Chocolate Nut and Date Bars
By Sammi Brondo — July 26, 2024
These bars couldn’t be easier to make. They’re delicious, nutritious, and super satisfying.
It’s day ??? of quarantine and I don’t know about you, but I’m so over cooking.
I was doing so much of it during the first few weeks, that now I’m just keeping it super simple. And ordering takeout to support local restaurants – win win.
For me, simple doesn’t mean go to 3 different grocery stores for some fancy sounding ingredients and then spend 5 hours in the kitchen with 4 different pieces of kitchen equipment (okay, an exaggeration, but many recipes claim to be simple and then look something like that!).
To me, simple means simple: a few ingredients, not too much active time, and maybe even no cooking required.
THIS RECIPE HAS GOT IT ALL.
It’s made with just 3 main ingredients – nuts, dates and chocolate – plus salt and coconut oil. The result is a candy-like tasting bar that’s delicious enough to satisfy any sweet tooth and also nutrient-dense to make a filling snack.
You’re going to love them! As always, let me know if you try them. I can’t wait to hear what you think!
Grind nuts & dates
Line an 8×4 loaf pan with parchment paper.
In a food processor, combine the nuts, dates, and salt. Grind until the pieces are small and stick together easily. It may take a few minutes.
Scoop the mixture into the loaf pan, using your hands to press down and flatten. Place in the freezer for 10 minutes to harden.
Melt chocolate
In a bowl, combine the chocolate chips and coconut oil and microwave for 2 minutes, mixing halfway through.
Pour into pan & freeze
Pour the melted chocolate over the nut & date mixture.
Use a spatula or lightly shake the pan to distribute the chocolate evenly. Place back in the freezer for 1 hour.
Cut into squares
Remove from the pan and cut into slices.
Optional: add flaky salt on top. Store in the refrigerator or freezer.
(Note: I used a bigger pan in some of these photos, which resulted in a thinner bar. If using a loaf pan, you should get about 8 thicker pieces).
Notes
- Nuts: I like to use either walnuts or almonds here. You can stick to one type of nut or use a mix of any you like.
- Dates: If you don’t have enough dates on hand, you can add in another dried fruit, like dried cherries or figs. I recommend making dates the bulk of this though, so it’s worth getting enough dates to make the recipe!
- Coconut oil: If you don’t have coconut oil, just skip it! Adding coconut oil when you melt chocolate helps to thin the chocolate out a bit and remove any clumps, but it’ll be just fine without the coconut oil too.
- Storage: Store these in an airtight container in the fridge or freezer. They’ll last in the fridge about 1 week and in the freezer about 1 month.
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted nuts*
- 1 cup pitted dates
- Pinch of salt
- 1 cup chocolate chips
- 2 teaspoons coconut oil
Instructions
- Line an 8×4 loaf pan with parchment paper.
- In a food processor, combine the nuts, dates, and salt. Grind until the pieces are small and stick together easily. It may take a few minutes.
- Scoop the mixture into the loaf pan, using your hands to press down and flatten. Place in the freezer for 10 minutes to harden.
- In a bowl, combine the chocolate chips and coconut oil and microwave for 2 minutes, mixing halfway through.
- Pour the melted chocolate over the nut & date mixture. Use a spatula or lightly shake the pan to distribute the chocolate evenly. Place back in the freezer for 1 hour.
- Remove from the pan and cut into slices. Optional: add flaky salt on top. Store in the refrigerator or freezer. (Note: I used a bigger pan in some of these photos, which resulted in a thinner bar. If using a loaf pan, you should get about 8 thicker pieces).
Love these! They are tasty, healthy for a dessert, and so simple to make. Thanks for the recipe!
Love these bars! Very simple ingredients, easy to whip up, and taste delicious.
I made these, then made them again, the again. Easy and delicious! Thank you !
I’m so happy to hear that, thank you for sharing!