Description
These Homemade Strawberry Nutrigrain Bars are a delightful blend of whole wheat and all-purpose flours, filled with a rich, spiced strawberry and date filling. Perfect for a wholesome snack or breakfast on the go, these bars offer a healthy twist on the classic store-bought version with natural ingredients and no preservatives.
Ingredients
Scale
Dough Ingredients
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup whole wheat flour
- ⅓ cup + 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- ¾ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, very cold and cubed
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 eggs, whisked
Filling Ingredients
- 6 ounces fresh strawberries
- 4 ounces pitted Medjool dates
- ¼ cup spiced rum
- ½ tablespoon honey
- Zest and juice from half of a lemon
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ⅛ teaspoon ground cloves
- ⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- Pinch of salt
Instructions
- Combine dry ingredients and butter: Place both flours, brown sugar, baking powder, and salt into a food processor and pulse to combine. Add the cold, cubed unsalted butter and pulse until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs with pea-sized butter pieces.
- Add wet ingredients and form dough: Add the vanilla extract and about ¾ of the whisked eggs to the mixture. Pulse until the dough comes together and holds when pressed but is not sticky. Add the remaining egg gradually if necessary to achieve proper consistency.
- Chill the dough: Shape the dough into a rectangle, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes up to 2 hours to firm it up for easier handling.
- Prepare oven and filling: Preheat the oven to 350˚F (175˚C). In a small saucepan, combine the strawberries, dates, spiced rum, honey, lemon zest and juice, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, and a pinch of salt, stirring to combine.
- Cook the filling: Bring the filling to a simmer over medium heat, then reduce the heat to low and cook uncovered for about 15 minutes, stirring every few minutes until the mixture thickens to a paste and the liquid evaporates without bubbling.
- Blend the filling: Remove from heat and let cool slightly. Transfer to a food processor or blender and blend until mostly smooth. Place the filling in a piping bag fitted with a round tip.
- Roll out dough portions: On a lightly floured surface, divide the chilled dough into four equal portions. Roll each portion into a 3–4 inch long cylinder, then roll out into a 9-inch by 4-inch rectangle, using a bench scraper to square the edges.
- Pipe filling and fold dough: Pipe two parallel strips of the strawberry-date filling down the center length of each dough rectangle, leaving margins on each end.
- Seal the bars: Fold the dough sides over the filling, pinch the seams and ends firmly to seal completely, then flip the logs seam-side down and gently roll with a rolling pin to flatten and smooth the bars.
- Bake the bars: Place the logs seam-side down on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake in the preheated oven for 18–22 minutes until the bottoms are lightly browned. Cool completely on a wire rack before slicing each log into 4 bars.
Notes
- Use very cold butter to ensure flaky texture in the dough.
- Chilling the dough is crucial for easier rolling and shaping.
- Make sure the filling is thickened adequately to prevent oozing during baking.
- Allow bars to cool fully before slicing to maintain their shape.
- Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days, or refrigerate for longer freshness.
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Snack
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: strawberry nutrigrain bars, homemade snack bars, whole wheat bars, healthy breakfast bars, date and strawberry filling
