Opting for a healthy, protein-packed snack midday versus a sugar-laden one is always a great choice! Our California Nut Bars are packed with five types of California-grown seeds and nuts (plus cashews) and are absolutely loaded with flavor! Plus, we are sharing a few more healthy recipes for snacks – with something for every type of snack lover.

***Updated with new information on substitutions and troubleshooting tips

Wholesome goodness to the core! These bars have that distinct crunch of a store-bought energy bar but with a freshness you can’t beat.  Each particular nut or seed has its own unmistakable flavor, coated in sweet maple syrup and just a touch of salt.

Step-by-step how to make Easy California Nut Bark, a healthy recipe for snacks.

When I tell you this recipe is easy, I mean it is E-A-S-Y!! Simply measure, stir, pour, and bake your way to a healthy snack recipe that you can really sink your teeth into.

Gather the ingredients.

Whole, raw, unsalted California pecans, almonds, pistachios, sunflower seeds and pumpkin seeds (pepitas) are what this recipe requires, plus cashews.

We will be baking these ourselves in the oven and adding our own salt, so starting with nuts and seeds that have already been roasted and salted would not be ideal for this recipe.

You will also need maple syrup and salt.

Combine all of the ingredients in a large bowl.

Pour the maple syrup over the ingredients and give everything a good stir.

The goal is to combine all of the pieces and coat everything in the syrup.

Spread the mixture onto a silicone silpat or high quality parchment paper -lined baking sheet

Then, use a spatula to smooth the top. Bake the pan in the preheated oven for 35 minutes at 325° F (165 C).

Let it cool!

Allow to cool completely (for about an hour) in the pan.

Break, cut, or slice the bark into bars.

A note about substitutions…

The beauty of this recipe is its simplicity: The raw nuts and seeds toast while the maple syrup candies, creating a crispy bark as everything cools after baking (just imagine a cross between granola and brittle). It’s also extremely versatile, with some slight modifications. Can’t find raw pumpkin seeds or pistachios? Roasted will do, they’ll just be extra toasty. Don’t like almonds? Swap for more pecans or cashews! You can only find salted sunflower seeds? Those will work, just cut back on how much sea salt you add to the mix. A little judgment is required, but as long as the ratios remain about the same, the result will be delicious.

“What about the maple syrup?”

Another one of the most commonly asked questions we encounter is, “What about the maple syrup?” The short answer is yes, you can replace or reduce it, but it’s not a simple one-to-one swap, and the texture of the final bark won’t be the same. Honey is the closest substitute, but it requires cutting the baking time to 25 minutes to avoid bitterness, and the finished bars will be less crisp and a bit stickier. Molasses can work, but with similar results to honey, and you’ll want to cut the salt in half, as molasses lends more savory tones. For either of these, consider using roasted, unsalted nuts and seeds, since you’re reducing the cook time. Other types of syrups or maple substitutes may work, but we don’t recommend them here as they’re more likely than the others to burn in the oven.

Searching for more healthy recipes for snacks? We have you covered!

Pistachio and Date Raw Bars

We believe a healthy snack recipe should be easy to make, taste delicious, and curb your appetite until mealtime.

Take our Pistachio & Date Raw Bars for example, they are full of good-for-you ingredients like dates and pistachios and only take 10 minutes to make, yet this healthy snack is reminiscent in flavor of a decadent piece of baklava.

Click here for this healthy snack recipe!

Dried Fruit and Nut Super Snack

This healthy recipe for snacks combines three of our favorite things; California grown nuts, dried fruit, and chocolate!

Click here for this healthy snack recipe!

Share your healthy recipes for snacks with us by snapping a pic and tagging us on social using #CAGROWN. 

Craving more CA Grown goodness? Follow us on Pinterest for fresh and fabulous recipe inspo!

Easy California Nut Bark

Susan Philips

The beauty of this recipe is its simplicity: The raw nuts and seeds toast while the maple syrup candies, creating a crispy bark as everything cools after baking (just imagine a cross between granola and brittle). It’s also extremely versatile, with some slight modifications. Can’t find raw pumpkin seeds or pistachios? Roasted will do, they’ll just be extra toasty. Don’t like almonds? Swap for more pecans or cashews! You can only find salted sunflower seeds? Those will work, just cut back on how much sea salt you add to the mix. A little judgment is required, but as long as the ratios remain about the same, the result will be delicious.

What about the maple syrup? The short answer is yes, you can replace or reduce it, but it’s not a simple one-to-one swap, and the texture of the final bark won’t be the same. Honey is the closest substitute, but requires cutting the baking time to 25 minutes to avoid bitterness, and the finished bars will be less crisp and a bit stickier. Molasses can work, but with similar results to honey, and you’ll want to cut the salt in half, as molasses lends more savory tones. For either of these, consider using roasted, unsalted nuts and seeds, since you’re reducing the cook time. Other types of syrups or maple substitutes may work, but we don’t recommend them here as they’re more likely than the others to burn in the oven. 

3.81 from 91 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 5 minutes mins

Cook Time 35 minutes mins

Total Time 40 minutes mins

Course Snack

Cuisine American

Servings 12 servings

Calories 392 kcal

Equipment

• Silicone silpat High quality parchment paper can also be used, but some sweeteners are more prone to sticking to it as they bake

Ingredients

 

US CustomaryMetric

 

1x2x3x

• 1 cup raw almonds
• 1 cup raw pecans
• 1 cup raw cashews
• 1 cup raw pistachios
• 1 cup raw sunflower seeds
• 1 cup pumpkin seeds
• 3/4 cup maple syrup
• 2 tsp sea salt

Instructions

 

• Preheat oven to 325°F (165°C)
• Add all nuts and seeds to a medium bowl and stir to combine.
• Season with salt and stir in the maple syrup.
• Spread the nut mixture in an even layer across the lined baking sheet. Bake for 35 minutes.
• Remove from oven and allow to cool for 1 hour, until the syrup has hardened.
• Transfer the solid sheet from the pan to a cutting board and cut into bars or chunks.

Video

Notes

Store in a sealed container at room temperature for up to 5 days.

Nutrition

Calories: 392kcalCarbohydrates: 26gProtein: 11gFat: 30gSaturated Fat: 3gPolyunsaturated Fat: 9gMonounsaturated Fat: 15gTrans Fat: 0.01gSodium: 392mgPotassium: 458mgFiber: 5gSugar: 15gVitamin A: 54IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 86mgIron: 3mg

Keyword almond, cashew, maple, Pecan, Pistachio, Pumpkin Seeds, sunflower seeds

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