No-Bake Chocolate Cherry Chia Granola Bars

October 25, 2023  |  3 min read

Ally Veldhuisen

Grocery prices in 2023 and my husband’s appetite for granola bars are definitely not a match made in heaven!

I’m constantly on the lookout for a cheaper way to have wholesome, grab’n’go foods on hand for my little family. While the upfront cost may seem higher, making our own granola bars has been a budget-friendly alternative to buying them from the store. 

I love that I can swap out some ingredients with what I have on hand, making them easy to throw together in a pinch. The best part, though, is being able to avoid any unwanted additives and ingredients without paying an arm and a leg!

Do you have littles at home? This is a great recipe to get them involved!

Ask them to help you measure out the dry ingredients, turn the mixer on and off, and press the mixture into the pan. They could also help you pack the bars once they’ve been cut. They’ll love eating them even more after taking ownership of creating them.

Completed granola bar recipe

My tips for this recipe...

  1. Only mix them by hand if you’re up for an arm workout! The honey mixture becomes very sticky and hard to incorporate, but a stand mixer gets the job done in a snap!

  2. Store the granola bars in snack-size bags or wrap them in parchment and place them in a container. They should store well for up to 2 weeks at room temperature.

  3. Have littles and bigs who like to snack at home? Cut some smaller for the kids and leave some larger for those with bigger appetites. No more half-eaten granola bars going to waste!

Ingredients

  • 2 cups muesli (I use Trader Joe’s)
  • ¾ cup dried cherries
  • ½ cup chia seeds
  • ½ cup dark chocolate chips (Nestle Dark Chocolate Chunks are my favorite!)
  • ½ cup tahini
  • ½ cup honey
  • 2 tbs brown sugar
Trader Joe's muesli bag

Directions

  1. Add the muesli, cherries, chia, and chocolate to your stand mixer. Mix until ingredients are evenly dispersed.
  2. In a small saucepan, add tahini, honey, and brown sugar.
  3. On medium heat, stir the mixture constantly until small bubbles begin to form. Be careful, it will burn quickly!
  4. Remove from heat. Quickly scrape the warm ingredients into the mixing bowl using a spatula.
  5. Mix all ingredients on low until well combined. (Note: Chocolate chips will melt. That’s okay!)
  6. Press into any size pan for your desired thickness – I typically use an 8×8 pan.
  7. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, or overnight.
  8. Remove bars from refrigerator and cut into desired size.
  9. Store in baggies or wrap in parchment and place in a container.

Did you try this recipe? Be sure to share it and tag us! @forthishouse

No-Bake Chocolate Cherry Chia Granola Bars
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No-Bake Chocolate Cherry Chia Granola Bars

Recipe by Ally Veldhuisen
Servings

12-16

bars
Prep time

10

minutes
Resting Time

30

minutes

Ingredients

  • 2 cups muesli

  • ¾ cup dried cherries

  • ½ cup chia seeds

  • ½ cup dark chocolate chips

  • ½ cup tahini

  • ½ cup honey

  • 2 tbs brown sugar

Directions

  • Add the muesli, cherries, chia, and chocolate to your stand mixer. Mix until ingredients are evenly dispersed.

  • In a small saucepan, add tahini, honey, and brown sugar.

  • On medium heat, stir the mixture constantly until small bubbles begin to form. Be careful, it will burn quickly!

  • Remove from heat. Quickly scrape the warm ingredients into the mixing bowl using a spatula.

  • Mix all ingredients on low until well combined. (Note: Chocolate chips will melt. That’s okay!)

  • Press into any size pan for your desired thickness - I typically use an 8x8 pan.

  • Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, or overnight.

  • Remove bars from refrigerator and cut into desired size.

  • Store in baggies or wrap in parchment and place in a container.