Chocolate Nut & Date Bars

Name: Chocolate Nut & Date Bars
Prep time: 10 min
Total time: 1 h 20 min
Ingredients: 1 cup unsalted nuts*; 1 cup pitted dates; Pinch of salt; 1 cup chocolate chips; 2 teaspoons coconut oil

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 8x4 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).

Everything else you need to know:

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.

Did you try this recipe?

I hope you love these Chocolate Nut & Date Bars! If you make it be sure to leave a comment below, mention @Veggiesandchocolate or tag #Veggiesandchocolate so I know how you liked it. I can’t wait to see your creations!