March 13, 2022

Cherry Almond Granola Bites

Dried cherries are one of the "must have" ingredients I insisted on using when creating Ginger Spiced Pat's Granola. I've always been a lover of fresh black sweet cherries and was introduced to the tart cherries grown in northern Michigan when I moved to Ohio several years ago. The season is short so you have to move fast to get the best of the crop when it becomes available.

I didn't quite understand what the fuss was about when I first moved to Ohio and notices started popping up from farms that it was time to place orders for sour cherries. I purchased a huge container from a local farm and honestly, didn't know what to do with them. Put them in the freezer and forgot about them. Because these were sour cherries, they needed sweetening and I toyed with white and brown sugars, honey, maple syrup, etc. Made countless pies and cobblers and the rest is history. I'll continue to buy these cherries for all kinds of baked goods, including these simply delicious cherry almond granola cups. I call them bites because I make them in mini muffin tins and they're bitesize.

Tart Cherry Granola Almond Tart

Cherry Almond Granola Cups

Now while the recipe doesn't call for pre-made granola, it's still a winner and I recommend making these to keep in your freezer.

Pat Bennett is the founder and President of Pat's Granola, a Cleveland based food and collaborative lifestyle brand. Pat's Granola is sold online at www.patsgranola.com and is also available at select Northeast Ohio businesses including: