Confession time: I’m a little bit obsessed with Martie. You know, that online store that sells overstock, high-quality products nearing their expiration dates at a discount? It’s a win-win-win: companies reduce waste, shoppers get great deals, and the environment benefits.
But here’s the thing about Martie: it’s a dangerous place for someone with a snack-loving weakness like mine. I can spend hours browsing their virtual aisles, discovering all sorts of tempting treats. That’s how I stumbled upon Simple Mills Soft Baked Bars.
These bars are seriously good. They’re low in sugar, made with wholesome ingredients, and they keep you feeling full and energized for hours. But subscribing to a weekly delivery felt like a commitment, so I decided to take matters into my own hands and create my own version.
(Besides, who am I kidding? I never met a baking project I didn’t like.)
After some experimenting in my kitchen, I landed on this recipe for Mini-Batch Soft Baked Bars. They’re inspired by Simple Mills, but with my own twist. And let me tell you, they’re amazing. They have that same soft, chewy texture, the perfect amount of sweetness, and they’re packed with wholesome ingredients like nuts, seeds, and oats.
Even Gav, my not-a-morning-person husband, was impressed. He actually woke up enough to declare that they have the “best texture.” (Between you and me, I think mine are even better than the original. They’re so smooth and melt in your mouth! 😉)
The Mini-Batch Advantage:
This recipe makes just four bars, which is perfect for a quick snack or a small treat. No need to worry about a whole box tempting you from the pantry!
Wholesome Goodness:
These bars are made with simple, wholesome ingredients like almond flour, oats, nuts, and a touch of maple syrup for sweetness. They’re a great source of protein and fiber, and they’re free of refined sugar and artificial ingredients.
Easy and Versatile:
This recipe is incredibly easy to make, and you can customize it to your liking. Add your favorite mix-ins, swap out the nut butter, or experiment with different flavors. The possibilities are endless!
Hope you try these and let me know!
Mini-batch Soft Baked Bars
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp mashed banana (30 g) sub applesauce or pumpkin puree
- 1 tbsp + 1 tsp maple syrup (28 g) sub 1 tsp maple syrup for molasses for a deeper flavor
- 2 tsp nut/seed butter (10 g)
- 2 tsp any oil (10 g) sub more nut/seed butter, I used melted coconut oil for flavor
- 1/2 cup flour (60 g) gf all purpose if desired, oat flour works best, you can probably sub half of it for (plant-based) protein powder
- 1/4 cup almond flour (28 g) you can probably sub more oat flour
- 1/8 tsp baking powder
- pinch of salt
- (optional) nuts/seeds/chocolate to decorate or mix-in
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F and line a cookie sheet with parchment.
- In a medium bowl whisk together mashed banana, maple, nut butter, oil until well blended.
- Add all other ingredients and combine until you have a soft non-sticky cookie dough. If too dry add a drop of water, if too wet and sticky add a pinch more flour and stir again.
- Using your palms, shape into bars or cookies, and (optional) decorate tops how you like.
- Bake 12-13 mins for the best soft-baked texture, let them cool completely.
- Enjoy!
Which nut butter do you recommend?
I use almond butter, peanut butter (the natural drippy kind, not the one with sugar and palm oil and is like a paste) or sunbutter in general. They will all work great and produce very similar results, just a slightly different flavor. hope you give this a try and let me know!