This recipe is TOO GOOD not to make. Seriously, if you like the Nature Valley Oat n’ Honey bars, you will fall in love at first bite with these homemade creations that are pretty easy and muy delicioso. The recipe originally came from Heatherchristo.com, which I found on Pinterest.

My mom and I made these bars together for our awesome (and painful) 10 mile hike on Friday. Trail mix always seems like the perfect go-to fuel for long hikes, and these bars are like bringing all the trail mix flavors together for an on-the-go snack. The flavors were fantastic for fall, and the butterscotch is really powerful and sweet! Good combo of nuts, seeds, sweet and salty going on here :)

You will need a large bowl and the following:

• 4 cups rolled oats
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 3/4 cup pure pumpkin
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup honey
• 2 (heaping) tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 1/3 cup slivered almonds
• 1/2 cup of pepitas (or sunflower seeds)
• 1 (11 oz) bag of butterscotch chips (chocolate or white chocolate would be just fine!)
• Optional: shredded coconut, dried cranberries, cherries, or pineapple

1. First, in a LARGE bowl, combine oats, oil, pumpkin, brown sugar, honey, cinnamon and salt.

2. Throw the pepitas and almonds in to the mix.

3. Add in butterscotch chips and any additional fillings.

4. Line a 9 x 13″ baking sheet with parchment paper; evenly spread the granola mixture onto the parchment paper and use a spatula to flatten it as much as possible.

Best with a warm cup of coffee!

5. Bake at 325 degrees for 30 minutes. Remove from oven and use spatula again to press down and flatten the sheet of granola. Place back in the oven for an additional 20 minutes.

6. Let cool completely!

7. Slice into bars; make approximately 24.

These bars do go soft after storing in a container or plastic bags, so they are best wrapped individually before storing in an air-tight container.

The oat texture, the bites of almonds and pepitas, the sweet butterscotch chips – it’s ridiculously good. So good that I’ve had two a day since Friday. With coffee of course.

How good would these be just broken up in a bowl with milk, eaten with a spoon? Mmm I think I just found my next breakfast for when I return home over winter break ;)

Don’t forget to pin these here: