Crunchies (South African)
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:
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!
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! ️✨
Made these last night they’re delicious. I reduced the amount of sugar by half and they all have a good amount of sweetness.
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! ️
Absolutely divine, thank you
I’m glad that you love this as much as I do. Thanks for taking the time to comment.
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!
Amazing!!!!! That looks absolutely delicious!! Glad you loved it. Looking forward to you trying more of my recipes.
This looks really great!
Is it possible to freeze them?
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.
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.
Great to hear that. Thank you for your love and support:) Happy Thanksgiving!!!
If we wanted to use other ingredient instead of sliced almonds, what would be the perfect substitute?
Any crunchy nut will work. Brazil nuts, hazelnuts (filberts), cashews, or peanuts. Please let me know what you used and how it turned out.❤️
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!
Sound great, Thank you for your feedback
Excellent recipe! Easy to make and tastes delicious
Thank you for your feedback, Stay tuned and find more amazing recipes on the blog. I am sure you would love them also 🙂
Mine were very dry and crumbled
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.
awesome
I just tried my first attempt using this recipe but I substituted sliced almonds with sunflower seeds. I can’t get enough ot this. My family enjoyed the taste. I’ll definitely bake more of these ❤️❤️❤️
Woohoo! I’m glad you love this, Nonhle, as much as I do. And that’s a great substitute, by the way. Will try that some other time.
Can you add melted chocolate on top of this?
Yes, you can. Now you got me thinking of making one soon. =)
What type of oatmeal works best?
Mine came out like cake I really don’t know what is wrong
Hi Amanda! You can adjust the baking time, maybe add 10 minutes for cooking time. while checking if it’s cooked every 5 minutes. Make sure to preheat the oven and check its temperature too. I hope this helps! 🙂
Hi tried this for the first time, they tasted delicious but a little on the dry side. I baked in oven 15 mins 180 deg C than 10 mins at 160. Any tips on keeping them a bit moister?
Hi Jess! I can’t really say why it came out try but you can try adjusting your cooking time and temp and check your butter 🙂
It’s a Crunchie, Not a Moistie.
I’m South African and have been making and eating crunchies since a kid (over 50 years), but this recipe is simply one of the best I ever made.
That is sweet! Thanks, Martin 🙂
Thank you! Made this twice now and it’s so perfect and easy. I just used brown sugar, no white and left it on 160C for 28mins in thermofan oven as they were quite thick in the dish I used – still amazing!
Thank you for sharing your method. Glad you love this as much as I do.
I just made this recipe minutes ago. I melted my ingredients on the stove. And added the baking soda which made it puff up and then back down. I wasn’t sure to keep it on the burner as the mixture was slowly turning brown so I removed it BIG mistake as the mixture then hardened. So I placed it back on the burner to liquid again. it seemed fine but then it wasn’t together consist. It was really crumbly. So I added a bit more honey and mixed really well. Awaiting the results. I added pumpkin seeds, as well as almond extract and used almond flour in place of flour.
Wow, what an easy recipe and oh so delicious .
Great! I am glad it was a hit with you, Zaheda!
Hi
I made a batch but it’s all crumbly, what can I bind it with?
Hi Lydia! Try adding a little more honey and then freeze before cutting.