A family-tested staple — hearty oat and honey bars with raisins and wheat germ, baked until golden and sliced warm. A recipe you'll be doubling every time.
Servings
24
Prep time
15 min
Cook time
35 min
Total time
50 min
Ingredients — 24 bars
| Ingredient | Quantity | Unit |
|---|---|---|
| Rolled oats | 2 | cups |
| All-purpose flour | 1 | cup |
| Packed brown sugar | ¾ | cup |
| Raisins (optional) | ¾ | cup |
| Wheat germ | ½ | cup |
| Ground cinnamon | ¾ | tsp |
| Salt | ¾ | tsp |
| Honey | ½ | cup |
| Vegetable oil | ½ | cup |
| Egg, beaten | 1 | — |
| Vanilla extract | 2 | tsp |
Directions
1
Preheat and prep. Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9x13-inch baking pan generously — don't be shy with the grease, as these bars can stick.
2
Mix the dry ingredients. In a large bowl, combine the oats, flour, brown sugar, raisins, wheat germ, cinnamon, and salt. Stir to distribute everything evenly, then make a well in the center.
3
Add the wet ingredients. Pour the honey, vegetable oil, beaten egg, and vanilla into the well. Mix everything together using your hands until fully combined and the dry ingredients are evenly moistened throughout.
4
Press and bake. Transfer the mixture to the prepared pan and press it down firmly into an even, compact layer. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until the edges begin to turn golden brown.
5
Cut while warm. Remove from the oven and let rest for just 5 minutes, then cut into bars straight away. Do not wait for them to cool completely — once fully cooled they harden significantly and become very difficult to slice cleanly.
Cook's notes
Cut at the right moment
Timing the cut is the most important step in this recipe. Five minutes out of the oven is the sweet spot — soft enough to slice cleanly, firm enough to hold their shape. Set a timer so you don't forget.
Scale it up
This recipe doubles and triples beautifully. Make two full trays at once and store the extras — they keep well in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week, or freeze for up to 2 months.
Customize the mix-ins
Raisins are optional — swap them for dried cranberries, chopped apricots, sunflower seeds, or mini chocolate chips. The base recipe is very forgiving and works well with almost any add-in of the same volume.
Nutrition per serving
| Nutrient | Amount | Nutrient | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| Calories | 161 kcal | Saturated fat | 1 g |
| Protein | 2 g | Cholesterol | 8 mg |
| Total carbohydrate | 27 g | Sodium | 79 mg |
| Dietary fiber | 1 g | Calcium | 16 mg |
| Total sugars | 16 g | Vitamin C | 0 mg |
| Total fat | 6 g | Potassium | 107 mg |
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