Homemade Granola Bars Will Power the Kids Through Class, After-School Activities, and More

These bars are packed with crunchy nuts and chewy dried fruit. Elle Simone

As the kids head back to school, these chewy granola bars are great to have on your baking menu. It’s a perfect make-ahead snack and travels well.

A quick note: Don’t use quick, instant, or extra-thick rolled oats in this recipe. Rolled oats (also called old-fashioned or regular oats) are whole oats that have been steamed and then rolled. If these same oats are rolled very thinly, they are called quick oats because they cook, well, more quickly. Instant oats are cooked and then dehydrated, so they don’t need any more cooking, just hot water.

Chewy Granola Bars With Cranberries and Walnuts

Makes 12 bars

• 3/4 cup walnuts
• 1 1/4 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
• 1/2 cup raw sunflower seeds
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 2 tablespoons water
• 1/2 cup dried apricots
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup Rice Krispies cereal
• 1/2 cup dried cranberries

Adjust oven rack to the middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Make an aluminum foil sling for an 8-inch square metal baking pan. Spray foil with vegetable oil spray.