Cherry Almond Chocolate Granola Bars
These days, we all need quick, filling, and nutritious snacks, we are multitasking more than ever. Whether you are working from home, teaching your kids, your kids running out the door to school, you running to work or errands, it is a BUSY time. Granola bars are perfect fuel and I make these packed with all the goodness of protein, fiber, complex carbs, and the flavor is out of this world. Cherries and almonds are besties and obviously chocolate is the perfect pairing with them. These are so easy and fast to get together and you have a whole stash of snacks.
The hubs and I love these and I will be making them often, the kids are another story but I think they are in the minority of kiddos. One doesn’t like any bar other than the plain peanut butter Perfect Bar and the other doesn’t like any dried fruit whatsoever. So if your kids aren’t as picky as my little crumb crunchers, I am sure they will love these too. They are soft and crunchy at the same time and not too sweet. I didn’t overdo it with the chocolate because that flavor can totally overwhelm things and I wanted the cherries and almonds be the main flavors. What other flavors do you think I should make???
Cherry Almond Chocolate Granola Bars
3/4 cup almond butter
1/2 cup honey
2 Tablespoons coconut oil
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups old fashioned oats
1 cup almonds, roughly chopped
1/2 cup dried cherries, chopped
1 Tablespoon chia seeds
2 Tablespoons ground flax seeds
1/4 cup mini chocolate chips
2 Tablespoons sliced almonds
Optional - 1/2 cup chocolate chips and 1 Tablespoon coconut oil
- Line an 8x8 or 9x9 baking pan with parchment paper
- In a saucepan, combine the almond butter, honey, and coconut oil on medium heat until it simmers. Let it simmer while stirring for about 1 minute then remove from the heat.
- Pour in the extracts and salt and stir, followed by the oats, almonds, cherries, chia, and flax. Stir until all combined evenly.
- Spread in an even layer in the prepared pan, pressing firmly, using a measuring cup to flatten. Sprinkle the mini chocolate chips and sliced almonds and press into the mixture. Chill in the fridge or freezer for at least 1 hour.
- Cut into 12 bars and store in the fridge or freezer!
- Optional chocolate drizzle- microwave for 30 seconds the chocolate and coconut oil and use a spoon or fork to drizzle the chocolate over the top of each bar and then place on wax or parchment paper and chill.
These are super simple and healthy, perfect for snacks! I like to gather everything because they come together very quickly.
Simmered the almond butter and honey mixture and mixed up all the dry.
Pour in the dry ingredients into the warmed almond butter mix.
Stir it all up and make sure all the dry ingredients have mixed with the wet so they stick together.
Pour and press into the pan, it will be warm so be careful.
You want to press it in really well so it forms a tight bar.
Sprinkle with the mini chips and sliced almonds and press into the bars. and chill in the fridge or freezer
Once it is nice and firm, take it out of the pan and slice them up.
I like a little chocolate drizzle for flair, totally optional
Keep them in the freezer or fridge! Now they are ready for their glamour shots
