Oatmeal Cookie Bars

Known as "Crunchies" in South Africa, these simple oatmeal cookie bars are a true delight. They have an incredible nutty flavor and a satisfyingly crisp texture, making them the perfect treat for any time of day. Enjoy them as a quick breakfast on the go, a midday snack, or a sweet dessert. They are easy to make and guaranteed to disappear fast!

Instructions

1. 1

   To get started, preheat your oven to 325°F (160°C).

2. 2

   In a large mixing bowl, combine the all-purpose flour, oatmeal flakes, desiccated coconut, slivered almonds, ground cinnamon, and nutmeg. Stir everything together until it is well combined.

3. 3

   In a small saucepan, melt the butter over low heat. Once the butter is melted, stir in the golden syrup, sugar, brown sugar, and salt. Heat the mixture until the sugars have completely dissolved, then remove the pan from the heat and stir in the baking soda. The mixture will foam up a bit.

4. 4

   Pour the hot butter mixture over the dry oatmeal mixture in the large bowl. Mix everything together thoroughly until the dry ingredients are fully coated and a cohesive dough is formed.

5. 5

   Firmly press the dough into a greased 8x8-inch baking pan, spreading it out into an even layer.

6. 6

   Place the pan in the preheated oven and bake for 15 minutes. After 15 minutes, reduce the oven temperature to 300°F (150°C) and continue to bake for another 10 minutes, or until the bars are golden brown. The total baking time is 25 minutes.

7. 7

   As soon as you remove the pan from the oven, use a sharp knife to cut the warm bars into squares or diamond shapes. This is important to do while they are still warm, as they will become too brittle to cut cleanly once cooled. Let the bars cool completely in the pan before you remove them.

8. 8

   Store the cooled crunchies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to one week.

Recipe Notes

• If you don't have golden syrup on hand, you can substitute it with a similar liquid sweetener like molasses, corn syrup, maple syrup, agave, or even honey. While the flavor might be slightly different, the recipe will still work beautifully.

• For an even crunchier and thinner cookie bar, you can bake the mixture in a larger 9x13-inch pan instead of the 8x8-inch one. Just be sure to keep an eye on it to avoid over-baking.

• If you’re looking for a healthier alternative, you can replace all but a quarter cup of the brown sugar with two to three mashed bananas and use only one stick of butter. This will reduce the fat and sugar content while adding natural sweetness.

• Remember to cut the bars while they are still warm! They will be easier to slice cleanly before they fully harden and cool down.