What does every back-to-school routine need? A new granola bar recipe! Cherry Almond Granola Bars are here to make the transition a little easier.
Can you believe that summer’s over, that school’s back in session, and we’re heading into another season of beginnings? Fall always feels like a new beginning; maybe because I’ve gone from my own school year beginnings to college, to being in the classroom as a teacher. All of that aside, September seems to be the time of year where everyone is ready to settle back into routines after the craziness of summer fades away.
What better routine than to add homemade, no-bake Cherry Almond Granola Bars to your meal-prep plan? As I get ready to head back into the classroom (oh my goodness, wish me luck today!) I’m so thankful to have prepared batches of these in advance, individually wrapped, and waiting in my freezer to grab as I rush out the door for a quick on-the-go vegetarian breakfast.
If your mornings are a little more put together than mine, and you manage to have a hot breakfast each morning, these granola bars also make the perfect snack – healthy, full of fiber, and the just-right sweet and salty balance…
So what makes this perfect combination?
- almonds… crunch and texture, oh my!
- almond butter… more texture and a healthy addition
- dried cherries… sweet, sour, slightly tart, an excellent chewiness to counteract the crunchiness of the almonds
- oats… what’s a granola bar without oats?
- honey… adds sweetness and helps to hold it all together
- salt flakes… for a fancy finish
You know what else would be epic on these? A CHOCOLATE DRIZZLE. I mean, what isn’t better with a drizzle of chocolate? I didn’t post the recipe with it, because I’m trying to be healthier in many aspects of life. But you should do it and report back! Please, and thank you.
As I mentioned earlier, Cherry Almond Granola Bars are so dang easy to make, they’re almost a no-brainer for meal-prep and are the perfect bars to stash away in your freezer for emergency snack/breakfast situations. Yes, and yes!
Cherry Almond Granola Bars
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup creamy almond butter
- 1/2 cup honey
- 1/4 teaspoon vanilla
- 1/4 teaspoon almond extract, optional*
- 1/8 teaspoon cinnamon
- Pinch of salt
- 2 cups oats
- 1 cup almonds, unsalted and roughly chopped
- 1 cup dried cherries, optional: rough chop half of them
Instructions
- Prepare a 9×9 baking dish by lining it with parchment paper for easy removal of the bars. Make sure some excess hangs over the edge so you can pick it up easily.
- In a small saucepan, whisk together almond butter, honey, vanilla and almond extracts, cinnamon, and salt. Heat over low-medium heat until mixture begins to slowly simmer. Remove from heat.
- Meanwhile, stir together oats, almonds, and dried cherries. Once the liquid mixture is dissolved together on the stove, pour it into the dry ingredients and stir to coat. Spread evenly in parchment lined baking dish. Sprinkle with flaky salt as desired. Let cool in the fridge at least 1 hour. Cut into 12 bars. You can individually wrap them and store in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Notes
Disclaimer: The nutritional information provided for this recipe is only an estimate. The accuracy of the facts listed is not and cannot be guaranteed.
Melissa
I love this recipe – I don’t like chocolate and enjoy all the rest of the ingredients. I need healthy snacks like this on hand. Thank you!
Becca
Yay! Enjoy!
mary
been making these nonstop!added some flax seeds
my daughter (25) and I throw them in our purse, just in case…..great for dessert too.
Becca
So happy to hear you two have been loving them!
Shari
Thanks so much for this granola bar recipe. I noticed that it sort of crumbles and doesn’t always hold ‘together’ Any suggestions?
Thank you
Becca
I’m glad you enjoy the recipe, Shari! When you say crumbles do you mean completely falls apart into little pieces or the bar just doesn’t necessarily stay a bar? How long are you placing them in the fridge?
Shari
I put the bars in the fridge overnight before cutting them. Some of them broke apart, not little pieces just didn’t stay as a bar when I picked the bar up to eat. We used them while on a hike. Should I perhaps add more honey or nut butter? Thanks in advance for your help.
Becca
Ah, yes I know what you’re talking about. Because they’re not baked, sometimes this happens. I would recommend adding a little more honey and/or nut butter, like you said. I’m actually planning to make this recipe this week for our meal prep anyway; I’ll do some extra tests and let you know!
Lauren
I like everything about this recipe except for the uncooked/untasted oats… I think it would have turned out better if I had toasted the oats first. I don’t think I like the taste of raw oats.
Becca Mills
If you prefer toasted oats you can absolutely do that before mixing up the granola bars. Thanks for your feedback, Lauren!
Lauren
I’m updating my review to give it 5 stars! I do make a few changes though. I don’t like raw oats so I toast them first for 20-25 min at 300 degrees. I also use a variety of nuts, whatever I have on hand. I love these for breakfast or a snack!
Becca Mills
Thanks for the update, Lauren, and for letting us know how you toast the oats! I’m glad to hear it works out. 🙂