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Crunchies – Traditional South African Oatmeal Cookie Bars

Orna
Crunchy, chewy, toasted-oat-and-coconut squares of goodness
Makes about 48 2-inch bars or 56 smaller bars
4.80 from 5 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Servings 56 bars

Equipment

  • Two half sheet pans (16.5 x 11 inches) (one for cookies, one to protect the bottoms)
  • Parchment paper
  • Rolling Pin (optional)
  • Serrated knife (recommended Victorinox Steak Knife
  • Food Grade Gloves
  • Flexible spatula
  • Digital Kitchen Scale

Ingredients
  

  • 1 cup (227g) unsalted butter or margarine or coconut oil (I use Kerrygold butter for the superior grass-fed flavor)
  • 3 tablespoons (60g) Lyle’s Golden Syrup or honey https://amzn.to/2QBgsrN
  • 4 cups (326g) regular oats (not quick cooking)
  • 3 cups (256g) unsweetened shredded coconut (dessicated coconut)  (recommended Bob’s Red Mill:  https://amzn.to/2UbE2NS) Reduce coconut to 2 ½ cups if using lots of mix-ins.
  • 1 ¼ cups (150g) all-purpose flour (bleached) or white whole wheat flour
  • 1 ¼ cups (242g) granulated sugar
  • ¾ teaspoon fine sea salt or kosher salt
  • 2 teaspoons baking soda (aka bicarbonate of soda)
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ¼ cup (61g) milk or almond milk or oat milk
  • ¾ cup (75g) sunflower seeds, raw or toasted (optional) see additional mix-ins below

Instructions
 

  • Set the oven rack to the middle and preheat the oven to 325 degrees F (160 C) convection (preferably) or standard.
  • Spray one half sheet pan with cooking spray and line with parchment paper with a one-inch overhang all around.
  • Place butter and syrup or honey in a small, microwave safe bowl and microwave about one minute until just melted. Set aside to cool for five minutes.
  • Mix all dry ingredients (except for seeds and other mix-ins) in a large bowl until very well combined. (I used food grade gloves and get in there with my hands!)
  • Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and add the milk and cooled butter mixture and mix very well.
  • Mix in sunflower seeds or other optional mix-ins. Make sure to incorporate all the dry ingredients at the bottom of the bowl.
  • Spread out on the prepared baking sheet. Even out and flatten slightly by hand and then flatten/compact well with a rolling pin or flexible spatula so the cookies won’t flake/break apart. Push down any edges that come up with your fingers or the spatula.
  • Place in preheated oven and set a timer for 30 minutes and a second timer for 15 minutes. After 15 minutes carefully rotate the pan and set it on a second baking sheet; cover loosely with foil.
  • When the first timer goes off (after 25 - 30 minutes) turn the oven down to 300 degrees F and bake an additional 5 - 10 minutes depending on how chewy or crunchy you like them. If they already look golden brown keep the foil on; if they need to brown a bit more remove the foil, but watch very carefully so the tops don’t get overdone.
  • NOTE: They will bake more quickly on convection bake setting so they might be done after 25 - 30 minutes total. They will harden as they cool.
  • Remove from the oven and set on a wire cooling rack for 30 – 40 minutes. (I used to cut them after 10 – 15 minutes but I find it easier to cut them when cool.) Cut into 2-inch squares (you will have 6 x 8 rows with one skinny row of tasters) with a sharp, serrated knife–preferably with a round tip. If they’re difficult to cut, pop them in the freezer for 10 - 20 minutes.
  • If the middle bars are too chewy, put them back on the baking sheet and return to the warm, turned off oven for about twenty minutes.
  • Cool completely and store in an airtight container for one week. Or freeze for three months.

Notes

 
Dairy Free Version:
Substitute coconut oil or margarine (if you must) for the butter and use almond milk or oat milk.
 
Optional additional healthy superfood mix-ins (reduce coconut to 2 ½ cups if using lots of mix-ins):
1 – 2 tablespoons white chia seeds
1 – 2 tablespoons flax seeds
1 – 2 tablespoons white quinoa seeds
1 – 2 tablespoons sesame seeds
½ cup dried cranberries or dried cherries
½ cup cashew pieces or slivered almonds
 
 
Deliciously Decadent Version:
Remove from oven and immediately sprinkle with milk chocolate chips or white chocolate chips and spread evenly with an off-set spatula. Allow to cool and refrigerate until set before cutting into smaller bars.
 
Adapted from “Kook en Geniet” by S.J.A. de Villiers