3-Ingredient Dark Chocolate Covered Date Nut Bars for a healthy treat! Just dates, nuts, melted dark chocolate and 10 minutes in the freezer. Vegan and paleo-friendly recipe.
This might be one of THE healthiest desserts on FMK.
This has been a long time reader favorite and for good reason:
These date nut bars are super easy, no-bake, vegan friendly and gluten free and takes less than 30 minutes to make!
Just Three Ingredients
And all you need are these simple ingredients:
- Medjool dates – a good source of potassium and fiber.
- Nuts – lots of healthy fats.
- Dark chocolate – antioxidants.
And having a food processor or high powered blender helps!
What can you expect from this recipe?
You would not believe that three ingredients such as these would be so amazingly satisfying together, but they really are!
These date and nut bars…
- Have a soft, sweet base
- Are nutty and caramel-like in flavor, thanks to the Medjool dates.
- Come with a dark chocolate topping that can easily be elevated with bits of flaked sea salt.
Make in 5 Easy Steps
Step 1 – Soak Dates
If your dates are dry, you’re going to want to soak them in warm water for about 5 minutes. If they’re super fresh and juicy, there’s no need to soak them, you may just need to add a tablespoon of water to the food processor in the next step.
Step 2 – Pulse Nuts & Dates
In the bowl of your food processor (or high powered blender) pulse together the nuts and pitted Medjool dates.
What kind of nuts?
I like to use a mix of nuts for flavor and texture. I recommend using a mixture of softer and harder nuts, like cashews, almonds, pecans and walnuts.
But if you have a sensitivity or allergy to a certain nut, you can create your own mix or just use one.
Step 3 – Press into Pan
Once your nuts and dates have blended together and a sticky mixture has formed, you’ll press the date mixture into a lined 9×5 loaf pan. I love this roller.
Note: If using an 8×8 pan, the base of these bars will be thinner.
Step 4 – Cover in Melted Chocolate
Cover the bars in a melted chocolate of your choice. I typically go for dark chocolate.
TIP: melt your chocolate in a pan over low heat. I used the Always Pan and love the ceramic non-stick coating.
Choosing your Chocolate
If following a certain diet, like paleo or vegan, be sure to select a chocolate that fits your guidelines.
Lily’s Chocolate is great for paleo and vegan, sweetened with stevia.
Theo Chocolate has great vegan friendly options.
NOTE: When melting the chocolate, you may find that adding a teaspoon of coconut oil will help smooth the chocolate out while melting. Many store-bought brands of chocolate are not great quality and can seize up when microwaving, so just be mindful of that.
Step 5 – Chill until Set
Place the pan in the fridge for about 30 minutes to allow the chocolate to set. If using the freezer, you’ll need about 10 minutes.
How to Prevent Cracks When Cutting
To prevent the chocolate topping from cracking when cutting into, the trick is to make sure the chocolate has been chilled long enough to set, but not frozen solid.
If you forgot the pan was in the freezer or fridge and your chocolate is as hard as a rock, your best bet is to allow the bars to come to room temperature before cutting. Running a sharp knife under hot water will help too.
Storing
To store these bars you can keep them in an airtight container at room temperature for about one week, or keep in the fridge and enjoy within a couple of weeks.
If you make this recipe, I’d love to hear from you! Comment below with a review to let me know what you think. Xx, Ashley
How to Make…
3-Ingredient Chocolate Covered Date Nut Bars
These 3-Ingredient Dark Chocolate Covered Date Nut Bars are such a simple, good-for-you treat you’re most definitely going to want to keep your fridge stocked! All you need is a food processor, dates, nuts, melted dark chocolate and 10 minutes in the freezer for this healthy yet delectable dessert. Vegan and paleo-friendly.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Diet: Vegan
- Yield: 12 1x
- Scale:
Ingredients
- 11–12 medjool dates (1 cup packed), pitted and soaked for 5 minutes, drained.
- 1 1/2 cups mixed nuts
- 1 cup quality dark chocolate chips, about 6 ounces
Instructions
- Line a 9×5 loaf pan with parchment paper, or use a silicone pan and place on baking sheet, set aside. You may also use an 8×8 square pan, your base will just be thinner.
- In a food processor add drained/pitted dates and nuts. Process until dates and nuts have broken down, and only small pieces of nuts can be seen. Mixture should be sticky.
- Transfer mixture to prepared pan, pressing evenly into all corners and press down flat. I like this roller.
- Using stovetop and small saucepan over low heat, melt chocolate, stirring frequently until smooth. Pour over bars and spread evenly.
- Place bars in freezer for 10 minutes to allow chocolate layer to set, or fridge for a about 30 minutes. Remove bars from pan and place on cutting mat for easier slicing. Using knife, gently slice into bars.
Recipes Notes:
Storing – Bars can be kept at room temperature but best enjoyed within one week. If storing in fridge, enjoy within two weeks.
Nutrition approximate, based on 1/12. Feel free to cut into smaller portions for bite-sized treats.
Nutrition Information:
- Serving Size: 1 bar
- Calories: 160
- Sugar: 16
- Sodium: 0
- Fat: 8
- Saturated Fat: 8
- Unsaturated Fat: 6
- Trans Fat: 0
- Carbohydrates: 24
- Fiber: 2
- Protein: 4
- Cholesterol: 0mg
Looking for more Easy Paleo Desserts?
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Cynthia says
Umm, I wonder if prunes could replace the dates?
Ashley says
You probably could do that! You might need a little extra liquid while processing if the prunes aren’t as juicy as medjool dates are.
kelly says
Thank you for making this treat my family loves this and I am going to bring this to church this Sunday!
Debbie says
Could I use just peanuts or pumpkin seeds instead of nuts?
Ashley says
Hi Debbie, I would think peanuts might be the best substitute. When you’re processing, just keep an eye on texture to make sure it’s not too sticky or too dry. You could also probably do a mix of pumpkin seeds with peanuts, but I am not sure I’d recommend doing all pumpkin seeds.