Chocolate Cranberry Granola Bars for a snack or quick breakfast. Full of almonds, craisins, and dark chocolate chips. Chewy, crunchy with just a bit of chocolate sweetness, and grain-free.

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I nibble during the day to keep myself from eating huge meals. So, I’m always looking to make recipes that will not only be a healthier choice but easy to make too. These bars are a much healthier choice than store-bought bars which have so many ingredients I have no idea what they are. Make your own and you know what’s in your bars.

I had a basic granola bar recipe that I had made in the past but they needed just a bit more crunch and flavor. I use Craisins in a lot in my muffin recipes and thought they would be a perfect addition. You could also use raisins if you like when you don’t have any craisins. 

The dark chocolate chips I use come from Aldis and contain 60% Cacao which doesn’t make them nearly as sweet as milk chocolate chips. These chips to me are better than the other major brands out there when it comes to a nice dark chocolate flavor. 

I also only use raw local honey I get at our local farmers’ market in this recipe. Honey is such a great choice instead of sugar when baking or adding to your coffee or tea. Honey doesn’t cause your blood sugar to spike as processed sugar does. Raw honey is full of antioxidants, and cancer-fighting phytonutrients and helps in digestion. Store-bought honey has been pasteurized and all the good items have been taken out during that process. 

TIP: Do not feed children under one year of age any type of honey, including raw honey. Honey naturally contains a purified form of the C. botulinum bacteria. Small children’s immune system isn’t developed enough to handle this type of bacteria. If you are allergic to bees or certain types of pollen, consult your doctor before using any kind of honey.

I use a small hand chopper to roughly chop up the almonds. The chopper is easy to store, and clean and makes small chopping jobs so much easier. I use Red Mill almond flour, but you can make your own by putting 1/3 cup of almonds in the food processor and pulsing until it forms a crumbly meal. Don’t keep the food processor on continuously or it will end up with almond butter. 

Looking for good baking supplies? Be sure to check out Aldis. I love the nut selection they have at much cheaper prices.

Need a small food processor? Check out the little jewel above I have my eye on it. I use the Ninja Bullet and love it for my smoothies, but I have worn the poor thing out, and its time to replace it. Great option for making smoothies and also for small food processing jobs.

I love how quickly these bars come together and are perfect for a busy family who doesn’t have time for a long recipe to follow.

What other flavors would you put in your homemade granola bars?

Chocolate Cranberry Granola Bars

Chocolate Cranberry Granola Bars for a snack or breakfast. Full of almonds, craisins and dark chocolate chips. Chewy, crunchy with just a bit of chocolate sweetness and grain-free.

Course: Snack

Cuisine: American

Servings: 12 bars

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 20 minutes mins

Completely Cool & Fridge 2 hours hrs

Total Time 2 hours hrs 30 minutes mins

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

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INGREDIENTS

• 1/3 cup Raw Honey
• 1/4 tsp Vanilla Extract
• 1/3 cup Almond Meal
• 1/8 tsp Salt
• 1 tbsp Almond Butter
• 2 cups Almonds, roughly chopped
• 1/3 cup Craisins or Raisins
• 1/3 cup Dark Chocolate Chips

INSTRUCTIONS

• Preheat oven at 300 degrees F. Line an 8 x 8 square baking dish with parchment paper. Leave enough to overhang the sides to easily remove the bars from the pan.
• Mix honey, vanilla, almond meal, salt, and almond butter together with a spatula or wooden spoon until combined. Fold in almonds, craisins, and chips.
• Transfer to prepared dish and press firmly into an even layer. Press as tightly as you can get so that the bars will stay together after they have been cut. Bake for 20 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool for 1 hour. After cooling, set in the fridge for 1 more hour. Remove the bars from the pan using the parchment paper overhang and cut into bars. Store in fridge for 2 weeks in airtight container.
• These bars do wonderfully in the freezer and will store for up to 3 months.

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Tammy

I’m just a country girl loving my geeky life with my wonderful husband, always taking pictures, getting my hands dirty in the garden, being crafty, exploring with travels and enjoying all this on a budget. But above all, living my faith as a child of God!

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