White Chocolate and Cranberry Muesli Bars

I made two batches of muesli bars in the weekend; these ones and some chocolate ones (from one of the first recipes I posted up on here).  I tried making the muesli bars from similar ingredients so if you want to make both flavours you don’t have to buy lots of different stuff.  I really love the flavour of the cranberries in these bars and the sweetness of the white chocolate.  You can always change up the recipe to suit your tastes too – add in other nuts or fruits.

Makes approximately 18 bars.
2 cups rolled oats
½ cup dried cranberries
½ cup pecans, chopped
½ cup desiccated coconut
½ cup cashew nuts, chopped
½ cup white chocolate chips
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 tablespoons honey
⅓ cup brown sugar
¼ cup reduced fat peanut butter
½ cup chocolate chips, melted
Preheat the oven to 180°C.  Line and grease a 20cm square baking tin with baking paper, allowing the paper to extend over the sides.
Mix the oats, craisins, nuts and coconut together in a bowl.  Combine the butter, sugar, honey and peanut butter in a medium saucepan.  Stir over a medium heat until the mixture is smooth and begins to boil.  Pour the butter mixture over the oat mixture and stir until well coated.  Mix in the chocolate chips.
Transfer to the prepared pan and press the mixture down evenly.  Bake for 30 minutes until the top is golden brown.  Once cooked remove from the oven and cool in the pan.
Using the baking paper as an aid, lift the mixture out of the pan.  Drizzle the melted chocolate over the top and cut into bars once it has set.

Check out the Lunchbox Bakes page for more great lunchtime snack recipes!