If you’ve ever cruised the aisles at Costco, you’ve likely seen Heavenly Hunks. These sweetened oat squares make a tasty afternoon snack or after dinner treat. Sweet, soft, and ridiculously amazing- the homemade version is even better!

Utterly delicious, but Heavenly Hunks are a bit pricey! (especially if you buy these somewhere other than Costco) Now, you can create your own in the comfort of your home! There are so many possible flavor varieties and you get to control all of the ingredients. By adding cashews, chia seeds, and some protein powder, I was able to boost the protein and fiber content. And, they are sweetened with just a little brown sugar and honey. Plus, these copycat heavenly hunks are surprisingly easy to make!

To make these homemade heavenly hunks, there are actually no cooking skills required. For the best results, you will need a food processor. I haven't tested it, but theoretically, you could make these without a food processor. You would need to finely chop the dry ingredients and then stir everything together in a large mixing bowl. Otherwise, it’s just a little melting of coconut oil in the microwave and blending everything together.

Simply process, press, slice, and enjoy!

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Possible Flavors

• Oatmeal Chocolate Chip
• Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip
• Cranberry & Orange
• Cranberry & White Chocolate Chip
• Snickerdoodle
• Carrot Cake
• Lemon
• Key Lime
• Chocolate
• And many more!

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Ingredients in Homemade Heavenly Hunks

• Cashews
• Old-fashioned or Rolled Oats
• Brown Sugar
• Chia Seeds
• Protein Powder (I used vanilla)
• Unsweetened Coconut Flakes (more if you like coconut)
• Vanilla
• Honey
• Milk (can use dairy free)
• Coconut Oil, melted
• Chocolate Chips

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How to Make Homemade Heavenly Hunks

1. In a food processor, add the cashews and pulse lightly. Then, add the oats, brown sugar, chia seeds, protein powder, and coconut flakes. Again, pulse together. Next, add the vanilla, honey, milk, coconut oil, and chocolate chips. Start with 3 Tbsp of coconut oil.  Pulse until mixed and mixture feels wet and sticks together when pressed. If needed, add another Tbsp. of coconut oil.
2. Press oats into a lined 8x8 baking dish, lined with parchment paper. Use fingers and/or the bottom of a measuring cup to press the oats down. Cover and refrigerate for at least one hour. Finally, cut and enjoy! 
3. Store leftovers in the fridge.

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Are Heavenly Hunks healthy?

Based on the ingredients, heavenly hunks are somewhere in the middle on the health scale. With brown rice syrup, cane sugar, brown sugar, and palm oil- they are not the healthiest. But, they do contain gluten free oats and only ingredients we can pronounce. Only 1 g of fiber and 1g of protein. By making our own, you control all of the ingredients.

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Organic Oats

I recommend using organic rolled or old-fashioned oats for this recipe. Oats are known to often be treated with glyphosate, which is a pesticide. The levels vary by quite a bit based on the brand. Organic oats could still have trace amounts of glyphosate, but when tested most organic oats have very low or non-existent levels of glyphosate. Some brands certify that they are glyphosate-free: One Degree Organic Oats, 365 by Whole Foods Market Oats, and Bob’s Red Mill Organic Oats.

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Storage

I prefer to store heavenly hunks in the fridge. If you use a dairy free milk or another liquid, they can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature. If you use milk, they should be stored in the fridge.

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Craving more???

Gluten Free Banana Bread Mug Cake

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Baked Oatmeal

Healthy Mixed Nuts Cookies