Preheat your oven to 350°F and line a 9x13-inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving some overhang for easy removal.

In a large bowl, combine the oats, dried cranberries, chopped nuts, cinnamon, and salt.

In a separate microwave-safe bowl, warm the honey, melted coconut oil, and brown sugar together for about 30 seconds. Stir in the vanilla extract.

Pour the honey mixture over the oat mixture and stir until everything is well coated and sticky.

If using chocolate chips, let the mixture cool for 5 minutes, then fold them in (this prevents them from melting completely).

Press the mixture firmly into your prepared pan—really pack it down! This is key for bars that hold together.

Bake for 25-30 minutes until the edges are golden brown.

Let cool completely in the pan (I know it's hard to wait!), then lift out using the parchment paper and cut into 12 bars. Store in an airtight container for up to 5 days.