Cherry Almond Bars
These no-bake cherry almond energy bars for just 4 ingredients and taste like sweet and tart cherry pie!
Features
- dietary needs: vegan, gluten-free, no added sugar, oil-free
- quick and easy: you’ll need 4 ingredients and 15 minutes
- mix and match various dried fruits and nuts
- pack them in a lunchbox or take them hiking, they’re great for snacking on-the-go!
Ingredient Notes
A complete list of ingredients with amounts and full instructions is located in the printable recipe card below. This section covers ingredient and substitution considerations.
- almonds – use plain, raw almonds with no added oil or salt, ok to mix and match with pecans and/or walnuts
- dried cherries – use unsweetened dried cherries or any mix of dried fruit such as blueberries, cranberries or apricots
- dates – any variety works as long as they’re soft and moist
- vanilla – optional but lovely with the almond and cherry flavours
- chocolate chips – optional but recommended, I like Enjoy Life or Camino dairy-free chocolate chips, any dark chocolate works too
Step by Step Instructions
Step 1. Soak the dried cherries (or other dried fruit) in hot water for 15 minutes. Drain well.
Step 2. Add the almonds to a food processor and blend until grainy. It’s ok if there are a few large pieces left behind but they should be mostly broken down.
Step 3. Add the drained soaked, dates and vanilla and blend into a sticky dough. You should easily be able to press the dough together between your fingers.
Step 4. Add the chocolate chips and pulse a few times to mix throughout.
Step 5. Line a 7 or 8 inch square baking pan with parchment paper so it sticks out over the sides of the pan. Firmly press the dough into the pan until flat.
Place the entire pan in the fridge for freezer for an hour or two to firm, lift out the pan, slice and enjoy!
Notes
- Serving Size: I like cutting them into 12 bars then into 24 mini bars. That way I can have one for a small treat or grab a couple if I want more.
- Nuts: Mix and match from almonds, pecans, cashews and walnuts up to 2 cups. I recommend using at least 1 cup of almonds.
- Cherries: Mix and match from dried cranberries, blueberries and cherries. Unsweetened dried fruit is best here.
- It’s not totally necessary to wait for them in the fridge or freezer but I prefer them chilled and firmed. Feel free to enjoy right away them put the rest in the fridge or freezer for later.
Storing
- Fridge: Up to 2 weeks in a sealed container.
- Freezer: Up to 3 months in a sealed container or freezer-safe bag.
- Room Temperature: Okay at room temperature if taking to-go for up to a day or two. Best if kept cool though as they’ll start to get soft. I’d suggest keeping frozen beforehand.
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Print
Almond Cherry Bars
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Total Time: 10 minutes
- Yield: 12
- Category: Snack
- Method: Food Processor
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegan
Description
Delicious homemade energy bars made with just 4 ingredients: almonds, cherries, dates and chocolate! These yummy treats will remind you of a slice of sweet and tart cherry pie.
Ingredients
- 2 cups raw almonds (300 g)
- 1 cup unsweetened dried cherries
- 1 cup packed, soft pitted dates (220 g)
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract, optional
- 1/4 tsp sea salt, optional
- 1/2 cup dairy-free chocolate chips (85 g)
Instructions
- Soak the cherries in hot water in a bowl for 15 minutes then drain well. It’s ok if they’re wet when you add the to the recipe just make sure to drain off any excess water.
- Place the almonds in a food processor and mix until broken down in a grainy consistency. A few large pieces left behind are ok.
- Add the dates, drained soaked cherries, vanilla and salt and blend into a thick, sticky dough you can easily pinch together between your fingers.
- Add the chocolate chips and pulse a few times to mix throughout.
- Line a 7 or 8 inch square baking pan with parchment paper so it sticks out over the sides of the pan. Firmly press the dough into the pan until flat and smooth. After you press it in, I suggest wetting your hands then rubbing the surface of the bars to smooth and flatten.
- Place in the freezer for 30 minutes to firm.
- Lift the bars out of the pan, slice into 12 bars and enjoy!
Notes
You don’t have to wait for them to firm in the freezer but I prefer them when they’ve firmed up a bit. You can also place in the fridge for an hour or two.
Storing: Store in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 2 weeks or freezer for up to 3 months.
Serving Size: I like to cut into 12 then cut into 24 mini-bars so I can grab one for a small treat or a couple if I want more.
Cherries: Mix and match from dried cherries, cranberries and blueberries, up to 1 cup. I used a mix of cherries and blueberries. Look for unsweetened dried berries
Nuts: Mix and match from almonds, cashews, pecans and walnuts up to 2 cups. I’d recommend using at least 1 cup of almonds.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bar
- Calories: 203
- Sugar: 16 g
- Sodium: 0.4 mg
- Fat: 12 g
- Carbohydrates: 23 g
- Fiber: 5 g
- Protein: 6 g
Keywords: no-bake almond energy bars, cherry energy bars
Originally pubslihed June 1, 2014. Updated January 2021 with new text and photos.
Great recipe! I left in fridge overnight then I rolled into balls. I also made a bowl with raw cacao and shredded coconut, rolled in mixture. Yum! Perfection. Such a guiltless treat, that’s healthy too! Thank you!
★★★★★
Yum! Thanks for trying them.
Tart & delicious! I made this for my son to take to work for his snack and he loved them. Simple & healthy, so much better than store bought.
★★★★★
Thank you, Stacey!
I made these with cranberries instead of cherries and so GOOD! Thanks for the awesome recipes!
★★★★★
Yum! Love cranberries in these. The sweet and tart flavour is so good! Glad you enjoyed them.
I made these exactly like the recipe stated. They are phenomenal!! Easy to make and absolutely delicious! Loving all the recipes on this site/page. Also love how all the ingredients are listed to see.
★★★★★
Super yummy! I love the tartness from the cherries. I used half dried cherries and half dried cranberries…and lots of chocolate chips haha. I used your suggestion to cut into mini-bars and they’re perfect for a little treat. Thanks for these!
★★★★★
I made these and they are great! I added some unsweetened coconut but left everything else the same and I love them! Thanks for the recipe!
Is there a trick to making the bars solidify in the freezer? I left my mix in for about an hour and it was still crumbling. The mix still tasted good though!
Hmm, I would probably say that would be due to your dates being too dry. Next time, you may want to soak them first. My dates were very fresh and moist so I didn’t have a problem with them crumbling. Sorry about that!
These sound delicious! Perfect for a quick post-run snack.
I love date bars! They’re so easy to make and always taste so good 😀
I’ve been looking for unsweetened dried fruit everywhere but it’s so hard to find. I buy reduced sugar craisins for now but I’ve got my eyes peeled for any kind of unsweetened fruit. Once I find some I’m definitely gonna make these.
Thanks for sharing!