Vegan Chocolate Cherry Oat Bars

Yummy mini chocolate cherry oat bars that will cause a little addiction!

My first oatmeal bars.
After they were out of the oven and a few were devoured (one or two, maybe three, lost count) with a glass of cold almond milk, I felt like a greedy chocoholic Santa hovering over complimentary warm plates of delicious homemade treats, taking everything under the sun that's vegan. Haha!
I truly loved these.
Even ate the bowl batter which tells a whole lot.

1 cup Hodgson Mills Multi Grain Cereal With Milled Flaxseed & Soy
1/4 cup cocoa
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 ripened banana
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
9 pitted cherries
1 teaspoon maple syrup
pinch of salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and prepare a cookie sheet.

Stir all dry ingredients together.

Blend banana and applesauce and add to dry mixture.

The mix should be a thick, even consistency. Not too dry. Not too moist.

Pit and drop in the cherries. Stir and mash cherries into the mixture. Then lastly maple syrup and salt.

Spread evenly onto parchment paper or a greased cookie sheet.

20-25 minutes later, ready to be squared away!

Cut them into any shapes & don't cry if a bar or two goes missing in action.

Oh my goodness!
I screamed to the top of the heavens after the first bite.
Chewy, moist, thin, and chocolaty, these chocolate cherry oat bars are so delightful and not too overly sweet even though I did sprinkle an additional bit of turbinado sugar on top which gave the bars that scone like crunch. With those warm, juicy cherry surprising the taste buds and that pleasant oatmeal texture, it's very easy to grab another bar from the pan. After all, they are small and oil free!
Of course I already made plans to make these again, maybe turn them into thick, mouthwatering brownies, and have considered adding various ingredients including walnuts or pecans, shredded coconut, dates, and other dried fruits, and yes, peanut butter- chocolate's soulmate.
The possibilities are utterly endless.
Anywho, back to eating just one more bar for the night....