I keep these trail bars refrigerated when I’m at home, but they do hold up well in a day pack when you’re on the go. Mix and bake them at least a day in advance, as they cut more cleanly after resting overnight in the refrigerator. Bars keep for a week or so refrigerated airtight, and they also freeze well.
Photo by Samatha Lord. Published in Edible Bozeman, Fall 2022. Please see my 2013 variation of Jimtown Store’s bars here.
Trail Bars
one 8- by 8-inch pan, approximately 24 bars; adapted from Carrie Brown's Jimtown Store "Energy Bars"
Ingredients
- 1 cup raw sesame seeds
- ¾ cup raw sunflower seeds
- ¾ cup raw pepitas (green pumpkin seeds)
- ¼ cup ground flax meal
- 8 medjool dates, pitted
- 2 cups dried cherries, cranberries, and/or currants
- 1 cup local honey
- 1¾ cups sunflower butter or peanut butter, unsweetened
- ¼ teaspoon salt Maldon
Instructions
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Preheat oven to 200°F. Line an 8- by 8-inch baking pan with a piece of parchment paper, leaving a ½-inch overhang on opposite sides so you can lift out the baked and cooled slab for cutting. Rub a bit of coconut oil on the two pan edges not covered with parchment. Set aside.
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Toast the sesame, sunflower, and pumpkin seeds in a large frying pan over medium heat, then transfer to a large bowl. Sprinkle the ground flax over the dates on a cutting board, then chop the dates into raisin-sized pieces and add to the seeds. Add the dried fruit, honey, and sunflower or peanut butter; mix to combine. Press into prepared pan, smooth the top with a spatula, then sprinkle with the salt.
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Bake for 45 minutes until lightly browned and dry to the touch—do not overbake.
Transfer pan to a cooling rack then place in refrigerator to chill before cutting into bars with a sharp knife. Wrap each individually in parchment or plastic wrap.
