Snack Time! I believe that the best snacks are not only delicious but also nourishing and fun to make! Today, we’re diving into the world of homemade trail mix bark chocolate —a versatile, customizable, and wholesome treat that’s perfect for any adventure, whether you’re hitting the trails, tackling a busy day at work, or simply craving a healthy-ish snack.

Why homemade? When you make trail mix at home, you have complete control over the ingredients, ensuring that each handful is packed with your favorite flavors and nutritional benefits. Unlike store-bought options, homemade trail mix allows you to avoid unnecessary additives and sugars, giving you a pure and natural snack that’s as satisfying as it is energizing. You can control what you put in the mix, add more of what you enjoy to eat.

What makes a great trail mix? The beauty of this snack lies in its endless possibilities. Start with a base of nuts and seeds for protein and healthy fats—think almonds, cashews, pumpkin seeds, and sunflower seeds. Add in some dried fruits like cranberries, raisins, or apricots for natural sweetness and a boost of fiber. For an extra crunch and flavor, toss in a handful of whole-grain cereals or pretzels. And if you’re a fan of a little indulgence, a sprinkle of dark chocolate chips or coconut flakes can take your mix to the next level.

Creating your own trail mix is not only fun but also a great way to involve the whole family. Let everyone customize their personal blend, ensuring that every bite is tailored to their taste preferences and dietary needs.

From a simple loose trail mix, this recipe will elevate it by making it into a trail mix bark chocolate. Get ready to elevate your snacking game and embark on a delicious journey with homemade trail mix! We are baking this in a pan and cutting it into bars. The final step, is to dip it in melted dark chocolate. Now that is how we make it better.

I used dark chocolate as I find it’s the best for this because it balances the sweetness , plus dark chocolate is the good guy among the other type of chocolate. This doesn’t mean you cannot use semi-sweet or white chocolate, if that is your thing, then by all means use it.

One important thing I would like to point out is to use the right kind of chocolate made especially for dipping and coating. This kind of chocolate solidify nicely and is not sticky when it solidify. I used a couverture chocolate, this is the chocolate I used whenever I need to dip or coat something like cookies. You can buy dipping chocolate in specialty stores, just tell them you want something that you can use to coat granola or cookie. I wouldn’t recommend chocolate chips as this gets sticky once it solidify.

I used to use chocolate chips when dipping cookies or granola, although they could also work, they do not have the same finish and texture when they solidify. It’s worth the effort of finding the right dipping chocolate, you will not regret it.

Regardless if you make loose granola, granola bar, or bark chocolate like this recipe, here are few reasons why you should give it a try.

• It taste so good for something so easy to make
• Easy to make and fun too!
• Flexible – feel free to make variations, mix and match ingredients that you like
• No preservatives- need I say more

Tips in Making Homemade Trail Mix Bark Chocolate

• Choose Quality Chocolate: Use high-quality dark, milk, or white chocolate to ensure a smooth, rich flavor and texture. Avoid chocolate chips as they may contain stabilizers that affect melting.
• Melt Chocolate Properly: Melt chocolate slowly using a double boiler or microwave in short intervals, stirring in between to prevent burning or seizing.
• Prep Your Trail Mix: Choose a variety of nuts, seeds, dried fruits, and other add-ins like pretzels, coconut flakes, or cereal. Ensure all ingredients are roughly the same size for even distribution.
• Balance Flavors and Textures: Mix sweet and salty elements to create a balanced flavor profile. Crunchy nuts and seeds pair well with chewy dried fruits.
• Temper the Chocolate: If you want your bark to have a professional, glossy finish, consider tempering the chocolate. This helps it set properly and prevents it from melting easily in your hands.

• Spread Evenly: Pour the melted chocolate onto a parchment-lined baking sheet and spread it evenly to your desired thickness using a spatula or the back of a spoon.
• Add Trail Mix Quickly: Sprinkle your trail mix over the melted chocolate while it is still warm and pliable. Press down gently to ensure the toppings adhere well.
• Chill to Set: Place the baking sheet in the refrigerator for about 20-30 minutes or until the chocolate is fully set.
• Break into Pieces: Once set, break the bark into irregular or similar size pieces. You can store these in an airtight container at room temperature or in the fridge.
• Experiment with Flavors: Get creative with your trail mix combinations. Try adding spices like cinnamon, a sprinkle of sea salt, or even a drizzle of peanut butter or caramel on top of the chocolate.

That’s about it. Let’s make this Trail Mix Bark Chocolate so we can enjoy it sooner than later.

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoon Maple Syrup
• 1/4 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
• 1/2 teaspoon Coconut Oil (or flavorless oil)
• 1 cup mix whole and half Nuts (almond, cashew, pecans, walnut, hazelnut etc.)
• 1/4 cup Raisins or dried Cranberry (or mix of both)
• 1/4 cup Coconut Chips
• 1 tablespoon Pumpkin Seed/Pepitas
• 2 tablespoon Sunflower Seeds
• 1 1/2 teaspoon Chia Seed
• 1/3 teaspoon table Salt
• 1 teaspoon Sesame Seed
• 1/2 cup melted Dark Chocolate ( or your preferred chocolate type)
• Oil Spray to grease the pan

Instructions:

1. Pre-heat the Oven to 325F and line a 7-inch square pan. You can also bake this is a 8-inch loaf pan for a thicker bars.
2. Mix: In a large bowl, add all the nuts, seeds, dried fruits, coconut chips, salt and coconut oil. Stir to combine.
3. Transfer in a pan: Transfer the granola in a parchment lined 8×4-inch loaf pan or 7-inch square pan. Spread on the pan and lightly press to compact. Sprinkle salt on top.
4. Bake: Bake for 30 – 35 minutes or until the top is golden brown. At 20 minutes, remove from the oven and brush the top with maple syrup. Sprinkle white sesame seed and press to help the top with a back of a spoon or measuring cup. This helps to compact the bars. Cover with aluminum foil if it is browning too much, otherwise return to the oven without a cover.
5. Cool: this is a MUST! Let cool completely. Cooling will harden the granola bar and will prevent breaking when you cut it. To speed up the process, chill in the refrigerator at least 15 minutes.
6. Cut: Once the granola bar is completely cooled and intact, slice into 6 bars, or 4 for bigger portion. Use a sharp knife.
7. Melt the Chocolate: Melt the chocolate and dip half of the bars. Arrange in a silicone mat or parchment lined baking sheet. Wait until the chocolate completely set.
8. Storage: Cut a parchment paper slightly bigger than the size of the bar. lay each bar in the parchment paper and stack them in an airtight container. Parchment paper will prevent the bars from sticking with each other. Store in the refrigerator up to a week. If you want to free this, do not dip in the melted chocolate.

Makes 6 bars

Nutritional Information

Nutritional Information was calculated using Veryfitwell Recipe Calorie and Nutrition Calculator. For details about Nutritional Information in this website, please read the Disclaimer page.

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