Name: Cranberry oatmeal bars recipe
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 45 min
Yield: Serves: 12
Cuisine: British, Baking
Ingredients: 150g porridge oats; 75g sunflower seeds; 100g chopped hazelnuts; 75g unsalted butter; 3tbsp honey; 50g light brown sugar; 70g dried cranberries

By Jessica Ransom

last updated 4 July 2023

in Recipes

You can make cranberry oatmeal bars with seven store cupboard ingredients in under an hour.

Unlike flapjacks, these cranberry oatmeal bars use light brown sugar for a subtle caramel taste when baked. Plus, the mixture had chopped nuts and seeds for a crunchy finished texture and some soft, plump cranberries for a sour contrast to the sweet oats.

Ingredients

150g porridge oats
75g sunflower seeds
100g chopped hazelnuts
75g unsalted butter
3tbsp honey
50g light brown sugar
70g dried cranberries

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Method

Heat the oven to 160C (140C fan, Gas 3) and line a buttered tin with baking paper.
Sprinkle the oats, seeds and hazelnuts on a baking tray and toast for 5 mins until lightly golden and aromatic.
Meanwhile, in a saucepan warm the butter, honey and sugar until melted. Stir gently to combine.
Add the toasted oat mix and cranberries and mix to make sure everything is well coated.
Pour the mixture into the prepared lined tin and press down into an even layer. Make sure the mixture is in all the corners and right up to the edges of the tin.
Bake for 30 minutes then allow to cool completely before you cut into 12 bars.

Top tips for making cranberry oatmeal bars

Whether you need inspiration on how to serve you cranberry oatmeal bars or you’d like some suggestions for substitutions, we have plenty of tips below.

What can I use instead of dried cranberries?

You can swap cranberries for dried cherries, raisin or sultanas. You could also use dried apricots, figs and dates. USe the combination of fruit and nuts you like best. Peanuts also make a cheap but tasty addition.

What to serve with cranberry oat bars?

You can enjoy these bars on their own but you could also serve them with a dollop of yogurt for a tasty breakfast or dessert. If you want something more indulgent, consider serving with some double cream, custard or even a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

Should I buy roasted chopped hazelnuts?

Lots of supermarkets sell chopped nuts that have already been roasted. They are much tastier than nuts that have not been roasted. However, if they are more expensive we recommend buying the unroasted version and making a big batch at home yourself.

These cranberry oatmeal bars make a delicious picnic snack. If you don’t have lots of room in your bag for tubs of snacks, consider purchasing some reusable, sealable silicone food bags. They are lightweight and better for the environment than single use clingfilm.

For something more subtle in flavour, you might like our classic oatmeal bars. We also have a great healthy flapjack recipe which is easy to make and perfect for breakfast. If you are looking for a healthy snack before or after a workout you should also try these homemade energy bars.

Jessica is a freelance food writer, stylist and recipe tester. She previously worked as Senior Food Writer at Future. While at Future Jessica wrote food and drink-related news stories and features, curated product pages, reviewed equipment, and developed recipes that she then styled on food shoots. She is an enthusiastic, self-taught cook who adores eating out and sharing great food and drink with friends and family. She has completed the Level 1 Associate course at the Academy of Cheese and is continually building on her knowledge of beers, wines, and spirits.