These No-Bake Peanut Butter Cherry Bomb Bars are the perfect snack, containing 6 grams of protein! They are peanut buttery, coconuty, and have a sweet pop of cherry and chocolate. Yum!

The name for this recipe actually came from my husband. The first time I made this recipe, I baked it and it sort of looked like a disaster…though it tasted really yummy. My husband and I each took some to work and that is where he first tried it. I received a message from him during work stating, “By the way, your cherry peanut butter creations are delicious! Peanut butter cherry bomb?” I never responded to that part of his message because I became side tracked at work, so when I got home, this was the conversation that unfolded:

Drew: Do you like the name I came up with for your recipe? Peanut Butter Cherry Bomb?

Me: Oh, yeah – you mean because it tastes bomb?

Drew: No, because it looks like a bomb explosion.

Me: Oh. Ummm, yeah. Great name. I guess I better fix that.

The inspiration for this recipe is three-fold, my husband not being one of them:

1. Lately, I have been ravenous. By ravenous, I mean raaaavenous. Nursing, especially since I have been back to work, has caused me to feel starving all of the time!! Since my stomach seems to be a bottomless pit, I wanted to create a healthy snack that would be easy to bring and eat at work, that was also heavy on the protein.

2. A desire to eat nutrient-rich food to make sure my milk supply is healthy and that Baby Ty is healthy. I am a firm believer in everything in moderation. However, my go-to snack is cheese and crackers and as soon as the first bite hits my mouth, the word “moderation” disappears from my vocabulary. I have been on a mission to develop more balanced and nutritious snacks, so that I can feel more rest assured that I am feeding my baby and my body well.

3. Arthritis like symptoms plague me constantly, though doctors have not been able to figure out what is causing my pain yet. I have been having a flare-up these last couple of weeks, perhaps because of the colder weather, stress, or perhaps it’s because I had to bring my son to daycare and am back to work now! This flare-up has me trying to incorporate anti-inflammatory foods into my diet. Turns out cherries are a great source!  

 

No-Bake Peanut Butter Cherry Bomb Bars are the perfect mid-morning snack for work or for your little one during their school day. Each bar contains 6 grams of protein, helping to keep you satisfied until lunchtime. They are peanut buttery, coconutty, and have a sweet pop of cherry and chocolate. They are soft and chewy, yet the almonds and chia seeds add some welcomed crunch and texture. They are also vegan, gluten-free, and refined-sugar free (other than the chocolate chips – whoops! ;)).

These no-bake granola bars are super easy to whip together! To make them, simply mix all of the dry ingredients together, followed by the wet ingredients. Spread the mixture into a baking dish that is lined with parchment paper. Pop these babies into the fridge for about an hour and then enjoy!

 

NO-BAKE PEANUT BUTTER CHERRY BOMB GRANOLA BARS
Recipe Type: Tidbit
Author: Kaileigh ~ Supermom Eats
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 10 bars
Ingredients
  • 1 tbsp. melted coconut oil
  • ½ cup unsalted peanut butter (creamy or chunky depending on preference)
  • ¼ cup agave
  • ½ cup chopped cherries (I used frozen cherries and included 1 tbsp. of the cherry juice it formed)
  • 1 ½ cups gluten free oats
  • ¼ cup coconut sugar
  • ¼ cup slivered almonds
  • 3 tbsp. chia seeds
  • ¼ cup chocolate chips
Instructions
  1. Line baking dish with parchment paper.
  2. In a large bowl, mix gluten-free oats, coconut sugar, almonds, chia seeds, and chocolate chips together.
  3. Next, mix in the coconut oil, peanut butter, agave, and cherries and stir to combine.
  4. Layer mixture into the baking dish and pat down so it is smooth and flat.
  5. Refrigerate for 1 hour. Slice into 10 granola bars.