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