Back in the day, me and my family used to go to the San Jose Flea Market on Saturdays. And before the car ride home, there was an ICE-E stand by the exit, where I would always ask my mom to get me THE largest size available, lol.
Wild cherry flavor was my go-to.
I would down that thing like no tomorrow. I could taste it now, just thinking about it.
Man, I loved that stuff! Definitely one of my favorite treats growing up.
Especially on a hot, summer day.
Speaking of summer, it’s a beautiful 75 degrees right now in San Diego, as I am typing this, and that also means we’re right in the middle of berry season.
And one berry I haven’t even made a recipe with yet is the cherry. Well, cherry lovers, dessert lovers, and protein addicts rejoice! I got a brand spankin’ new recipe for ya! And this has proven to be a hit with the friends and family who so far had the chance to taste test it.
And I’m pretty sure you guys will love ’em too!
So, without further adieu....
Enter…..my Dark Chocolate Cherry Amaretto Protein Bars!!
A high protein, almond flour batter….
fully-loaded with 72% cacao dark chocolate chips, cherries, cinnamon, banana, amaretto, peanut butter….
and topped with a mind blowing sweet, sugar-free frosting…..
KA-POW!!!
These ultra flavorful, antioxidant–rich, and fiber-packed protein bars will definitely HIT….THE….SPOT!!
OK, so these protein bars use a combination of almond flour and whey protein powder as its base.
Almond flour is loaded with fiber, nutrients, protein—-something all purpose flour does NOT provide. Almond flour is also WAAAY lower in carbs— 1/4 cup of your average almond flour contains 5g carbs, 3g fiber, while 1/4 cup all purpose flour contains about 22g carbs, and less than 1g of fiber.
That’s about 17g of unnecessary carbs per 1/4 cup we’re eliminating here. A HUGE difference maker!
I also use a natural sugar alternative called monk fruit sweetener to help sweeten these protein bars.
Monk fruit is a small, round fruit found in southern China. To create the sweetener, the fruit is crushed, the juice is collected, and this becomes the monk fruit sweetener. It is similar in appearance to regular table sugar, but is about 200 timessweeter than sugar, and with ZERO calories.
I personally love this stuff! It’s a great substitute for regular sugar, and it tastes just like it. I personally feel no ill effects after consuming it. No sugar “rush” or “crashes,” nothing of that nature.
More detailed information about monk fruit can be found here.
I also use a 72% cacao dark chocolate for these cookie bars. I feel that 70%-75% cacao is the perfect balance for flavor and nutrition when it comes to dark chocolate.
The higher the cacao percentage, the more fiber and nutrients it contains—but be aware that the bitter flavor intensifies as the percentage rises.
So for me, I like to use about a 73% cacao dark chocolate, that’s the sweet spot.
Peanut butter mixed into the batter adds not just that peanut-y flavor, but adds some “healthy” fats and oils that help keepthese bars moist—much better than using saturated fat–loaded butter.
The amaretto flavor, is produced by adding almond extract. This stuff is so concentrated with flavor, you just need to use a tiny bit of it to get that boost of flavor. Even so, I like to use 2 tsp per recipe just to make sure that flavor really pops.
Almond extract is my preferred extract over vanilla. It’s much cheaper, and the flavor is much more apparent versus vanilla extract.
OK, here are the nutritional benefits of the main ingredients in these Dark Chocolate Cherry Amaretto Protein Bars….
Dark chocolate has been shown to contain high amounts of antioxidants, polyphenols, and flavonoids—all of which are believed to help fight cancer, fight free radical damage, and fight disease. Certain research has shown dark chocolate to maybe help improve brain function, boost memory, and enhance focus. Also, flavonoids in dark chocolate have been shown to help improve heart circulation.
Cherries contain anthocyanins and cyanidin, both of which help make cherries antioxidant-packed powerhouses. Studies have shown these antioxidants to maybe help fight inflammation, fight damage caused to the skin by the environment, and fight free radical damage to the eyes. Antioxidants in cherries have also been shown to help boost heart health and certain studies suggest, may help reduce the risk of a stroke.
Cinnamon is widely considered as the most antioxidant-rich natural spice available on the planet. The antioxidants found in cinnamon are believed to maybe help fight cancer, protect cells from DNA damage, slow the aging process, and helpfightdisease. Cinnamon also contains certain compounds that have been known to maybe help fight off viruses and infections.
Almonds, which are basically ground up to create almond flour, are packed with nutrients, and are good sources of protein, fiber, vitamin E, riboflavin, magnesium, manganese, calcium. They contain a special kind of vitamin E, called gamma-tocopherol—studies show this antioxidant to be a powerful cancer-fighter. Their high fiber content helps support our digestive system.
OK, here’s what you’ll need….
For the batter….
And for the drizzle….
Some quick notes before you get started…
-I use frozen cherries that has already been pitted, so much easier to work with. But if you want, you can also use fresh cherries if you wish.
-You can sub in 1/2 cup applesauce instead of the large banana.
–After pouring the batter onto the baking pan, add more cherries / dark chocolate chips on top! How much is up to you!
-Very important not to over-bake these! This is KEY. These should be ready after about 18-22 minutes in the oven.
-After taking them out of the oven, let the cookie bars rest for about 5 minutes before slicing into them! This will allow them to bake a bit more, help them solidify, and give you cleaner slices.
-For the drizzle, you can customize how thin or thick you want it by adding/subtracting almond milk.
–Store in an airtight container in the fridge. Best if consumed within about 3-4 days. Try warming them up in the microwave!
If you like these, then you gotta check out my….
- Dark Chocolate Raspberry Apple Protein Pizookie
- Dark Chocolate Blueberry Hazelnut Protein Bars
- Cinnamon Apple Crumb Protein Muffins
Alright then….let’s get to it!!
| Prep Time | 20 minutes |
| Cook Time | 18-22 minutes |
| Servings |
bars
|
- 3/4 cup almond flour
- 2 scoops vanilla whey protein powder
- 2 tsp cinnamon
- 3 tbsp monk fruit sweetener
- 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1 large banana
- 1 whole egg
- 2 tsp almond extract
- 1/4 cup peanut butter
- 1/2 cup dark chocolate chips/chunks (70% cacao or higher)
- 1 cup cherries (chopped)
- 4 tbsp Swerve confectioners'
- 4 tsp almond milk
Ingredients
batter:
drizzle:
|
|
- Preheat oven to 350.
- Add dry ingredients/powders to bowl. Mix thoroughly. In separate larger bowl, mash banana with fork. Add all other wet ingredients. Mix thoroughly. Gradually add dry ingredients to wet ingredients bowl, until fully incorporated. Don't overmix.
- Fold in dark chocolate chips into batter. Slice cherries into smaller chunks/pieces. Fold into batter as well (save some for later to add to the top).
- Grease an 8x8 square baking dish with olive oil, or line with parchment paper. Pour batter onto pan. Add more dark chocolate chips/cherries on top if desired.
- Bake in oven for about 18-22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted down around the center has no wet batter.
- Remove from oven. Let rest for at least 5 minutes for cleaner slices.
- Meanwhile, to make drizzle, add confectioner's Swerve, almond milk to bowl. Mix to desired consistency. Add more Swerve or almond milk as needed.
- Slice into 9 equal-sized bars. Add drizzle on top. Enjoy!
-I use frozen cherries that has already been pitted, so much easier to work with. But if you want, you can also use fresh cherries if you wish.
-You can sub in 1/2 cup applesauce instead of the large banana.
–After pouring the batter onto the baking pan, add more cherries / dark chocolate chips on top! How much is up to you!
-Very important not to over-bake these! This is KEY. These should be ready after about 18-22 minutes in the oven.
-After taking them out of the oven, let the cookie bars rest for about 5 minutes before slicing into them! This will help them to solidify, and give you cleaner slices.
-For the drizzle, you can customize how thin or thick you want it by adding/subtracting almond milk.
–Store in an airtight container in the fridge. Best if consumed within about 3-4 days. Try warming them up in the microwave!
Did you try this recipe? How did it turn out for you? I would love to hear from you! Sound off in the comment section below or use the social media links you see above or throughout the blog. Thanks guys!!