These apricot oat squares are one of my favourite snacks. Chewy, sweet and delicious and made up of only 6 ingredients. They make the perfect grab and go snack that can be enjoyed any time of the day!
The base of these is a combination of dried apricots and raisins/sultanas. The real secret here is to soak them in boiling water for roughly 10 minutes. This will help to plump them up a little bit and create a juicier fruit. Once soaked, drain the water and place everything into a blender or food processor and blend until you have a paste. You can blend this until it’s completely smooth, or you leave slightly chunkier. It really depends on your personal preference. Next, add the oats and and blend slightly until the mixture just starts to come together.
Remove everything from the blender and add to a separate mixing bowl and stir through the rest of the oats. Next, add the melted coconut oil, maple syrup and cinnamon powder. Adding the cinnamon powder is optional, but I would always recommend it as I think that it adds the perfect spiced undertone. Blend the remaining sultanas/raisins in the food processor, forming a paste. Stir this through the oat mixture until everything is well mixed.
Apricot Squares
Place the mixture into a pre lined square tin and bake for 20-25 minutes until golden brown. Once removed from the oven, allow them to sit for about 5 minutes. To cut the granola into squares, you need to use a sharp knife as this will help to neatly cut into the oats. Using a blunt knife will just cause the squares to flake and breakoff leaving you with uneven, broken squares. With your sharp knife, cut them roughly into 12 squares whilst still in the tine leaving them to cool down fully before removing them for the tray.
These are naturally dairy free and vegan friendly. To make these gluten free you can simply swap out the regular jumbo oats for a gluten free alternative.
Sweet and sticky these are the perfect treat with a cup of tea or coffee. Packed with gooey chunks of dried apricots and dates, you get a delicious mouthful of sweetness with every bite.
Ingredients
- 200 g Dried Apricots
- 200 g Raisins/Sultanas
- 250 g Jumbo Oats
- 4 tablespoons Coconut Oil, melted
- 3 tablespoons Maple Syrup
- 1/2 teaspoon Cinnamon Powder, optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to fan 180*c / 200*c / 400*f / Gas Mark 4
- Line a square baking tin with baking parchment and set aside
- Soak the dried apricots and half of the raisins/sultanas in boiling water for roughly 10 minutes
- Drain the water and place the fruit into a blender/food processor and blend together until a smooth paste is formed. If you prefer the mixture to be a little chunkier then you can blend it a little less. This is completely up to personal preference
- Next add half of the oats and blend together until the mixture just starts to come together
- Remove from the blender/food processor and add to a separate bowl
- Add the coconut oil, maple syrup and cinnamon powder to the oat mixture and mix together
- Place the remaining raisins/sultanas to the blender/food processor and blitz until a smooth paste is formed
- Stir this through the oat mixture until everything is well combined
- Place the mixture into the square tin and press everything down firmly
- Place into the centre of the oven for 20 - 25 minutes or until it starts to turn golden brown
- Remove from the oven and allow the oat squares to sit for roughly 5 minutes
- Using a sharp knife (ensure that the knife is sharp), cut the mixture into roughly 12 squares, whilst they are still in the tin
- Let the oat squares cool down fully before removing them from the tray
Notes
These will last for 5-7 days once baked. Store any leftovers in an airtight container or wrapped in foil and keep in a cool, dry place.
Looking for more baking ideas? Have a look in the recipe section:
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