Have you heard of Aussie Bites? They're sort of a cross between a mini muffin and a cookie. With a serious dose of granola bar thrown into the mix. They're a bit sweet, a tad salty, a little crunchy, and oh-so very delicious.
They boast a nice, healthy dose of Omega-3s and fiber, and they also make an incredible grab-and-go breakfast or healthy vegan snack. Basically, they rock.
I've only ever seen them on the shelves at Costco, but after becoming a bit addicted to the store-bought version, I set out to make my own. I checked the list of ingredients: Rolled oats. Butter. Flaxseeds. Coconut. Dried apricots. Raisins, honey, sunflower seeds... I could do this.
I wanted my version to be as healthy as possible, so I swapped the butter for coconut oil. And to keep them vegan, I opted for maple syrup instead of honey.
It took a handful of tries to get these right, but the recipe I settled upon has been a hit among my official taste panel (that would be, um, my toddler, my husband, my sister, my friend, and myself).
This recipe results in about four dozen Aussie bites, so if that's a bit much at one time, just freeze the extras.
Seal them in a zipper bag, put 'em in the freezer, and then pull a couple out and set them on the counter while you're starting your morning coffee. They'll be pretty well thawed and ready to go after just a few minutes.
Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- ½ cup coconut oil
- ½ cup maple syrup
- 1 ½ cups oat flour*
- 1 ½ cups rolled oats
- ½ cup unsalted roasted sunflower seeds
- ½ cup unsweetened shredded coconut
- ⅓ cup flaxseed meal
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ cup raisins
- ½ cup dried apricots
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Spray the cups of a mini-muffin pan with non-stick spray or rub with a little coconut oil**.
- Heat the coconut oil and maple syrup in a small saucepan over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until coconut oil has melted. Set aside.
- To the bowl of an 8-cup or larger food processor, add oat flour, oats, and sunflower seeds. Pulse a couple of times until the seeds and oats begin to break up. Add the coconut, flaxseed meal, baking powder, and salt. Pulse to mix.
- Add the raisins and dried apricots and pulse until the apricots are approximately the size of peas.
- Pour the melted coconut oil and maple syrup over the dry ingredients, then pulse just until combined. Transfer to a large bowl and stir well to make sure all ingredients are well-combined. If any of the apricots and raisins stick together in clumps, use your fingers to separate and distribute them throughout the mix.
- Scoop by the heaping tablespoonful into the cups of the mini muffin pan (I use a cookie scoop). With your fingers, press each gently but firmly to pack and flatten.
- Bake for about 12 minutes until set and edges are golden.
- Remove from oven, allowing to cool for about 10 minutes. Use a butter knife to help pop each bite out of its respective tin; carefully remove from tin and place on a wire rack until completely cool and set. They may be fragile until completely cooled.
- Keep at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 3-4 days, or freeze in a zipper bag.
Notes
** This recipe yields about 48, and I only have a 24-cup mini-muffin pan, so I bake in two separate batches with no issues. I have also made this recipe using a 4-cup mini food processor instead of a large food processor. I just pulse the items that need chopping or pulverizing as I go, mixing ingredients together in one large bowl.
Nutrition
This post was originally published on January 23, 2014.
Michell says
I am glad I found these - I haven't had time to look for organic dried apricots so I have substituted from the beginning. I tried raisins and dates and it was missing the flavor so I have always used raisins or dates and then craisins as my flavor!. I also have substituted almond flour for the oat flour and they are great. I always use GF Oats as I am GF!
Saundra says
Do you know what the nutritional information is for these?
Wade says
I do a similar type of recipe, minus nuts and seeds in my version of Anzac cookies. I bake them like I do biscotti. They keep forever and are delicious.
Daire Halpin says
What a great recipe. I'm on a vegan cleanse right now for 21 days. The only thing I'm missing is my post dinner something sweet. This could be just the thing!
Thanks for your lovely blog.
Trish says
I just made these this afternoon. Oh my, soooooo tasty! Going to see in the morning if these will actually get my teenage son to eat in the morning. I used paper liners for easy cleanup. I have this thing about cleaning up my mini muffin tin. It is always so difficult. Would they have turned out any different without them? I'm just wondering. Thank you for the awesome recipe!!
KH says
These turned out great! Super close to the Costco ones. I ran out of coconut oil so used 1/2 coconut, 1/2 olive and it was ok!!
Kate says
These are beyond!! I never post comments and I just had to say that these are great. Somewhere between a muffin and the texture of a cookie. Not too sweet, easy to make and great for on the go. I added some homemade nut butter on top and it was great. 2nd time I made these I added hemp seeds and it turned out well.
Margie Otero says
First thing I need to say that I love the Aussie Bites and I have lost weight and it regulate you to go to the restroom!! Since then people have came to me and ask me what am I doing and I told them I eat 5 to 6 Aussie bites a day! Every morning for Breakfast I eat oatmeal and I put raisins & 1 Aussie Bite! (Awesome) The problem that we are having is that in the ingredients it has wheat! I'm asking do you have the bites w/o wheat! Thank you for your time!
My #757-570-0386
Linda Ferrell says
What nut flour can I use to make this recipe Gluten Free?
Karen says
These are excellent - as stated, not quite the same as the Costco Aussie Bites...but definitely better. I may try adding in some chia seeds and/or quinoa, but great as written, too.
JT says
Great flavor. Delicious, actually, but so crumbly you cannot even pick them up, which is pretty disappointing.
Khushboo Rami says
These are so good and I’m so excited to have found a recipe to make at home! I have been following your recipes for years and all of them always turn out so well!
Out of curiosity, have you ever made these like a granola bar instead of in the mini muffin tin? Just wondering since it would be a little easier.
Megan B says
Love love this recipe. I have made it, no kidding, at least 10 times now. My kids don't like the apricots, but honestly this recipe is so flexible you can substitute anything (dried cranberries, extra raisins, chocolate chips, etc). I also like to change it up with different seeds like pumpkin randomly. These are PERFECT for packing school lunches and SO much cheaper than $10 on "Aussie bites" at Costco!! Thank you!!
Susie says
These are superb!!! Used Craisins instead of raisins and added chopped raw walnuts! Filled mini muffin cups half way and pressed down with back of rounded spoon. Baked 2 muffin pans for exactly 12 mins at 350 as instructed and they came out amazing! Crunchy borders, almost like a Graham cracker crust, like a dense and crumbly delicious cookie muffin! My 2 year old daughter helped and is loving them! Our family can’t stop eating them, lol, and my husband already asked me to have these “on hand” for grabbing a quick bite. May need to make these again much sooner than I expected. 😉 Thank you for sharing this wonderful recipe. A true keeper.
Madhu B says
I tried this recipe and loved the taste very much! My son liked it, too!! Since I had a cake pan (round) but not a muffin pan, poured the mixture into the cake pan and baked like a cake. The center didn't cook well and it was crumbly, baked for an additional 5 minutes. Any idea what should be the temperature and cook time in the oven if we don't have a muffin pan?