Cherry Almond Granola Bars

Chewy granola bars loaded with plump cherries, slivered almonds, and white chocolate chips.

You guys, I’m on a boat in the middle of the deep blue sea…and I’m scared! Squirrel used his husband super powers (pouty sad face with the protruding bottom lip) to talk me into going on a cruise to the Caribbean, and now I’m stuck on a huge boat. I know it sounds all pretty-little-umbrellas-in-fancy-cocktails fun, but I’m an anxious wreck (no pun intended).

What happens if I don’t like it and want to get off? What if a shark gets stuck in the propeller and we plunge to the bottom? Granted, we won’t go down Titanic style in the icy cold water, but there are sharks. I’m prone to smelling like butter and sugar. Do sharks like butter and sugar? I sure hope not. If they do, I’m shark bait.

I refuse to wear my black bathing suit in case I fall overboard and the sharks mistake me for a seal. I’m small. It could happen.

Just before we got on the big boat of doom, I was informed that our room is on the very bottom of the ship, which means no balcony. “But we have a porthole,” my husband quips. Essentially, I’m sleeping in an aquarium for the next 7 days. All I can think about is how I’m going to get off this ship if something happens in the middle of the night. I suppose I could bust open the porthole and swim out?

Then again, maybe I’ll have a heck of a time. I might even disco dance at one of the night clubs.

Enough about floating vessels and potential shark attacks. We have granola bars to talk about.

These cherry almond granola bars are gooey, chewy, and perfectly sweet. They’re full of plump cherries, slivered almonds, hearty oats, and sweet white chocolate chips. I used extra vanilla extract to give them a creamy flavor. They’re crunchy on the outside and chewy on the inside.

See you guys in a week! I miss you already.

Print Recipe

Cherry Almond Granola Bars

Chewy granola bars loaded with plump cherries, slivered almonds, and white chocolate chips.

Yield: 1 8-by-8-inch pan

Total Time: 35 minutes

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 25 minutes

Ingredients:

2 cups old-fashioned oats

1/3 cup brown sugar

2/3 cup almond flour

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1 cup slivered almonds

1 1/2 cups dried cherries

1 cup white chocolate chips

4 tablespoons butter, melted

4 tablespoons coconut oil, melted

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1/4 cup honey

 

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line the bottom and sides of a 8-by-8-inch baking pan with parchment, allowing the parchment to overhang on two opposite sides.

In a large bowl, combine the oats, brown sugar, almond flour, salt, almonds, dried cherries, and white chocolate chips.

In a small bowl, whisk together the coconut oil, butter, vanilla extract, and honey. Pour the mixture over the dry ingredients and mix thoroughly with a rubber spatula.

Firmly press the granola mixture evenly into the prepared pan. Fold the parchment overhang onto the granola and press down firmly. Unfold the parchment before placing in the oven. Bake for 35 minutes, turning the pan halfway through.

Remove the pan from the oven and allow to cool for 30 minutes. Lift the sides of the parchment and transfer the granola to a wire rack to cool completely.

When the granola is completely cooled, remove from the parchment and onto a cutting board. Cut into squares. Layer the squares between wax paper in an airtight container for up to two weeks.

All images and text ©One Sweet Mess.

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