Equipment
Ingredients
Dry Base
- 250 g rolled oats, whole, not instant
- 60 g all-purpose flour
- 2 g kosher salt
Binding Syrup
- 115 g unsalted butter, cubed
- 100 g light brown sugar, packed
- 85 g honey
- 5 ml vanilla extract
Nutrition (per serving)
Method
Preheat the oven to 175 degrees Celsius (350 degrees Fahrenheit). Line a 20cm square baking pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on two sides for easy removal later.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the rolled oats, all-purpose flour, and kosher salt. Toss well to ensure the salt and flour are evenly distributed among the oats.
In a medium saucepan over medium-low heat, combine the unsalted butter, light brown sugar, and honey. Heat gently, stirring constantly with a spatula, until the butter is completely melted and the sugar has dissolved into a smooth syrup.
Remove the saucepan from the heat and stir in the vanilla extract. Pour the hot liquid over the dry oat mixture. Use the spatula to fold everything together thoroughly until no dry spots remain and all oats are coated in syrup.
Transfer the mixture to the prepared baking pan. Using the spatula or the bottom of a measuring cup, firmly compress the mixture into an even layer, pressing tightly into the corners.
Bake in the preheated oven at 175 degrees Celsius (350 degrees Fahrenheit) for 22 to 25 minutes. The edges should appear deep golden brown while the center remains slightly soft.
Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely in the pan for at least 2 hours. Once entirely cool, use the parchment overhang to lift the slab onto a cutting board and slice into 12 even bars.
Chef's Notes
- For impeccably clean and professional-looking slices, chill the completely cooled oat slab in the refrigerator for 30 to 45 minutes before cutting with a heavy, sharp chef knife.
- Do not substitute instant or quick-cooking oats for traditional rolled oats. Instant oats will absorb the syrup too rapidly, resulting in a mushy paste rather than maintaining distinct, chewy grains.
- This is a highly versatile base recipe. You can safely fold in 50g of mix-ins like mini chocolate chips, dried cranberries, or toasted seeds immediately before pressing the mixture into the pan.
- Browning the butter slightly before adding the sugar and honey introduces a complex, nutty flavor profile that elevates these simple bars significantly.
Storage
Refrigerator: 2 weeks — Store in an airtight container with parchment paper between layers.
Freezer: 3 months — Wrap bars individually in parchment paper, then place in a sealed freezer bag.
