Begin by pulsing rolled oats in a food processor until they resemble a coarse flour, about 30 seconds.

Add soaked Medjool dates, shelled pistachios, almond butter, honey or maple syrup, vanilla extract, chia seeds, and a pinch of salt into the food processor. Blend until the mixture becomes sticky.

Pulse in the dried cranberries until they’re evenly distributed but still chunky.

Line an 8x8-inch pan with parchment paper and press the bar mixture firmly into the pan.

Place the pressed mixture in the refrigerator and chill for 1 to 2 hours until firm.

Once chilled, lift the mixture out of the pan and slice it into bars.

Optional: Drizzle melted dark chocolate over the sliced bars or sprinkle some additional chopped pistachios.

Store the bars in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 10 days.