Peanut Butter Flax Nut Oat Bars

I love Starbucks. I know there are tons of other coffee companies out there, but I still favour this one. Why?

I like the consistency. I like to know what I am getting. And I love those damn Oat Bars!!!

Yes, the famous Oat Bar. I started this relationship with the Oat Bar and the Flax Oat Bar when I worked for Starbucks in Victoria, BC. At that time (and I think still now), the baked goods were supplied by Cakes Etc, a local bakery.

And they made that "to die for" huge, square Oat Bar and the less famous, but just as good if not better, Flax Oat Bar. I remember putting these yummy bars in little brown paper bags for endless numbers of customers. Then, during my break, I would line up with everyone else to enjoy one with my coffee.

That was more than 10 years ago. And today, I still fondly think about those Oat Bars. Unfortunately, the oat bars here in Vancouver have been reduced to a smaller, rectangle sort, although still delicious, but the flax oat bar is never to be found.

So, I decided to start making my own oat bars. I started with neither a traditional oat bar nor a flax oat bar. This one is a peanut butter, flax and nut oat bar.

It ended up being less oat-y than the traditional, with the peanut butter taking centre stage followed by the almonds. Absolutely delicious, but not really an Oat Bar. This one was also a little more of a crumbly texture than chewy like the real thing.  Perhaps next time I will try to replicate the real thing!

Peanut Butter Flax Nut Oat Bars

Makes 1 - 9" by 13" pan of bars (cut into 20 squares)

1/4 cup Butter, melted

1/2 cup Honey

1/2 cup Natural Peanut Butter

1/3 cup Whole Milk

1 Egg

1/2 tsp Vanilla Extract

3 cups Quick Cooking Oats

1/3 cup Slivered Almonds

1/3 cup Unsalted Sunflower Seeds

1/3 cup Flax Seeds

1/2 tsp Salt

1/2 tsp Ground Cinnamon

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9" by 13" pan and set aside.

In a large bowl, mix together melted butter, honey, peanut butter, milk, egg and vanilla.

Stir in the rest of the ingredients and mix thoroughly.

Push the mixture into the pre-greased pan so that it is tightly packed.

Bake for 25-30 minutes until brown on the edges.