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Gluten Free “Peanut Butter” and Jelly Granola Bars

Posted By Elizabeth On In Breakfast,Gluten Free,Grains,Kid Friendly Meals,Snacks | No Comments

These granola bars aren’t pretty, but they taste great. They are gluten free, which means The Boy can eat them, and they are actually made with Sunbutter (a peanut butter like paste made from sunflower seeds and are therefore peanut and tree nut free!) which is why the title has peanut butter in quotation marks. It’s just that to convince The Boy to try them I had to lie and say it was peanut butter because he just recently discovered his love of peanut butter and has been eating it by the spoonful.

A long and boring into for a simple concept born from attempting to combine two things The Boy loves: oatmeal and peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. Then I adapted it with the Sunbutter to make them safe for him to take to school in his lunchbox. ‘Nuf said. Bottom line? Make them. They’re worth it.

 

Gluten Free “Peanut Butter” and Jelly Granola Bars
Ingredients
Top and bottom layers:

  • 1 1/2 cup rolled oats
  • 1 cup firmly packed dark brown muscovado (or brown sugar)
  • 1/2 cup oat flour
  • 1/2 cup sorghum flour
  • 1/2 cup potato starch
  • 1 tsp xanthan gum
  • 3/4 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/2 cup sunbutter
  • 1 stick unsalted butter, melted and cooled

Strawberry Filling:

  • 1/4 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
  • 1/4 tsp ginger
  • 2 tsp corn starch
  • 1 pound strawberries, chopped
  • 2 tbsp unsalted butter, melted and cooled

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 350°F.
  • Place a large piece of aluminum foil in an 8×8 inch brownie pan hanging over the edges. Spray the foil with cooking spray.
  • Sift together the flours, xanthan gum, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon.
  • Put the flour mixture, brown sugar, and oats into the work bowl of the food processor.
  • Pulse until combined. Add the butter and sunbutter and pulse until heavy crumbs develop.
  • Separate the mixture into two equal piles pouring the first half into the prepared pan and using your hands to press it into an even layer.
  • Bake for 12 to 15 minutes and then remove from oven and let it rest while you make the filling (but don’t turn off the oven!).
  • In a medium bowl, stir up the muscovado, ginger, and cornstarch.
  • Chop up the strawberries and add them and the butter to the bowl and toss until evenly coated.
  • Spread the berries evenly across the base crust. Then sprinkle on the remaining half of the crust and gently press the top crust into place.
  • Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, rotating the pan every 15 minutes
  • Allow it to cool in the pan for 10-15 minutes then remove by carefully lifting the edges of the foil out of the pan and place it on a cooling rack.
  • When it’s at room temperature place in the fridge to firm up.
  • Cut the pan of bars in half down the middle. Then cut each section into 6-8 slices.
  • Wrap individually and serve with a nice glass of milk!

Preparation time: 15 minutes

Cooking time: 1 hour

Number of servings: 12-16