Cherry Almond Granola Bars

Looking for a lazy morning breakfast or an on-the-go snack? These cherry almond granola bars are just the thing.

Nutritious oats, seeds, and flaked almonds are mixed with dates and tart-dried cherries and coated in an almond-maple mixture.

The result is a perfectly sweet, chewy, wholesome bar of goodness with a hint of tartness that’s perfect for a light snack or healthier dessert. Throw them in your bag, give them to your kids, or keep a few in your freezer for when hunger strikes. Let us show you how it’s done!

Granola Bar Ingredients

Just nine ingredients (all pantry staples!) are required for these delicious, wholesome bars. And here’s why we included them:

• Oats – for whole grains and a fiber boost
• Almonds – for crunch, protein, magnesium, selenium, vitamin E, and other health benefits
• Dates – for a sweet, sticky binder and boost of vitamins and minerals
• Dried tart cherries – for a tart-sweet combo, antioxidant boost, and more binding
• Seeds – for crunch, an omega boost, and other health benefits
• Maple syrup – for additional sweetness and stickiness
• Almond butter – for a creamy component that helps hold the bars together
• Coconut oil – to add richness and make the bars soft and pliable
• Sea salt – for added flavor

To make these bars, dates and dried tart cherries take a swirl in the food processor to create a sticky base. Then, they’re mixed with toasted oats, almonds, and your favorite seeds.

Next, we add a warmed mixture of maple syrup, almond butter, and coconut oil to create a consistency perfect for pressing into bars. Salt and optional vanilla infuse the mix with even more flavor.

Once pressed into a pan, they take a quick chill in the freezer before being ready to slice into snackable bars.

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups rolled oats (gluten-free for GF eaters)
• 3/4 cup slivered almonds (or chopped raw almonds)
• 2/3 cup packed pitted dates, measured after pitting (deglet noor or Medjool // ~7-8 large Medjool dates as the original recipe is written)
• 1/3 cup packed dried tart cherries (unsweetened if possible, or sub other tart dried fruit // plus more for topping)
• 1/4 cup seeds of choice (we love flax, hemp, sesame, and chia)
• 1/4 cup maple syrup (or honey if not vegan)
• 1/4 cup creamy salted natural almond butter (just almonds + salt)
• 1 Tbsp coconut oil
• One healthy pinch of sea salt
• 1 tsp vanilla extract (optional)

Instructions

• Heat oven to 350 degrees F (176 C) and line an 8×8-inch baking dish with parchment paper.
• Add your oats and almonds to a bare baking sheet and bake for 10-12 minutes or until slightly golden brown.
• Add dates and dried fruit to a food processor and mix until small bits remain or a ball forms — ~20 seconds. It should be quite tacky/sticky.
• Add the toasted oats and almonds to a large mixing bowl along with the date-fruit mixture and the seeds. Set aside.
• In a small saucepan over low heat, warm maple syrup, almond butter, and oil, stirring until creamy and smooth. Then remove from heat, add a pinch of salt and vanilla (optional), and start again to combine.
• Pour into the large mixing bowl and then mix, breaking up the date-fruit mixture to disperse throughout (option to add one more handful of dried cherries to the mix). Use a spoon or your hands to mix thoroughly. It should be very tacky and hold its shape when squeezed between two fingers. If it is too dry or crumbly, add a bit more maple syrup and almond butter and continue mixing.
• Transfer to the prepared 8×8-inch dish and use a wooden spoon or your hands to disperse into an even layer. Cover with parchment and press down with something flat, such as a drinking glass, to get the mixture packed really tightly. This will prevent the bars from being crumbly. Chill in the freezer for 15-20 minutes to harden.
• Remove bars from the dish and chop into 12 even bars (as the original recipe is written // adjust if altering batch size). Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks or in the freezer for up to 2 months. They travel fine if taken on the go, though they keep their shape best right out of the freezer or refrigerator.