Healthier Mocha Oat Bars for Holiday Gifting

Gifting baked goods can be a sign of love during the holidays. It shows the recipient that you care about them enough to put in time and effort to bake. These mocha oat bars are delicious and chewy, and they’re easy to make. They have rich mocha flavor with coffee in the bars, and dark chocolate topping. You’d never guess how much healthier they are than typically holiday cookies and fudge. 

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These mocha oat bars cut back on refined white flour and sugar by adding in whole-grain oats and using smaller amounts of honey for sweetness. Instead of using butter, which is high in artery-clogging saturated fat, they use olive oil, which adds monounsaturated fats. They’re lower-glycemic than most cookies and bars, and they have antioxidants from chocolate.

Variations and Serving Suggestions

• To reduce carbohydrates, use almond flour instead of white flour. Optionally, swap monk fruit or stevia for sugar or honey. 
• For a lighter flavor, use canola oil instead of olive oil. 
• For a gluten-free version, use almond flour instead of white flour, and choose gluten-free oats.
• For a spiced version, add cinnamon or ginger when you add the flour. 
• For holiday flair, stir in dried fruit. 
• For an occasional breakfast treat, serve the squares with berries and cottage cheese or yogurt.
• For a beautiful gift, cut the bars into small squares. Place them on a sturdy paper plate, and wrap them in cellophane. Tie with a ribbon. 

Recipe for Healthier Mocha Oat Bars for Holiday Gifting

Makes 16 bars

Ingredients: 

• 1 cup of old-fashioned rolled or quick-quicking oats
• 1 cup of white flour
• 1-2 tablespoons of instant coffee
• ½ teaspoon of baking powder
• ¼ cup of olive oil
• 2 tablespoons of water or milk
• ¼ teaspoon of salt
• ¼-⅓ cup of honey or packed brown sugar (depending on taste)
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
• ⅓ cup of mini chocolate chips
• Sea salt

Directions: 

1. Preheat your oven to 350°F. Spray an 8 x 8-inch cake pan with cooking spray, or grease it with olive oil. For easier gifting, line the baking pan with foil before using cooking spray so you can lift the bars out using the foil. 
2. Dissolve the instant coffee into the water.
3. In a medium bowl, combine the remaining dry ingredients (flour oats, baking powder, and salt). Add any spices you like here. 
4. In a large bowl, beat together the eggs, olive oil, honey or sugar, and vanilla. Add the coffee.
5. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Stir gently until combined. 
6. Spread the batter in the pan. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. 
7. Remove from the oven and immediately distribute chocolate chips and sea salt evenly over the bars. Let the bars cool completely in the pan. Slice into squares. 

Nutrition information per serving: 120 calories, 5 grams of fat, 1 gram of saturated fat, 20 mg of cholesterol, 100 mg of sodium, 16 grams of carbohydrates, 6 grams of sugar, 1 gram of fiber, 2 grams of protein

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