Cherry Almond Granola Bars

There is nothing quite like making your own granola bars at home. Unlike store-bought snacks packed with refined sugars and preservatives, these homemade Cherry Almond Granola Bars are rich in toasted nuts, naturally sweet dried cherries, and bound together with creamy almond butter. They are chewy, slightly crunchy, and make the ultimate grab-and-go breakfast or afternoon energy booster.

Ingredients

10–12 bars | Prep time: 15 mins | Bake/Chilling time: 2 hours

• 2 cups (180g) Jumbo Rolled Oats — Sainsbury's or Tesco Own Brand

• 1 cup (100g) Whole & Flaked Almonds, roughly chopped — Aldi or Asda

• 3/4 cup (100g) Dried Tart Cherries, coarsely chopped — Waitrose Cook's Ingredients or M&S

• 1/2 cup (125g) Smooth Almond Butter — Pip & Nut (available at Sainsbury's / Tesco) or Aldi's Foodie Market

• 1/3 cup (80ml) Runny Honey or Pure Maple Syrup — Rowse Honey or M&S Organic Maple Syrup

• 2 tbsp Coconut Oil or Unsalted Butter

• 1 tsp Pure Vanilla Extract

• 1/2 tsp Flaky Sea Salt — Maldon Sea Salt (Sainsbury's / Waitrose)

The Step-by-Step Method

1. Toast the Oats & Almonds Preheat your oven to 175°C (155°C fan / Gas Mark 4). Spread the jumbo oats and chopped almonds onto a large baking tray. Toast in the oven for 8–10 minutes until lightly golden and fragrant. Transfer them to a large mixing bowl and add the chopped dried cherries.

2. Warm the Binder In a small saucepan over low heat, combine the almond butter, honey (or maple syrup), and coconut oil. Stir continuously for 2–3 minutes until melted and completely smooth. Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla extract and sea salt.

3. Combine and Press Pour the warm almond butter mixture over the toasted oats, almonds, and cherries. Stir thoroughly with a spatula until every grain of oat is well coated.

Chef’s Secret: Pressing the mixture firmly is the key to preventing crumbling! Line an 8x8 inch square baking pan with parchment paper. Transfer the mixture into the pan and use the bottom of a flat glass or measuring cup to press it down as firmly as possible into an even, compact layer.

4. Chill and Slice Place the pan into the refrigerator for at least 2 hours (or 30 minutes in the freezer) until completely set and firm. Lift the parchment paper out of the pan and cut into rectangular bars using a sharp chef's knife.

Chef’s Tips & Storage

Chocolate Drizzle Option:    Melt 50g of 70% dark chocolate (M&S Swiss Dark Chocolate or Moser Roth from Aldi) and drizzle over the top before chilling for an extra indulgent treat.


Storage: Keep the bars stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 weeks, or freeze them individually wrapped for up to 2 months.


Nut-Free Swap: Replace the almonds and almond butter with sunflower seeds and creamy sunflower seed butter (SunButter).