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.
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.
If you like the sound of these, you might also be interested in our Oaty Chocolate Chunk Cookie Bars.
Ingredient notes:
- 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.
*Gluten free alternative: To make these bars gluten free, simply substitute the oats for half a cup of crushed gluten free Weetbix or rice flakes, as well as replacing the plain flour for gluten free flour.
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.
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 - at least 3 hours, preferably overnight.
Once chilled and set, remove from the tin and slice into bars.
Recipe FAQs:
Yes, milk chocolate works well if you prefer a sweeter slice. White chocolate would also pair nicely with the apricots.
Absolutely. Slice into bars first, then freeze in an airtight container with baking paper between layers for up to 3 months.
They are meant to be slightly soft in the centre when removed from the oven. Chilling helps them firm up perfectly.
Yes of course! Feel free to use your favourite dried fruits and style of chocolate. For inspiration, be sure to check out our Banana and Dark Chocolate Bumper Bars as well as our Berry and White Chocolate Bumper Bars.
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.
Related Recipes:
Made this recipe?
Please click on the stars below to rate it or, write a review!
Apricot & Dark Chocolate Bumper Bars
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 for at least 3 hours, or preferably overnight until 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: 1Amount 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.
If you don't already follow me, head over to my Instagram, Facebook or TikTok pages to keep up to date with all my new recipes.
Vanya
Tayla says
Would these be cheaper than store bought muesli bars? Do you know the cost per serve please?
VJ cooks says
Absolutely! One bumper bar retails for about $3.40 whereas you can make the whole slice for roughly $12. The recipe makes 12 bars so that's $1 per bar!
Francene says
This tastes so much like the actual bumper bars. I’m about to make by second batch and some for my parents and sister. Gonna try with cranberries and white chocolate too I think. Def a recipe will be making a lot.
VJ cooks says
I know, they're so nostalgic! Thanks for your comment, Francene 🙂
Andrea says
These were VERY nice. Oh my gosh. Make them! Am going to do the banana ones tomorrow
Paula McKay says
Can I swap out the corn syrup with maple syrup? Honey?
VJ cooks says
You can leave it out and just add an extra tablespoon of brown sugar.
Katrina says
Love these, they've turned into a lunchbox staple for my two boys and I! Always good finding a recipe that both boys will actually eat. Thank you!
VJ cooks says
Mine too! Although not all of them make it into the lunchboxes eep!
Caroline says
Thanks for this recipe! I think the flour weight might be off? I think it’s 120g? I did 150 and it’s very dry.
VJ cooks says
Sorry I'm not sure where you've gone wrong! The flour weight is definitely correct. Ensure you press the slice down firmly into the tin before baking, then allow a decent amount of time to set. 3 hours or preferably overnight.
Michelle Smith says
does it work with marg? for dairy free
VJ cooks says
I haven't tried it myself but I think it would work. Let me know how you get on.
Lou says
If I had let the mixture cool before adding the chocolate it would have been better as the chocolate mostly melted before I put it in the tin. Will be yummy though!
Sea says
These were my favourite as a child. Now I live in Aus thought I'd give them a go so I did & ended up eating the entire tray. Wonderful recipe, trying them with gluten free flour from woolies now. Thank you..
VJ cooks says
This recipe should come with a warning - very easy to eat the whole tray sorry! I've made them several times with gluten free flour and gluten free Weetbix to replace the oats. They are just as good 🙂
Beryl says
Thanks for the recipe. I'm looking forward to making these energy bars and hope they are a winner with the teenagers.
Olivia Kennedy says
These look wonderful. I used to love the bought ones but now both coconut and apricots set my tummy off! I saw that cranberries would work instead of apricots. Any ideas about a coconut substitute? Thanks as always!
VJ cooks says
You could increase the oats and sunflower seeds as a substitute for the coconut.
Ange says
Thanks for sharing on your Facebook page. I have 4 boys aged 10 - 17 so always looking for ways to stretch my money as finding a box of muesli bars vanish almost instantly lol
VJ cooks says
Oh I love this, thank you for your feedback. These bars are insanely delicious. And the cost breakdown does help for budgeting.
Belinda says
What would you substitute the oats for to make Gf? Thanks!
VJ cooks says
Some readers have commented that they've used rice flakes or gluten free weetbix as a substitute for oats.
Jude Grant says
Made these today. Doubled the recipe and cooked in a roasting dish. Came out perfectly. Also did one lot of apricot and milk chocolate, the next batch was white chocolate and cranberry. Tastes better than any shop bought bars for sure. Will be making these again for sure. Thanks. PS Huge fan. Always using your books and can't wait for the fourth book.
VJ cooks says
Amazing, thank you so much for the lovely feedback Jude. Great to have you here!
Renee says
Just realised I forgot golden syrup for this! Is there a substitute or will it wreck the flavour?
VJ cooks says
You could use honey.
Bremner says
These are absolutely delicious!! I made a wee tweak as I really love the apricot flavour so I subsisted 1 of the 2 Tablespoons of Golden syrup
For Apricot Jam , which amplified the apricot deliciousness! I love the tart Otago apricots and dark chocolate combo - yes the apricots are more expensive than the cheaper Turkish? soft varieties but because they are so tart and “apricoty” (that’s totally a word lol) they go further so you use less.
11/10 🙂
Cara says
Hi, do you need the sugar in it? Thanks
VJ cooks says
Yes. The sugar not only adds sweetness, but it also helps the bars to bind together. You can reduce the sugar to whatever your preference is, bearing in mind it may result in a crumblier bar. It may be a case of trial and error until you get the balance right for your specific taste preference and the structural integrity of the bars
Siobhan O’Hara says
Would these freeze well?
VJ cooks says
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.
Sara says
Raspberry white chocolate fans in our house - I doubled the batch, and subbed apricot and seeds for 1 cup of frozen raspberries, plus added extra 1/4 cup of oats. Baked for extra 5 mins and turned out perfectly - so yum! Doubling the batch fit a sponge roll tin and most of a loaf tin for me.
VJ cooks says
Great tips! So pleased to hear you enjoyed them, Sara.
Rachel says
These look great, if I’m not a fan of coconut I am assuming I can just add more oats instead? Thanks
VJ cooks says
Yes absolutely.
Charlotte says
Love this recipe. We made it with dried strawberries and added buckwheat for extra crunch
VJ cooks says
Oh yum, great combo!
Lucy Mack says
I didn’t have any apricots so I swapped for dried cranberries and half dark chocolate, half white chocolate. Turned out great!
VJ cooks says
Yum! That sounds delicious!
Alisha says
Hey,
I followed your recipe and made gluten free bumper bars. I exchanged the rolled oats for rice flakes and the flour for Edmonds gluten free flour. They were delicious. Thank you.
VJ cooks says
Oh that's great to know! I'm sure many people will be pleased to hear that. Do the rice flakes soften in the mixture? They're quite crunchy raw?
Alisha says
Yes, they did soften up. This was the first time I have used them as a substitute for rolled oats and they did the job beautifully.
VJ cooks says
That's great to know! Thanks for your feedback, Alisha.
Lynne Kerr says
Sadly i miss out on so many delicious sounding recipes as i cant have nuts, seeds, coconut or oats etc.
Could it work do you think with just the apricots and dark chocolate?
VJ cooks says
Sorry to hear that. Those ingredients are important to help bind the recipe together. For something else, you could try our apricot and dark chocolate rocky road but leave the nuts out?
Anne says
We’re an alergy filled family as well - if you look through the comments others have subbed rice flakes for the oats and added buckwheat for crunch, which could replace the sunflower seeds.
Catherine says
Could you reduce the sugar amount some how?
VJ cooks says
Go for it.
Dana Clark says
Hello, made this today and it is absolutely delicious! Question though, how much could I reduce the brown sugar by please? Many thanks
VJ cooks says
The sugar not only adds sweetness, but it also helps the bars to bind together. You can reduce the sugar to whatever your preference is, bearing in mind it may result in a crumblier bar. It may be a case of trial and error until you get the balance right for your specific taste preference and the structural integrity of the bars 🙂
Jodi says
I live in the dark ages with an oven that pre dates fan bake. What temperature would you recommend for a conventional oven?
VJ cooks says
190 but check for doneness 5 minutes earlier just in case.
Vanessa says
Can I leave out the sunflower seeds and if so will I need to substitute with something like extra oats or coconut so it will bind
VJ cooks says
Yes I would add in extra oats and coconut.
Kat says
These are so delicious, much better than the shops! Easy recipe using most things I have already have in the pantry and fridge. One of my fussy kids actually liked it them, so it's a win for me, thank you for a great recipe!
VJ cooks says
Oh that's so awesome. I'm so pleased to hear they were a hit with your family!
Nat Cox says
Hi, I've made this a few times for the family but I can't have gluten. How do you think gf flour and gf oats would work out? I use Chelsea Winters gf flour recipe. Should I go for the same amounts when substituting? Thanks
VJ cooks says
Hi NAt, I've made these gluten free several times and they work really well! I used gluten free flour each time and experimented with wheat free oats, rice flakes and gf weetbix to replace the regular oats. Each option worked really well!
Sarah says
This is the third batch I have made and they are a hit. Last batch I subbed the apricots for prunes and I think I liked them even more! I used whittakers 70% Ghana this time and dropped the sugar by 30gm. Its just out of the oven and looks good so far. I'm going to try dates next time. Thanks for your recipes, I made the lumberjack cake a few months back too which was amazing!
VJ cooks says
I'm so happy to hear how much you are enjoying our recipes, Sarah. Yes, these recipes are so versatile and can easily be adapted to suit your tastes/preferences. Thanks for being here 🙂