. Don’t use a baking sheet smaller than 18 by 13 inches or the bars will be too thick and won’t bake evenly. Be sure to let the granola bars cool for 15 minutes before cutting. If any of the bars should fall apart during cutting, just press them back together; as they cool they will firm up and stick together.