Soak the dates in warm water for 15-20 minutes. Drain well and set aside.
In a food processor, grind almonds until crumbly. Do not grind into a full flour.
Add in the dates, syrup, vanilla, and blend. You may need to scrape down the sides to make sure the dates are fully broken down.
When the mixture looks like a giant sticky ball, go ahead and spoon it into a large bowl.
Add the oats and cherries to the bowl. Mix well until everything is combined.
Transfer to an 8 x 4 inch baking dish lined parchment paper. Press the mixture down firmly into the baking dish in an even layer. (I like to cover with another piece of parchment paper and press down with my hands.)
Cover and place in the freezer until firm, about 20-30 minutes. Lift the parchment paper to remove and then cut into 5 bars (or 10 squares) and enjoy.
Notes
Store the bars in an airtight container in the fridge until ready to enjoy (up to 3 days) or wrap the bars individually and freeze for later.You can easily double the recipe in an 8 x 8 baking dish.