Maple Almond Muesli Bars (gluten-free)

Ingredients

1 3/4 cups (160g) quick oats (make sure they are certified gluten-free if necessary)
3/4 cup (100g) almonds, coarsely chopped
1/4 cup (35g) sunflower seeds
1/4 cup (35g) pumpkin seeds
1/4 cup (30g) cacao nibs
2 tbsp (18g) flax seeds
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
2 tbsp (28g) unsalted butter
1/4 cup (60ml) smooth almond butter or peanut butter
1/2 cup (120ml) LBMT Amber Rich Maple Syrup
2 tbsp (30g) packed dark brown sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1/3 cup (50g) chopped dried apricots (about 6 apricots)

Preheat oven to 325°F. Line an 8x8-inch pan with parchment paper leaving enough overhang along the sides for lifting the bars out after baking.
Toss together quick oats, chopped almonds, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, cacao nibs, flax seeds and ground cinnamon in a large bowl. Set aside.
Combine butter, almond or peanut butter, maple syrup and brown sugar in a small saucepan and place over medium-low heat. Stir until melted and smooth and then bring to a simmer. Once bubbling, let it simmer for 30 seconds. Remove from heat, stir in salt and then pour this into the bowl with the oat mixture and stir until everything is evenly coated.
Scrape mixture into prepared pan, pressing it down evenly and firmly (this will help create less crumbly bars). Use the bottom of a measuring cup to pack and press it firmly to make an even, compact slab. Bake for 25-30 minutes until the surface is golden brown. It should still feel slightly soft when pressed lightly in the center. Transfer pan to a wire rack and let cool completely in the pan at room temperature before slicing into bars. Makes 10-12 bars.

For neat and clean slices, chill the slab in the refrigerator for 30 minutes before cutting into bars.
Store bars in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week, or in the fridge for up to two weeks.
For crunchy bars, store them in the fridge.