Ingredients
1¾cupsold-fashioned oats,or quick-cooking oats
1tspcinnamon,ground
½tspfine sea salt,if using regular table salt, scale back a bit
2cupsmix-ins,such as nuts , seeds, chocolate, shredded coconut, or dried fruit
1cupcreamy peanut butter,or almond butter
½cuphoney,or maple syrup
1tspvanilla extract
Preparation
Line a 9-inch square baker with two strips of crisscrossed parchment paper, cut to fit neatly against the base and up the sides. The parchment paper will make it easy to slice the bars later.
Place the oats in a large mixing bowl. Add the cinnamon and salt, and stir to combine. Set aside.
Process the mix-ins briefly in the food processor or blender (or chop them by hand). Add any large nuts (like almonds or pecans) first and blitz for a few seconds.
Then add the rest and run the machine for a few more seconds, until the ingredients are all broken up into pieces smaller than the pinky nail. Pour the mix-ins into the bowl of oats.
In a 2-cup liquid measuring cup, measure out the peanut butter. Top with ½ cup of honey and the vanilla extract. Stir until well blended.
If needed, gently warm the liquid mixture on the stovetop or in the microwave, but make sure it’s close to room temperature before you pour it into the dry mixture (this is especially important if using chocolate since it will melt).
Pour the liquid ingredients into the dry ingredients. Use a big spoon to mix them together, until the two are evenly combined and no dry oats remain. If the mixture was easy to mix together, add more oat. Sprinkle in more oats until it can’t be incorporated anymore.
Transfer the mixture to the prepared square baker. Use a spoon to arrange the mixture fairly evenly in the baker, then use the bottom of a flat, round surface (like a short, sturdy drinking glass) to pack the mixture down as firmly and evenly as possible.
Cover the baker and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, or preferably overnight. (The oats need time to soak up some of the moisture so they aren’t sticky.)
When ready to slice, lift the bars out of the baker by grabbing both pieces of parchment paper on opposite corners. Use a sharp knife to slice the bars into 4 even columns and 4 even rows.
Wrap individual bars in plastic wrap or parchment paper (if stored all together, they will stick to one another). Bars keep well for several days at room temperature, a couple of weeks in the fridge, or several months in a freezer-safe bag in the freezer for best flavor.
