Compositions and methods for a food binder that, when blended with a solid nut blend, provides a cohesive shelf-stable low water activity product that is chewy and has high lubricity (i.e., not tooth-compacting). One embodiment of a binder composition can have an aqueous based syrup in a range from about 33 to 74 percent weight； sucrose in a range from about 10 to 35 percent weight； polyhydric alcohol in a range from about 2 to 20 percent weight； fat in a range from about 2 to 30 percent weight； and an emulsifier in the range from about 0.5 to 2 percent weight. In a preferred embodiment, the syrup/sucrose:fat:polyhydric alcohol ratio is about 9:3:1 respectively by weight. Also, in a product using the binder, the binder can be in the range of about 25 to 35 percent weight and have an A w less than about 0.35.
