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A delicious and healthy take on Kind Bar’s Dark Chocolate Cherry Bars made with raw cacao and tart dried cherries drizzled with dark chocolate and sprinkled with sea salt.
Have you ever tried the Dark Chocolate Cherry Cashew KIND bars? If you have then you know how good they are, if you haven’t….don’t. Not because they aren’t the most delicious treat but because you can save some serious dough making them yourself! Fortunately for you I have mastered the recipe.
A single KIND bar averages around $2.00. Now I haven’t tried adding up the total for each bar in my batch but I can assure you I made 12 of these for less than $24. This is especially true if you have an addiction to all things bulk stores like I do.
These bars taste almost identical to the original but are even healthier! The original bars contain sugar, palm kern oil, glucose and a host of other ingredients that are not necessary. It is true that KIND bars are a healthier choice when it comes to the granola bars that are available on the market since they are free of chemical additives, high fructose corn syrup and hydrogenated oils. But if you can make an all-natural bar made from real, wholesome ingredients for minimal dollars, i’m all for putting in the effort. They’re also my dad’s favorite so these chocolate cherry bars make be think of him.
Why Make Homemade Granola Bars
Why not?! Here’s why I like to make my own granola bars at home:
- Save $$! I can make an entire batch of granola bars for way less than what a box of store bought granola bars costs.Â
- Choose your ingredients. I love knowing (and choosing!) exactly what goes into my snacks. Actual KIND bars have sugar, palm kern oil, glucose and a bunch of other ingredients that aren’t necessary in my opinion. I created this version from real, wholesome ingredients!
- They’re healthy enough for breakfast and tasty enough for dessert!
Dark Chocolate Cherry Bar Ingredients
- Cashews and almonds – I like using raw nuts but you could try roasted as well.Â
- Dried cherries – try to find dried cherries without any added sugar if possible!
- Dates – helps hold the bars together and adds a delicious natural sweetness.
- Raw cacao powder – cocoa powder works as well!
- Puffed rice or millet – you can also skip this if you can’t find it!
- Dark chocolate – I recommend looking for chocolate that is at least 70% cacao.
- Sea salt – for sprinkling on top!
How to Make Dark Chocolate Cherry Bars
STEP 1: In a food processor or blender mix together cashews, cherries, dates and cacao powder until it forms into a large sticky ball.
STEP 2: Place ball in a large bowl and add almonds and puffed rice/millet.Use a spatula to mix everything together. It should be very sticky.
STEP 3:Â In a 9 x 9 baking dish lined with parchment paper add mixture and press down with fingers until mixture is flattened out into bars. Wet hands slightly if mixture is sticking to hands. Place dish in freezer for 15 minute to set.
STEP 4: Remove bars from freezer and cut into 12 bars (or however many you prefer). Melt dark chocolate either in microwave (in 30 second intervals) or in a double boiler on stove top. Place bars on a plate or tray and drizzle dark chocolate overtop with a spoon. Sprinkle with sea salt.
STEP 5: Place bars in fridge to set for an additional 15 minutes. Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.
How to Store Homemade Granola Bars
Store these granola bars in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to two weeks. If you need to store for longer, you can freeze them for up to six months. Fair warning… mine never last that long in my house
Dark Chocolate Cherry Bars
A delicious and healthy take on Kind Bar’s Dark Chocolate Cherry Bars made with raw cacao and tart dried cherries drizzled with dark chocolate and sprinkled with sea salt.
- Prep Time: 35 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 12 Bars 1x
- Category: Snack
- Method: Blend
- Diet: Vegan
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup raw cashews
- 1 1/4 cups dried cherries
- 1 cup medjool dates, pitted
- 1/2 tbsp raw cacao powder
- 1/2 cup raw almonds
- 1/2 cup puffed rice or millet
- 1/4 cup dark chocolate chips (or chopped dark chocolate)
- sprinkle of sea salt
Instructions
- In a food processor or blender mix together cashews, cherries, dates and cacao powder until it forms into a large sticky ball.
- Place ball in a large bowl and add almonds and puffed rice/millet.
- Use a spatula to mix everything together. It should be very sticky.
- In a 9 x 9 baking dish lined with parchment paper add mixture and press down with fingers until mixture is flattened out into bars. Wet hands slightly if mixture is sticking to hands.
- Place dish in freezer for 15 minute to set.
- Melt dark chocolate either in microwave (in 30 second intervals) or in a double boiler on stove top.
- Remove bars from freezer and cut into 12 bars (or however many you prefer).
- Place bars on a plate or tray and drizzle dark chocolate overtop with a spoon. Sprinkle with sea salt.
- Place bars in fridge to set for an additional 15 minutes.
- Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.
Like this post? Here are more granola bar recipes to try:
Is there anywhere I can find the nutritional value on the recipes? Particularly the amount of carbs.
Reads delicious with regulated nutrient.
The kabobs are well when the placement of dark red bing cherries are added as replacement of pineapple. Also sweet and quinchy are cubed pieces of plum ripened to perfection.
I made this for the first time last weekend and am LOVING these! I didn’t have the puffed rice or millet. I used 60% dark chocolate chips (for the melted chocolate on top). I wasn’t good at drizzling it, so I ended up just spreading it evenly overtop. The combo of almonds, dark chocolate, and sea salt are amazing!
I have also make the blueberry lemon balls and the peanut butter/pretzel balls. All are a really nice afternoon treat!
These are delicious!! 🙂 i mixed in some chia seeds for extra nutrition and next time i”m going to mix in some flax seed meal too! 🙂 starting to meal plan!
Fab!!! I’m so happy you enjoyed them 🙂
Hey! I couldn’t find puffed millet or, unsweetened puffed rice here in Germany at co-op food store but they did have puffed Amaranth. Something I had never seen before. Turned out great! Hoping my kids think the same.
I’ve tried finding puffed amaranth in Canada but it is hard to come by and my experiment with popping it myself didn’t go so well. I’m so glad they turned out well though! Hope your kids enjoy them too 🙂
These bars look fantastic! Thanks for linking up at our Gluten Free Fridays party! I have tweeted and pinned your entry to our Gluten Free Fridays board on Pinterest! 🙂
We have a Gluten Free gift basket giveaway this week! One lucky winner will score an awesome basket, just in time for Mothers Day!
Cindy from vegetarianmamma.com
These look incredible! I’m making them asap 🙂 Thanks for a great and easy recipe!
-Dana
Thank you Dana! Let me know how it goes. I love any dark chocolate and cherry combo so these go quickly in my house!
Davida, these look incredible! Funny, I made no bake apple pie bars this week. But since I’m a chocolate freak I think I need to make these this weekend! Have a great weekend!
Heather
No bake apple pie bars? I am checking these out right now! You are such a talent in the kitchen!
Wow these look amazing!
I’m so very happy to have found your blog 😉
Everything looks great!
xo Ella
Thanks Ella! I’m a big fan of your blog as well! And these are sooooo delicious! I hope you enjoy!