Oat, Fruit & Nut Bars

You may have noticed a decided lack of chocolate in my recipes lately. This is because I am married to a person who believes he dwells on a higher spiritual plane than we poor creatures who must have some chocolate [the darker and more expensive, the better] every single day or just curl up and die. This superior being is also the main consumer of the things I bake, since his hips seem immune to calories, while my own most decidedly are NOT. This same person is also responsible for paying for the groceries right now, because when it comes to the subject of jobishness – I ain’t got any. And its not like he hides the dark chocolate or anything, but still, I bake what he likes, which includes things like raisins and molasses. You should send him a thank you note. Because without him, I never would have dreamed these up, and these are just so tasty, you should whip up a batch this very minute. Not too sweet, soft, with chewy dried fruit and little bits of crunchy toasted walnuts – yum yum yum.

I got the idea for this kind of cookie last Christmas, when I was making biscotti. What if you don’t bake them a second time? Hmmmmmm…

Blend together
1 & 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 cup old fashioned oats
1 cup toasted, chopped walnuts
3/4 cup dark brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
The sugar may be a bit difficult to incorporate – I used my hands and it went a lot faster.
In a smaller bowl, mix together
2 eggs
1/4 cup molasses
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
Add to the dry ingredients, along with
1 cup dried, chopped fruit – I used half raisins and half dried apples
Mix thoroughly. Divide in half and shape into two flattened loaves, about 12 inches long and arrange side by side on a parchment paper lined baking sheet. Bake at 350 degrees. Carefully place on a cooling rack for at least 30 minutes. Cut into slices. It is best to only cut what you need – they will stay fresher that way. Wrapped tightly, and left in the loaf, these will keep for a week at room temperature. I wonder how they would be dipped in chocolate?

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5 Responses to Oat, Fruit & Nut Bars

  1. Gina says:

    Call me crazy, I am 3/4 Italian, but that is how I make all my biscotti; I never bake them the second time. I love biscotti, but I just love chewy!! Those look and sound amazing, I am going to have to try them. I, like Larry, love rasins and molasses and currently I am obsessed with walnuts so these sound perfect! :)

  2. Donalyn says:

    Now I feel totally vindicated Gina – if an Italian can get away with it, then surely I can, right? Hope you love these – they are very satisfying :)

  3. Amy B. says:

    Looks really good, nice and fresh! If you don’t mind, I would like to link Foodista readers to this post. Just add the foodista widget to the end of this post and you’re all set, Thanks and keep it up! :-)

  4. CM says:

    Okay, okay … I’m starting to see that there is a legitimate reason for cookies like this …. they are healthier! That’s why Larry looks like he does and I look like I do. (In my case I would eat less of them …. and then I could be thinner like Larry too!)

  5. Miss Ra'chel says:

    These SOUND SOOOO GOOD. Oh man, if I could make these that would be HEAVENLY. MMMMMMMM

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