Crunchies- South African Oatmeal Bar- Nutty, buttery, Sweet, and Crunchy – quite a treat these little wonders.
If you are one of those that dislike granola bars – I am going to say give this will make you a convert. They beat granola bar hands down. What sets them apart is the flavor- they are sweet, salty, crunchy, spicy, buttery and Naughty- How about Coconuttty?
Do you fall under the 1% that’s not addicted to sugar but still try some of my sugary recipes, guess what? This crunchy bar is for you, too! Yes, a sweet oatmeal bar that appeals to both the sugar addicts and the healthy peeps! My kind of peeps – just so you know, I fall under both categories.
They are also very adaptable for the healthy peeps- throw in some pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, and raisins. I have been playing around with gluten free flour and made a batch with rice flour and it worked out great- so if you want a gluten free snack, switch up the flour with rice flour.
All the guilt of these crunchies could be off set the by using some of the afore mentioned ingredients. Double up on these during this valentine season and pass it on.
If you want super crunchy bars make them slightly thinner and bake until they are golden brown.
Store in an airtight container for up to a week.
Enjoy!
Crunchies
Ingredients
- 6 ounces (170g) butter
- 1½ tablespoons golden syrup or honey
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ cup (100g) granulated sugar
- ¼ cup (50g) brown sugar
- ½-1 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup dried shredded coconut
- ⅓ cup sliced almonds
- 1½ cups oats
- 1¼ cups flour
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon nutmeg
Instructions
- Prepare an 8x8 or 9x13 baking pan/sheet if you want thin crunchies. Grease or spray with cooking oil. Set aside.
- Melt butter, syrup, brown sugar, sugar, and salt in a saucepan until completely melted. You may do this in a microwave-safe bowl. Then add baking soda and mix.
- Combine the remaining ingredients in a large bowl – oatmeal, flour, coconut, sliced almonds, and spices. Thoroughly mix.
- Pour the butter mixture into the bowl of oatmeal mixture and mix well.
- Press the mixture into the greased baking pan. You can use parchment paper to smooth it out.
- Start baking at 325℉ (160℃) for 10-15 minutes, then finish at 300℉ (150℃) for another 10 minutes or until golden brown, depending on your oven. Start checking after 20 minutes. Remove, let it cool completely, then cut into squares and serve. It will keep in an airtight container for up to a week.
Tips & Notes:
- The recipe was updated from 8 ounces of butter to 6 ounces. I've tried it several times with less butter, and it works great.
- You can increase the baking time by about ten more minutes to get it really crunchy.
- Please remember that the nutritional information is a rough estimate and can vary significantly based on the products used in the recipe.
Nutrition Information:
Jan sorensen says
Great recipe. I cooked it longer than suggested to get the correct crunch.
Imma says
Awesome! Thank you for the feedback, Jan.
Fiona Ingham says
I am South African and this is hands down the best recipe I have used. I doubled the quantities and it worked beautifully. I cut the sugar by a few tablespoons- other than that – it was perfect.
Imma says
Awesome! I am so glad this worked out for you, Fiona :)!
Rebecca Hayes says
I’m making the Crunchies today, and I need to know if I can use the treacle sugar that I brought back from South Africa in place of American brown sugar. Thanks
ImmaculateBites says
Hi Rebecca!
Yes, you can use treacle sugar in place of American brown sugar when making Crunchies. Treacle sugar, with its rich, slightly molasses-like flavor, is a great substitute. It’ll add a deeper, caramel-like taste to your Crunchies, which can be quite delightful. Just keep in mind that treacle sugar may be a bit stickier and moister than American brown sugar, so the texture of your Crunchies might be slightly different, but still delicious. Enjoy your baking!
Linda from North Carolina says
Should the coconut be sweetened or unsweetened?
ImmaculateBites says
Hi Linda!
I have used both variety and it works out just fine .
Odette Coiner says
For 15 slices your recipe says 1 1/2 tablespoon of syrup. When I adjust for 30 slices it changes to 11 tablespoons of syrup. So am I reading the 1 1/2 correct? Thank you.
Imma says
Sorry about that Odette. It was a technical issue and has been fixed. Please let me know how the recipe turns out for you:)
Larissa B says
I’ve made crunchies a few times for my South African husband but never tried a recipe with cinnamon and nutmeg so thought I’d give this a go. He loved it! This is now my new go to, it’s quick cheap and filling. I swapped 1/2c oats for rice crispies for extra crunch and made a huge trayful. Definitely going into my regular rotation!
ImmaculateBites says
Hi Larissa ,
That’s fantastic to hear! I’m so glad your husband loved the twist on the classic crunchies with the addition of cinnamon and nutmeg. Spices like these can add a whole new layer of flavor and warmth to a recipe.
Swapping out some oats for rice crispies is a brilliant idea for extra crunch! It’s those little tweaks that make a recipe uniquely yours.
Thank you for sharing your experience and your creative adaptation. I’m thrilled to know that this recipe has earned a spot in your regular rotation. Keep cooking and keep experimenting! ️✨
Pewa says
Made these last night they’re delicious. I reduced the amount of sugar by half and they all have a good amount of sweetness.
ImmaculateBites says
Hi Pewa,
That’s fantastic to hear! I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe and found it delicious. It’s always great to know when someone successfully tweaks a recipe to suit their own taste. Reducing the sugar and still achieving the right level of sweetness? That’s a win in my book! ✨
Your feedback is invaluable, not just for me but for others who might want to cut back on sugar too. Thanks for sharing your experience, and keep those culinary experiments coming. Happy cooking! ️
Charmaine says
Absolutely divine, thank you
Imma says
I’m glad that you love this as much as I do. Thanks for taking the time to comment.
Fran Martin says
I’ve made every single crunchie recipe ever, but THIS was DELICIOUS! I made two pans, one I did the recommended 20 min baking time and they came out crunchy but still soft in the middle(YUM). Second pan I left in for an extra 4 minutes and they were super crunchy but still held beautifully. Also added some peanut butter drizzle and chocolate chips on top. I pop them in the freezer for a super crunchy sweet and cold bite! Thank you for the recipe!
Imma says
Amazing!!!!! That looks absolutely delicious!! Glad you loved it. Looking forward to you trying more of my recipes.
Mary Pryce says
This looks really great!
Is it possible to freeze them?
Imma says
They are great. Yes, you can freeze them. Layering them between waxed or parchment paper makes them easier to get out of the freezer one at a time.
1 Park Road says
I make these for guests in my Bed and Breakfast, they are a hit. Melt a slab of aero chocolate and with a fork drizzle the chocolate over the cooled crunchies. Might have to refrigerate for a few mins for the chocolate to set. Converted the recipe into a Thermomix one – such a pleasure to do them now.
Imma says
Great to hear that. Thank you for your love and support:) Happy Thanksgiving!!!
Luis says
If we wanted to use other ingredient instead of sliced almonds, what would be the perfect substitute?
Imma says
Any crunchy nut will work. Brazil nuts, hazelnuts (filberts), cashews, or peanuts. Please let me know what you used and how it turned out.❤️
Dani van Wyk says
I have been trawling websites trying to find the perfect crunchie recipe, and at last I’ve found the golden nugget! Huzzah. And it stood up to my meddlesome instinct to go rogue and add whimsically. Thank you so much!
Imma says
Sound great, Thank you for your feedback
Marion says
Excellent recipe! Easy to make and tastes delicious
Imma says
Thank you for your feedback, Stay tuned and find more amazing recipes on the blog. I am sure you would love them also 🙂
Jill ranson says
Mine were very dry and crumbled
imma africanbites says
Sorry to hear about that, Jill. I can’t really say why it came out dry but you can try adjusting your butter, cooking time, and oven temp.