These Chocolate Cherry Almond No-Bake Granola Bars are easy to make and perfect for a healthier snack!

Three no bake granola bars on a square of parchment paper. A bag and a dish of almonds rest in the background.

Even though my blog is mostly focused on baking, I still try to eat healthier during the week. Between all of the butter and sugar that goes through my kitchen each week, it’s important to me to try to fit in as many healthier meals and snack as I can.

One thing that I love to make at home is no-bake granola bars. Not only are they better for you and so easy to make, but you can control what goes into them and use ingredients that you love too!

Between the crunchy almonds, sweet dried cherries, and mini chocolate chips in every bite these no-bake chocolate chip granola bars really are delicious. The fact that they’re better for you is just an added bonus.

I also knew this recipe was a winner when I saw my husband eating these all week long. I just mixed up another batch for this week too!

A container of Blue Diamond whole almonds.

Ingredients in This Recipe

These healthy homemade granola bars call for a handful of simple ingredients. Here’s what you’ll need for this recipe: 

  • Almond butter: I recommend using no-stir almond butter for this recipe. Creamy or crunchy will work! 
  • Honey: Sweetens the bars and helps bind everything together. 
  • Vanilla extract: Use pure vanilla extract for the best flavor. 
  • Quick oats: I prefer using quick oats in this recipe because they give you the classic store-bought chewy granola bar texture. 
  • Almonds: Be sure to finely chop them so you don’t chomp down on a whole almond. 
  • Dried cherries: I like using sweetened dried cherries in this recipe, but unsweetened works too. 
  • Semi-sweet chocolate chips: Use mini chocolate chips, if possible. 
  • Salt: Balances out all the flavors. 
  • Crispy rice cereal: Add this at the end so it doesn’t get crushed. 

Healthy homemade granola bar mixture in a bowl.

How to Make No-Bake Granola Bars 

The base of this almond butter granola bar recipe starts with some almond butter, honey, and a little vanilla extract. I usually microwave all three together for about 20 to 30 seconds, just until it’s warm enough to mix together easily. You’ll want to set this aside to cool too, otherwise your chocolate chips will melt when you mix everything together.

Next, mix in the quick oats, dried cherries, mini chocolate chips, and chopped almonds.

Once everything is mixed together, you’ll gently mix in some crispy rice cereal. It’s best to add the cereal in at the end, that way you avoid crushing it into little pieces.

A stack of three chocolate chip almond butter granola bars.

How Long Do Homemade Granola Bars Last? 

These almond butter granola bars will last up to 1 week in the fridge. 

Can I Use a Different Nut Butter? 

You likely can, yes. If you have a nut allergy, you can probably use sun butter too (you may just need to up the amount of oats in the recipe if the mixture is too runny). 

Baking Tips 

  • I prefer making these bars with dried cherries, but any dried fruit will work. If you bought larger dried fruit pieces, chop them up before mixing into the no-bake granola bars. 
  • I’ve only made this recipe as written, but I imagine you could use old-fashioned oats instead of quick oats if that’s all you have on hand. 
  • There is a lot of good stuff packed into this recipe, so it may not be completely smooth once you’ve mixed it up. The mixture should come together pretty well and may be just a bit crumbly, which is fine. Once you press everything firmly into the pan and freeze it, you’ll easily be able to slice it into granola bars.

More Easy Snack Recipes to Try! 

No-Bake Chocolate Cherry Almond Granola Bars

4 from 1 rating
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Chill Time: 1 hour
Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
These Chocolate Cherry Almond No-Bake Granola Bars are easy to make and perfect for a healthier snack!
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Ingredients

Servings: 12 granola bars
  • 1/2 cup no-stir almond butter (creamy or crunchy)
  • 1/2 cup honey
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 and 1/4 cups quick oats
  • 1/2 cup almonds , roughly chopped
  • 1/2 cup sweetened dried cherries
  • 1/4 cup mini semi-sweet chocolate chips
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup crispy rice cereal

Instructions
 

  • Line an 8-inch square baking pan with foil, making sure to leave some overhang for easy removal, and set aside.
  • Add the almond butter, honey, and vanilla extract to a large microwave safe bowl and microwave for about 20-30 seconds or until you can easily stir everything together. Set aside to cool.
  • Once the mixture has cooled, add the quick oats, chopped almonds, dried cherries, mini chocolate chips, and salt and mix until everything is well combined. Add in the crispy rice cereal and gently mix until just combined.
  • Scoop the mixture into the prepared baking pan and firmly press it down into one even layer. Cover tightly and transfer to the freezer for 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until the bars are firm. Remove from the pan and slice into 10-12 granola bars.

Notes

Storage instructions: Store bars in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to one week.
 
Cuisine: American
Course: Snack
Author: Danielle Rye
Did you make this recipe?Mention @livewellbakeoften on Instagram or tag #livewellbakeoften.
These No-Bake Chocolate Cherry Almond Granola Bars are easy to make and perfect for a healthier snack!