These Cherry Granola Bars are a chewy, sweet, and slightly tart treat with a nostalgic taste that brings to mind school lunchboxes and bake sales. Made with oats, crisp rice cereal, maraschino cherries, and shredded coconut, they're bound together with a simple sugar syrup and lightly baked to achieve the perfect bar texture, soft yet structured. These bars offer the rich color and flavor of cherries with the crunch of granola, making them a great homemade snack or dessert that bridges the gap between cookie and energy bar.
Ingredients
- ⅓ cup margarine ( or butter)
- 1 cup brown sugar
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 2 tbsp honey
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 egg
- 1 cup flour
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- ½ tsp baking powder
- ¼ tsp salt
- 1½ cups quick oats
- 1½ cup crisp rice cereal
- 1 cup maraschino cherries (chopped, or candied cherries)
- 1 cup nuts (chopped)
- 1 cup raisins ( or chocolate chips)
Instructions
Step 1: Prep & Preheat
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Grease a 13×9-inch baking pan or line with parchment.
Step 2: Cream Wet Ingredients
- In a large bowl, cream together margarine, brown sugar, and granulated sugar until smooth.
- Add honey, vanilla extract, and egg. Mix until well combined.
Step 3: Add Dry Ingredients
- Stir in flour, cinnamon, baking powder, and salt.
- Mix in oats and crisp rice cereal.
Step 4: Fold in Mix-ins
- Gently fold in chopped cherries, nuts, and raisins or chocolate chips.
Step 5: Bake
- Press mixture evenly into prepared pan.
- Bake at 350°F for 25–30 minutes or until golden and set.
Step 6: Cool & Slice
- Let cool in pan.
- Cut into bars once fully cooled.
Tips
- Replace raisins/cherries with dried cranberries, apricots, or blueberries.
- Add ½ cup chopped nuts (walnuts or pecans) for texture.
- Use honey instead of granulated sugar for a softer, chewier bar.
- Swap margarine for butter to enhance flavor.
- Add ¼ teaspoon almond extract to complement cherry flavor.
- Mix in mini chocolate chips after the batter cools slightly.
- Press mixture firmly into the pan for bars that hold their shape.
- Line the pan with parchment for easy removal.
- Cool completely before cutting to avoid crumbling.
Nutrition
Calories: 277kcalCarbohydrates: 47gProtein: 4gFat: 9gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 0.001gCholesterol: 10mgSodium: 76mgPotassium: 190mgFiber: 3gSugar: 25gVitamin A: 192IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 55mgIron: 2mg
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