Plump, chewy dried cherries, crunchy almonds & wholesome oats & seeds make these Cherry Almond Granola Bars the perfect healthy snack or on the go breakfast. They are completely oil free, very lightly sweetened & come with bake or no bake options!
The beautiful cherry blossoms might be coming to an end but that means the fruit is on it’s way which can only be a good thing. Not much can beat sweet, juicy, fresh cherries but when shopping recently I happened to spot the biggest, juiciest looking dried cherries I have ever seen in the bulk bins. I couldn’t resist and came home with a great big bag of them.
I had never cooked with dried cherries before. I have no idea why as they are a wonderful ingredient and they pair just perfectly with the almonds and oats in these Cherry Almond Granola Bars.
These Granola Bars are extremely easy to make and once mixed up, can be set up in the fridge then eaten raw, or baked in the oven. The choice is yours. They are good both ways. I prefer them baked as they get a nuttier, toasty flavour and delicious crispy, chewy bits but if you are following a raw food diet, or prefer a softer granola bar then the unbaked version will be great for you.
The finished Cherry Almond Granola Bars are perfect for lunch boxes, snacks and on the go breakfasts. They are full of healthy ingredients and are only very lightly sweetened with a tiny bit of maple syrup. They also contain no refined sugars and are gluten free, dairy free and oil free.
I really wanted to drizzle these bars with melted chocolate. They would be so wonderful. But, after a run of pretty indulgent cooking and recipe testing and because I have a few chocolatey recipes coming up very soon, I decided to leave them as they are and be terribly good. Willpower isn’t something I usually have much of so I am pretty proud of myself for resisting. Please feel free to add some chocolate to yours if the urge hits though. Once the guilt of having eaten far too much Maple Walnut Cake passes, I might well join you!
If you give this recipe a try don’t forget to let me know. Rate it by hitting the yellow stars, comment below, or tag me #avirtualvegan on Instagram.
If you love granola bars then you might also want to try my Pumpkin Pecan & Chocolate Granola Bars.
Cherry Almond Granola Bars
Ingredients
- 60mls | 1/4 cup maple syrup
- 240mls | 1 cup almond butter
- 120mls | 1/2 cup unsweetened apple sauce
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 135g | 1.5 cups rolled oats
- 110g | 1 cup slivered almonds
- 120g | 1 cup dried cherries
- 4 tablespoons ground flax seeds
- 4 tablespoons chia seeds
Instructions
- These bars can be eaten raw or they can be baked. If you wish to bake them preheat your oven to 350°
- Line an 8 x 8 pan with baking parchment. Make sure a little hangs over the sides so you can lift it out easily when ready.
- Put maple syrup, almond butter, apple sauce and salt into a large bowl and stir together so it's well combined and smooth.
- Pour in the oats, cherries, almonds, flax and chia.
- Stir well together. It is a very stiff mixture so is a little difficult to stir.
- Spoon into the pan and press down really well all over.
- If you do not wish to bake the granola bars then cover the tin with cling wrap and place in fridge for at least 3 - 4 hours.
- If you are baking then place in the preheated oven and bake for 20 - 25 minutes. Remove when the edges start to go golden brown. Mine took 22 minutes.
- Leave to cool for about 20 minutes.
- Lift out of the tin using the excess paper as handles and place on a chopping board.
- Cut into 10 even pieces. I find a pizza cutter does a great job of cutting up bars and slices like this.
- Store wrapped in the fridge for up to 3 weeks.
Recipe Notes
I know in the UK apple sauce is hard to buy. It is however very easy to make yourself. Just cook down a couple of apples with a few tablespoons of water until soft then blend until smooth.
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine says
I am a sucker for dried cherries! They are so good! And any chewy granola bar is just a given!
A Virtual Vegan says
Dried cherries are something I’d never eaten before this recipe. Now I can’t stop!
Becky Striepe says
Oh my gosh, these look so good! I love cherries and almonds together!
A Virtual Vegan says
Thanks Becky. They are a great combo!
Letty Flatt says
Love these! Pinned!
A Virtual Vegan says
Thanks Letty :O)
Sarah @ Champagne Tastes says
ooo I was just watching a “Good Eats” episode about making your own granola bars.. These look easy! And I think I have all the ingredients. Thanks!!
A Virtual Vegan says
They are so easy to make and you get none of the trashy ingredients that are in store bought bars. They taste better too! Enjoy :O)
Becky Striepe says
These look so delicious!
A Virtual Vegan says
Thanks Becky!
Cadry says
Wow, these look fabulous! I’ve never made my own granola bars from scratch, but you have me very tempted. They would be such a great easy breakfast or snack. Plus, I know my husband would love them in his packed lunch!
A Virtual Vegan says
You need to make some Cadry. They are so quick and easy to make and much cheaper than buying store bought too. Your husband would be very grateful ;O)
Natalie | Feasting on Fruit says
These look like a lovely treat even sans chocolate! The raw or baked option is nice, I think I would go with raw because a non-date based raw granola bar is a rare find and it sounds delicious!
A Virtual Vegan says
Everything is better with chocolate on it! ;O) But yes, they are still very good without. I get what you mean about raw granola bars often being full of dates and I like dates, but sometimes you just don’t want that datey flavour. Thanks Natalie :O)
Jenn S. says
Cherries and almond are the perfect combo! Love that these are super easy!
A Virtual Vegan says
Thanks Jenn. I love that they take literally minutes to throw together and if you’re feeling lazy you don’t even have to bake them either!
Nicole Dawson says
Dried cranberries are awesome! I love adding them in bars and I always have some dried blueberries on hand too. When I’m too lazy to make a bar, I can just grab a handful :).
A Virtual Vegan says
Dried fruit of all kinds is such a fantastic ingredient or snack!
The Vegan 8 says
I love dried cherries so much, they are so good and I love all the ingredients in these! They look delicious and healthy and a wonderful texture! I love making granola bars at home.
A Virtual Vegan says
Thank you Brandi. you certainly can’t beat a homemade granola bar!
Linda @ Veganosity says
I’m so excited for cherry season and these granola bars are the perfect thing to make to satisfy my impatient wait. 🙂
A Virtual Vegan says
I love cherry season too! Dried cherries will have to be enough until then :O)
Aimee / Wallflower Kitchen says
Looooooooooooove these! And the photos are so pretty 🙂
A Virtual Vegan says
Thank you so much Aimee :O)
Sophia, Veggies Don't Bite says
I love homemade granola bars! These sound great with the cherries and almond mix!
A Virtual Vegan says
Thank you Sophia. Almonds and cherries are such a great combo!
Alisa Fleming says
Cherry and almond are such a perfect pairing! I think I’d definitely enjoy these raw. Why bother baking when you can have that chewy, creamy almond butter goodness?
A Virtual Vegan says
I love them both ways, in fact I often cook half and leave half raw so I have a selection of both at hand!
Vegan Heaven says
What a great treat! 🙂 Cherry and almonds are the perfect combo!
A Virtual Vegan says
Thanks Sina. I agree. They are a match made in heaven!
Psychic Nest says
Oh my, after I read that you wanted to drizzle the bars with melted chocolate, I might do it when I make them. They look delicious! Great recipe, thank you! 🙂
Zaria
A Virtual Vegan says
Thank you. They will be wonderful with the chocolate!