Pumpkin Cranberry No-Bake Granola Bars

I was inspired by my friend Deborah over at Gourmetmom in making this dish. She sent me her fantastic seed cookies last month as part of the Foodie Pen Pals program we belong to and I wanted to create something just as healthy and delicious!

Prunes come together quickly in the food processor.

I made my own pumpkin butter, added prunes, flax, chia seeds etc. My 9 year old LOVES these bars - which means, of course, there is no way in H-E-double hockey sticks that I am going to tell her there are prunes or pumpkin seeds in them because she tells me she hates both!

They are packed with nutrition with a hint of sweetness and best of all no baking involved if you buy toasted pumpkin seeds!

Ingredients

2 cups pitted prunes
1/2 c pumpkin butter
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup maple syrup
1/4 cup vegetable oil
3/4 cup pumpkin seeds
3/4 cup sweetened cranberries
3 cups oats
2 tbsp ground flax
1 tbsp chia seeds
2 tsp pumpkin spice

Instructions

1. Spray a 9 x 11 pan with baking spray and cover the bottom and 2 sides with parchment. Spray parchment again. This will make it easier to remove the bars later.
2. Place prunes in food processor and pulse until they are well chopped and starting to look well mashed.
3. Heat honey, maple syrup, oil and pumpkin butter over medium low heat until it is well combined and just beginning to simmer.
4. If desired toast oats in oven at 350 degrees F for 8 minutes.
5. Place oats, prunes, spice, flax, chia, pumpkin seeds and cranberries in bowl and combine well.
6. Add warmed honey mixture and stir until well combined being careful not to burn yourself.
7. Place mixture in pan and gently spread until even and about 1 inch thick.
8. If you don't have a 9 x 11 pan you can use a 9 x 13 and just make them thinner or don't spread all the way out. The mixture is stiff enough that you can easily shape it to the length you desire.
9. Let sit until room temperature or place in fridge for a few hours before cutting into bars. I usually make 28 small bars.

These can also be frozen.