Cranberry Pecan Oatmeal Bars
I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.
During the holidays it seems as if all I do is baking, which isn’t a bad thing! I love to make cakes, cookies and treats for my family and friends so during the last few months of the year I take advantage of the cooler temperatures, turn on the oven and bake all day. The best part about making treats for your friends and family is that you get to eat them together!
But eating treats for two months straight can be tough on my waistline, so I try to use ingredients like I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter!® to lighten up some of my recipes. It is made from real, simple ingredients you can recognize and contains 0g trans fat per serving, no cholesterol, and no partially hydrogenated vegetable oils. Today’s recipe was inspired by the I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter!® Oatmeal Raisin Bars that I found on their website. I wanted to change it up a little to bring some of my favorite holiday flavors into the mix, so I added cranberries, pecans, and maple flavoring. Sounds good, right? Let’s get started!
Ingredients:
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 cups uncooked old fashioned oats
- 1 tsp. baking soda
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
- 1 cup I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter!® Spread
- 1 cup packed brown sugar
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tsp. maple extract
- 2 cups dried cranberries
- 1/2 cup chopped pecans
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray 13 x 9-inch baking pan with non-stick cooking spray. Mix flour, oats, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon in a medium-size bowl and set aside.
In a large bowl, mix I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter!® Spread with sugars using an electric mixer on low until all ingredients are well incorporated. Add eggs and maple extract, mix well.
Next, slowly add the flour mixture to the sugar mixture and stir until mixed well.
Stir in cranberries and pecans, then spread the batter into the prepared pan.
Bake for 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted 1-inch from edge comes out clean. Cool completely on a wire rack, then cut into bars.
These bars are not cake-like, they are thick and chewy bars meant for snacking! I’ve been warming them in the microwave in the mornings and spreading a bit of I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter!® Spread on top for breakfast. They taste great with a big cup of hot coffee, and the cranberries make me think of Christmas!
I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter!® Spread is offered in the Original, Light, and Olive Oil varieties. It is made from real, simple ingredients you can recognize like a delicious blend of plant-based oils, purified water, and a pinch of salt. For more recipes like the one I shared today, be sure to visit the I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter!® website.
