Chewy No-Bake Granola Bars with tart cherries and sliced almonds are packed with wholesome ingredients and a superfruit, making them a perfect breakfast or snack.
Use any leftover dried tart cherries in these Cherry Scones.
Best No Bake Granola Bars
The ingredient list on store-bought granola bars is way too long, and I’m realizing I don’t want my kids eating all those additives when I can make something just as delicious at home—faster than it takes to run to the store!
These No-Bake Granola Bars are a staple in my home. My kids love them, I love them, and they’re super easy to make while actually keeping you full.
Ingredients
- Nuts & Seeds: If you have extra time you can lightly toast the nuts and seeds.
- Dried Tart Cherries: Chop the cherries so they spread out evenly.
- Quick Oats: Quick oats are the best in this recipe.
- Honey and Almond Butter: Throw them in the microwave for about 30 second to help them mix together easier.
- Vanilla Extract: Makes everything more flavorful.
- Dark Chocolate: Drizzle over cooled bars to avoid melting into the mixture.
How To Make No Bake Granola Bars
- Chop nuts and seeds: Don’t over-blend; you want small pieces, not powder!
- Cut cherries: Chopping by hand works best for cherries since they’re sticky.
- Dry ingredients: Make sure everything is evenly mixed so the bars stick together.
- Heat wet ingredients: Heating the almond butter and honey helps them mix better.
- Combine wet and dry: his mixture will be thick and sticky—don’t be afraid to get your hands in there!
- Press into the pan: Press hard to avoid crumbly bars later.
- Chocolate: Use a small bag or bag with the corner cut off for an even pour.
Enjoying Tart Cherries
Tart cherries are available year-round in various forms like dried, frozen, canned, juice, or concentrate. Enjoy them in more ways than just granola bars!
For more tart cherry recipes, visit choosecherries.com.
No Bake Granola Bar Notes
- Let bars firm up in the fridge before cutting to let the chocolate harden and the oats soak up the almond butter and honey.
- Store at room temp in an airtight container or freeze for up to 3 months.
- To make gluten-free, use oats labeled gluten-free.
- If the mix is too dry, add more almond butter or honey. If it’s too heavy, add more oats or nuts.
- For the topping, use good-quality dark chocolate—sea salt adds a light touch!
More Yummy Snacks
- No-Bake Energy Bites perfect on the go snack
- No-Bake Breakfast Cookies with a chocolate drizzle on top
- Breakfast Fruit Tarts with fresh fruit
- Greek Yogurt Scones strawberry flavored
- Healthy Blueberry Muffins bakery style
No Bake Granola Bar
Soft, chewy No-Bake Granola Bars are packed with tart cherries, sliced almonds, and wholesome ingredients—perfect for breakfast or a quick snack!
Equipment
- 9 x 9-inch baking pan
- Hand mixer optional
Ingredients
- 1 cup sliced almonds
- 1/4 cup pumpkin seeds or pepitas, shelled and roasted
- 2/3 cup dried tart cherries
- 1-3/4 cups quick oats
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup creamy almond butter
- 1/2 cup honey
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup dark chocolate coarsely chopped from a dark chocolate bar
Instructions
- Line a 9×9-inch pan with parchment paper. Leave an overhang for easy removal of bars.
- Add sliced almonds and pumpkin seeds to a food processor. Pulse for about 7–10 seconds (on chop setting), until the nuts are broken up. Add to a large bowl. With a sharp knife, coarsely chop the dried tart cherries (they don’t chop well in the food processor). Place in the bowl with the nuts. Add in the quick oats and salt. Stir together.
- In another bowl, add creamy almond butter and honey. Microwave for 30 seconds. Remove and pour in the vanilla extract. Stir for about 30 seconds to 1 minute or until well blended.
- Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Use a hand mixer (or your hands) to mix/knead the mixture together until combined. This takes a little effort, but it will come together. Once the ingredients are well combined, pour into the prepared pan and press firmly into place with your hands. Use the bottom of a 1 cup measuring cup to really pack the mixture together in an even layer. Press firmly to avoid crumbling later.
- Coarsely chop a dark chocolate bar and place it in a small microwave-safe bowl. Microwave for 15 seconds, stir for 15 seconds, and if needed, return to the microwave and repeat for another heat/stir cycle until smooth and melted. Using a spatula, transfer the melted chocolate to a small bag and snip off the corner (or use a piping bag fitted with a #3 tip). Drizzle chocolate over the bars.
- Refrigerate the pan for 30 minutes to an hour or until chocolate is hardened and the bars are firm. When you’re ready to slice, lift the bars out of the pan by using the parchment overhang. Use a sharp knife to cut into 16 bars (7 vertical cuts and 1 horizontal cut down the middle).
Video
Recipe Notes
Storage: Store leftover granola bars in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week. For longer storage, keep them in the fridge for up to two weeks.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 249kcal | Carbohydrates: 24.8g | Protein: 6.8g | Fat: 15.5g | Sodium: 2.8mg | Fiber: 3.8g | Sugar: 16.4g
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
My kids are all home and eating so many snacks. This was such a delicious recipe.
Ohh I am so saving this recipe. I work long shifts and need simple snacks I can keep in my pockets and that are great for you. I can not wait to make these, I know I am going to have coworkers picking at my pockets:))
Thank you! I’ve actually been looking for something healthy but still delicious to snack on and have quickly in the mornings. These turned out so pretty also!
Hi Chelsea,
Can you post the Nutritional Facts on this recipe? Sounds really good!
Thank you, Holly
Sorry they weren’t showing up for some reason, I just re-added them in 🙂