I love using nuts in all forms in my recipes! I use sliced almonds in these No-Bake Chocolate Cherry Granola Bars but I often use whole nuts, sliced nuts, chopped nuts, nut butter, you name it! If you're a fan of nuts, try my Curried Chicken Salad with Grapes, Blueberry Apple & Walnut Baked Oatmeal or Roasted Butternut Squash Salad.
Nuts are actually one of the most nutritious snacks you can eat and are packed with many beneficial nutrients including heart-healthy unsaturated fats, protein, fiber, vitamins and minerals. Read my post all about the health benefits of nuts.
These nutritious homemade granola bars are the ideal portable breakfast or snack and they'll give you long-lasting energy. They are actually featured in my latest cookbook, the Natural Pregnancy Cookbook, but you don’t have to be pregnant to enjoy them!
Perfect for adults or kids, these healthy No-Bake Chocolate Cherry Granola Bars are made with a combination of oats, rice cereal and sliced almonds, which gives them a great chewy, crispy texture with a little bit of crunch.
Flaxseed, dried cherries and dark chocolate add flavor as well as a boost of fiber, protein, omega-3 fatty acids and antioxidants.
The best part about these bars is that you don’t have to bake them at all! Once you get the mixture all assembled, simply refrigerate it for a couple of hours to firm up, then slice and serve.
These tasty granola bars are the perfect grab and go breakfast or snack for yourself or your kids.
Once you make a batch of these, you’ll never buy granola bars again!
More tasty snack recipes
- Wild Blueberry Breakfast Cookies
- Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins
- Blueberry French Toast Muffins
- Coconut Cashew Bliss Balls
- Homemade Coconut Maple Granola
Did you try this recipe? If so, please leave a review below. I love hearing from you! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Recipe
No-Bake Chocolate Cherry Granola Bars
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups quick-cooking oats*
- 1 cup puffed rice cereal, preferably brown rice
- ¼ cup sliced almonds
- ¼ cup ground flaxseed or wheat germ
- ¼ cup packed light brown sugar
- ¼ cup honey
- ¼ cup coconut oil or unsalted butter
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup dried cherries, chopped
- ⅓ cup dark chocolate chips
Instructions
- Line an 8x8-inch square baking dish with parchment paper or aluminum foil, letting the ends hang over the sides of the dish.
- Mix the oats, rice cereal, almonds and flaxseed together in a bowl.
- Heat the sugar, honey and coconut oil in a large saucepan on the stove, stirring often until the sugar dissolves. Bring to a boil then lower to a simmer. Simmer the mixture for 2 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the vanilla and salt.
- Pour the oat mixture into the saucepan. Using a spatula, stir to combine all of the ingredients well. Stir in the cherries.
- Transfer the mixture to the baking dish and press it down into the pan, packing it in firmly (packing it in tightly will ensure that the bars don’t fall apart). Sprinkle the chocolate chips evenly over the top and press them lightly into the granola mixture.
- Place the dish in the refrigerator and chill for 2 hours. Remove the granola mixture from the dish, using the parchment paper to pull it out of the dish. Place it on a cutting board and cut it into 12 bars with a sharp knife. Store extra bars in the refrigerator with parchment paper or foil in between the layers to prevent them from sticking.
Dani @ Dani California Cooks says
These look DELICIOUS. They look my favorite childhood granola bar!
anne@cravingSomethingHealthy.com says
I've been craving some home made granola bars - I don't know how I missed these in your book - I can't wait to make them!
No Spoon Necessary says
Congratulations on the release of your cookbook! That is spectacular! I had no clue nuts had a national day all to themselves. I can't think of a better way to celebrate them than these granola bars! These look fantastic! LOVE that they are no bake and I love that they are jam packed with so much good for you and delicious ingredients! These are perfect! I'll take 2 or 10 please 😉 Cheers and thanks for sharing the YUM!
GiGi Eats Celebrities says
This recipe actually makes me really really sad, because I really want two or three! 🙁
sonaliruder says
Don't be sad! I promise not to judge 🙂
Lisa Lin says
YES! Love homemade bars that are filled with nuts and chocolate! Great recipe, Sonali!
sonaliruder says
Thanks so much Lisa!
Elizabeth Falcigno says
Chocolate + cherry!? Yummy!! These look like the perfect snack 🙂
sonaliruder says
I just love that combo! Thanks for stopping by 🙂
Nicole @ Fitful Focus says
oooo yum!!! All my favorite flavors in one bar!
sonaliruder says
Thanks Nicole!
Sam @ PancakeWarriors says
Oh granola bars - my go to meal when I'm overworked and short on time!! Love the cherry and chocolate combo - that's one of my go to recipe flavors!
sonaliruder says
I couldn't agree more! Thanks Sam 🙂
Caroline Kaufman says
I love no bake snacks and these sound fantastic! Love the nuts and dried fruit combo 🙂
sonaliruder says
Thanks Caroline!
Sarah Grace Spann says
Cherries and chocolate ARE THE BEST combination 🙂 I'm so sad that I COMPLETELY forgot about this months recipe redux with some chaotic things going on, because I love my nut recipes! These look delicious Sonali! And congrats on the cookbook!
xo,
Sarah Grace
sonaliruder says
Thanks so much Sarah! It's a bummer that you missed the redux, I know you have awesome nutty recipes!
Marissa | Pinch and Swirl says
I love that you don't even have to bake these! And oats, chocolate and cherries are one of my favorite flavor combinations - these look fantastic!
sonaliruder says
Thanks so much Marissa 🙂
athletic avocado says
these are so much better for you than chewy granola bars, and tastier!!!! 🙂
sonaliruder says
Yay, glad you like them 🙂
Beverley says
only if I had your recipe when my grown up boys were still at school...but you know that means more for me now...I love them and yes Chocolate and Cherry are a match made in heaven xoxo
sonaliruder says
I couldn't agree more, chocolate and cherry is such a delicious combo! Thanks so much for the lovely comment <3
Farrah says
I am all about the chocolate + cherry combination! I still haven't tried making my own granola bars yet though--will hopefully be able to do that once things kinda calm down!
sonaliruder says
I hope things calm down soon! Then you have to try making your own granola bars, there are so many awesome recipes out there 🙂
carashealthycraving says
I love having healthy, homemade granola bars on hand. I love how these ones are now bake, thanks so much for sharing!
sonaliruder says
So do I! Thanks Cara!
Rachel Norman says
I'm always looking for new easy granola bar recipes! Thanks for this!
sonaliruder says
You're welcome! I hope you like them if you try them 🙂
Diane Boyd says
This is just one of the many recipes in your cookbook I love!
sonaliruder says
Yay! That's so great to hear!
Ashley C. says
Congrats on the release of your new cookbook! I am a huge fan of granola bars and can't wait to try these.
sonaliruder says
Thanks so much Ashley!
Alanna says
I can't tell you how much I love and appreciate no-bake granola bars! These are going on the to-make list for sure. Loving the cookbook, Sonali!!
sonaliruder says
Thanks Alanna! I'm so happy that you like the book 🙂
Corina says
They look like a great snack and I love the fact that you don't even need to bake them.
sonaliruder says
Thanks so much! I love no-bake recipes too!