Easy Cherry Almond Granola Bars that can be enjoyed raw or baked. Packed with chewy dried cherries, crunchy almonds, wholesome oats, and seeds they make the perfect healthy snack or on-the-go breakfast.
Healthy snack incoming! These delicious Cherry Almond Granola Bars are easy to make, full of wholesome ingredients, and they can be enjoyed raw or baked.
If you like a softer raw granola bar then the no-bake version is for you, and if you prefer a toastier, nuttier, chewier bar then go for the baked version. Either way they are delicious!
Ingredients & Substitutions
- Oats - These should be rolled oats or old-fashioned oats (porridge oats in the UK).
- Almond butter - The best choice if you want to keep up the almond theme/flavours, but technically any nut or seed butter such as peanut butter, sun butter, or tahini will work.
- Maple syrup - This adds the best flavour but agave, brown rice syrup, or golden syrup can be used instead.
- Applesauce - The best choice flavour-wise, but mashed banana, canned pumpkin, or mashed sweet potato will also work.
- Ground flax - Helps to hold the bars together.
- Chia seeds - These are nice to add in for their nutritional value but you could use more ground flax instead.
- Salt - This is recommended for the best flavour but it can be omitted.
You will also need an 8 x 8-inch pan, although if you half the recipe you can use a loaf pan instead.
How To Make Cherry Almond Granola Bars
These healthy granola bars are really easy to make. Simply combine all of the ingredients together in a large mixing bowl, then press into a parchment paper-lined pan. Refrigerate for a few hours to set then enjoy, or bake until golden and toasty. The choice is yours.
Flavour Variations
These granola bars are really pantry-friendly. As long as you keep the base recipe the same you can switch out the cherry and slivered almond for roughly the same amount of any mix-ins. Some ideas include chocolate chips, puffed rice, raisins, chopped dates, chopped apricots, dried cranberries, chopped nuts, pumpkin seeds, or sunflower seeds.
More Healthy Snack Bars
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Recipe
Cherry Almond Granola Bars
Author:Ingredients
- ¼ cup (60 mls) maple syrup
- 1 cup (240 ml) almond butter , or seed butter for nut-free
- ½ cup (120 ml) unsweetened applesauce
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- 1½ cups (135 grams) rolled oats
- 1 cup (120 grams) slivered almonds
- 1 cup (120 grams) dried cherries
- 4 tablespoons ground flax seeds
- 4 tablespoons chia seeds
RECOMMENDED EQUIPMENT
INSTRUCTIONS
- These bars can be eaten raw or they can be baked. If you wish to bake them preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Line an 8 x 8-inch pan with parchment paper. Make sure a little hangs over the sides so you can lift the bars out easily when ready.
- Put maple syrup, almond butter, applesauce, 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 together really well. It is a very stiff mixture so is a little difficult to stir.
- Spoon into the prepared pan and press down really well all over with a spatula or a clean hand.
- If you do not wish to bake the granola bars then cover the pan with cling wrap or foil and place in the fridge for 3 to 4 hours.
- If you are baking them place in the preheated oven and cook for 22 to 25 minutes. Remove when the edges start to go golden brown.
- Leave to cool in the pan for at least 20 minutes before lifting out of the pan and onto a cutting board.
- Cut into 12 even pieces then store in an airtight container in the fridge.
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