Pumpkin Spice Granola Bars

“Autumn is a second spring when every leaf is a flower.”
– Albert Camus

I always think of North Carolina as the land of the pines, but right now, it is the deciduous, changing beauties getting their moment of glory. Every time I turn, I seem to catch another leaf bursting into one of a thousand hues of ever-brighter autumnal color. The countryside is blossoming.

In a few days, the Honey and I are packing up and heading north for a weekend getaway in the mountains of Asheville. We often fall trap to the all-too-easy lure of fast-food on long car-trips, but this time, I’m planning ahead. I decided to make a few easily-portable and healthier snacks to satisfy any hunger pangs that may arise along the way.

With the Fall season’s new class of produce in mind, I whipped up some homemade pumpkin spice granola bars, which, if they survive until Friday morning, will make sweet and satisfying treats for the car. I packed them full of oats, pumpkin, coconut, vanilla and spices, and for an indulgent twist, added a light drizzle of white chocolate.

If you also plan to drizzle the granola bars in white chocolate, I find that filling a pastry bag (or in a pinch a large Ziploc bag with the corner sniped off) and in a sense “piping” the chocolate onto the bars works nicely. This method allows for more control as the melted chocolate can quickly become quite goop-y and unwieldy.

Pumpkin Spice Granola Bars

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• Author: Fork Knife Swoon
• Prep Time: 20 mins
• Cook Time: 40 mins
• Total Time: 1 hour
• Yield: 12 Granola Bars 1x

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Ingredients

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Pumpkin Spice Granola Bars

• 4 cups old-fashioned oats
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup sweetened coconut flakes
• 1/2 cup raw pumpkin seeds
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp ground cloves
• 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp sea salt
• 1/2 cup puréed pumpkin
• 1/2 cup honey
• 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1 tbsp canola or vegetable oil

Chocolate Drizzle

• 1 cup white chocolate chips
• 1/4 cup heavy cream

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Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Line a 9-by-13-inch sheet pan with parchment paper. Set aside.
2. In a large mixing bowl, stir together the dry ingredients until well-combined. In a separate bowl, whisk together the wet ingredients. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry mixture and stir to combine, until the entire mixture is moist and well-incorporated.
3. Pour the granola onto the sheet pan, and using your fingers or the back of a spoon, press the mixture into an even layer from edge to edge. Bake for 35-40 mins, until the granola is golden brown and just firm to the touch.
4. Remove the pan from the oven and carefully lift the parchment paper to remove the granola. Let rest on a baking rack, until completely cooled. Using a serrated knife, carefully slice the granola into bars.
5. If adding the chocolate drizzle, melt together the chocolate chips and cream in the microwave or using a double-boiler, stirring constantly until completely smooth. Drizzle the granola bars with the chocolate. Let cool.
6. Can be stored for up to a week in an airtight container.

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