Apricot and Dark Chocolate Bumper Bars

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Easy, homemade bumper bars made from golden syrup, butter, brown sugar, plain flour, rolled oats, desiccated coconut, sunflower seeds, dried apricots and dark chocolate. The perfect snack for school lunch boxes or tramping.

A stack of four oat and fruit granola bars with visible chocolate chunks, placed on a white plate with a blue cloth in the background.

These Apricot & Dark Chocolate Bumper Bars are packed with chewy apricots, crunchy seeds and chunks of rich dark chocolate. Bumper bars are my absolute favourite to take tramping or on long walks. A great lunchbox treat or afternoon snack, they're quick to prepare and keep well in the fridge for easy grab-and-go baking.

Ingredient notes:

Baking ingredients on a counter: containers of flour, oats, brown sugar, coconut; syrup, butter, dried apricots, sunflower seeds, and a block of dark chocolate.

Dried Apricots: Sweet little pops of flavour that balance out the rich chocolate. You could also use dried cranberries, dates or sultanas if you prefer.
Dark Chocolate: I love to use the Whittaker's 50% dark chocolate in this recipe. It's dark enough to complement the sweetness of the dried apricots while not being too bitter. If you prefer though, you can always use milk chocolate or a dark 72% chocolate.
Sunflower seeds: These bulk out the mixture and offer a lovely crunch to the bars.

Note: Scroll to the recipe card for the ingredients, quantities and the full method.

Step by step instructions:

Preheat the oven to 170°C fan bake. Line a 27 x 17 cm slice tin with baking paper. In a large glass bowl, melt the butter and golden syrup in the microwave for 30 seconds. Stir in the brown sugar.

A bowl containing melted butter mixed with brown sugar, creating a smooth, amber-colored liquid.

A glass bowl containing melted butter, shredded coconut, flour, and chopped nuts, ready to be mixed for baking.

Add the flour, oats and coconut, then stir to combine. Add the sunflower seeds, apricots and dark chocolate, then mix until evenly combined.

Chopped dark chocolate, dried apricots, and sunflower seeds in a glass mixing bowl with oat mixture.

A close-up of a bowl containing an unbaked mixture of oats, chopped dried apricots, and chunks of dark chocolate.

Press the mixture into the lined tin. Bake for 20 minutes until just starting to brown around the edges but still soft in the centre.

A rectangular baking dish lined with parchment paper contains an unbaked mixture of oats, dried fruit, and chocolate chunks.

A tray of baked oat and chocolate chip granola bars lined with parchment paper on a gray surface.

Leave to cool in the tin then refrigerate until completely chilled.

Thirteen rectangular oat bars with chocolate chunks and fruit pieces are arranged on parchment paper, some slightly separated or overlapping.

A clear container holds several square oat and chocolate chip cookie bars; a serving utensil is placed to the right inside the container.

Once chilled and set, remove from the tin and slice into bars.

A person holds up a stack of four homemade granola bars with visible chocolate chunks and dried fruit pieces, in a kitchen setting.

Recipe FAQs:

Can I use milk chocolate instead of dark chocolate?

Yes, milk chocolate works well if you prefer a sweeter slice. White chocolate would also pair nicely with the apricots.

Can these be frozen?

Absolutely. Slice into bars first, then freeze in an airtight container with baking paper between layers for up to 3 months.

Why do the bars seem soft after baking?

They are meant to be slightly soft in the centre when removed from the oven. Chilling helps them firm up perfectly.

Storage:

Store the bars in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week. They can also be kept in the pantry for up to 3 days, although the chocolate may soften in warmer weather. Freeze individually wrapped bars for easy lunchbox snacks or quick treats.

Top tips:

Roughly chop the apricots and chocolate into similar-sized pieces so every slice has an even mix throughout.
Don't over bake the slice. The centre should still feel slightly soft when removed from the oven as it will firm up while cooling.
Swap the sunflower seeds for pumpkin seeds or chopped almonds if preferred.

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Apricot & Dark Chocolate Bumper Bars

Yield: 12

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 40 minutes

Easy, homemade bumper bars made from golden syrup, butter, brown sugar, plain flour, rolled oats, desiccated coconut, sunflower seeds, dried apricots and dark chocolate.

Ingredients

150g butter
2 Tbsp golden syrup, 40g
½ cup brown sugar, 100g
1 cup plain flour, 150g
½ cup quick rolled oats
½ cup desiccated coconut
½ cup sunflower seeds, roughly chopped
150g dried apricots, chopped
150g dark chocolate, roughly chopped

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 170°C fan bake. Line a 27 x 17 cm slice tin with baking paper.
In a large glass bowl, melt the butter and golden syrup in the microwave for 30 seconds. Stir in the brown sugar.
Add the flour, oats and coconut, then stir to combine.
Add the sunflower seeds, apricots and dark chocolate, then mix until evenly combined. Press the mixture into the lined tin.
Bake for 20 minutes until just starting to brown around the edges but still soft in the centre.
Leave to cool in the tin then refrigerate until completely chilled.
Once chilled and set, remove from the tin and slice into bars.

Notes

Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week, or in the pantry for up to 3 days.

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 12 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 453Total Fat: 23gSaturated Fat: 12gUnsaturated Fat: 11gCholesterol: 28mgSodium: 735mgCarbohydrates: 58gFiber: 5gSugar: 28gProtein: 7g

Nutritional values are approximate. Please use your own calculations if you require a special diet.

Thank you for checking out this recipe. I hope you enjoy making and eating it! If you have any questions, queries or feedback, please feel free to leave a comment below.
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Vanya