If you’re craving something sweet, nutty, and delicious, but still want pure healthy ingredients, then these chocolate date nut bars are for you. They take minutes to prepare and seconds to devour.
My family has been enjoying dates long before they’ve become all the rage. Honestly, I didn’t realize they were so beneficial and healthy for you. They’re high in antioxidants, fiber, and naturally sweet.
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Want to learn more about the benefits of dates? Check out Google and see for yourself.
Tip for softening dates and raisins
If your dates or raisins are dry, soak them in hot water for a few minutes to soften them up.
Having one of these chocolate date nut bars is way better than grabbing a candy bar. What the hell is in that candy bar anyways? You will know every ingredient that goes in when making your own.
So what’s in these chocolate date nut bars?
Medjool dates
Raisins
Cashews
Almonds
Cacao nibs
Unsweetened cocoa powder
Natural peanut butter
Kosher or sea salt
Let’s talk about texture
I have made these two ways. I’ve process the dates and nuts into oblivion which resulted in a dense, chewy, bendy bar. The flavor was delicious, but the texture was more like fudge.
The second way was to process the dates and raisins to create a binding paste. Then I roughly chopped the cashews and almonds, then mixed them with the dates and the remaining ingredients. This created a nutty texture with visible chunks of nuts. It’s combining chewy and crunchy in one bite.
It’s up to you which way you choose to combine the ingredients. You want fudgy? Process them together.
You want chunky? Chop the nuts separately and combine them with the processed dates and raisins and mix with the remaining ingredients.
I love the addition of cacao nibs. They provide a crunch and a slightly bitter flavor with blends beautifully with the sweet dates and raisins.
Why are raisins added when dates are sweet enough?
I add raisins because they also offer some beneficial properties. You can read about them here. I only add ¼ cup which is what I’ve used when making my ultimate homemade larabars.
Make sure your raisins are fresh. They should be soft and plump. If they are hard and shriveled up (boy can I make a good joke here, but I’ll refrain), then soak them in some hot water for a few minutes for them to plump up and soften. Drain, pat dry, and continue with recipe.
Did I mention a food processor is needed? This is the one I use and I’ve had it for over 20 years. It’s a workhorse and I love it.
When you have the tools that make it easier to cook, you will most likely cook. Am I right?
Once your ingredients are combined, it’s time to press them into a pan and place them in the fridge to firm up. I use a loaf pan for this. Line it with some plastic wrap and press the mixture into the pan. You can use your hands, a spoon, the bottom of a cup, whatever. Just press it in.
Once it’s firm from being in the fridge, lift it out using the overhang of the plastic wrap and slice them into bars. The size of the bar is up to you. I get five or six but you can make them any size you like.
These are sticky bars. Tightly wrapping them in plastic wrap is recommended. If wrapping them in parchment, store them in an airtight container to keep them fresh.
Refrigerate them to keep them firm. Freeze them to have them around when you want them.
Note that just because something is healthy for you doesn’t mean you can eat a ton of it. Everything in moderation.
Wasn’t that easy? You deserve the very best. Treat yourself without all the guilt.
Life is too short for mediocre food.
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Chocolate Date Nut Bars
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Ingredients
- 1 cup (227 g) packed Medjool pitted dates
- ¼ cup (29 g) raisins
- ½ cup (85 g) raw cashews
- ½ cup (85 g) raw almonds
- 2 tablespoons (18 g) cacao nibs
- 2 tablespoons (10 g) unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2 tablespoons (32 g) natural peanut butter
- ⅛ teaspoon kosher salt
Instructions
For a smooth fudge-like texture:
- Place all ingredients in a food processor and process until the mixture begins to stick together. It will start to clump up. This takes about 2 minutes.
For a chunky nutty texture:
- Add the cashews and almonds into the bowl of a food processor and pulse until roughly chopped. Transfer into a large bowl along with the cacao nibs.
- Process the dates, raisins, cocoa powder, peanut butter, and salt until mixture sticks together and starts to clump.
- Transfer the date mixture into the bowl with the nuts and mix. You may need to use your hands to mix as this will be thick and pasty.
Press and shape:
- Line a 9x5 inch loaf pan with enough plastic wrap to have an overhang over the long edge.
- Transfer the mixture into the lined loaf pan and press down. Cover the mixture with the overhang of plastic and press down to make it even. Use your hand to press, or the back of a spoon, or the bottom of a cup. Place the pan in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes or more to set.
- Unfold the plastic from the top and use that to lift the mixture from the pan.
- Remove the plastic and slice into 6 even bars. Each bar is about 3 ounces.
- Tightly wrap individually and store them in the refrigerator to keep them firm. These can also be frozen.
Notes
Nutritional Information
I don't post the nutritional value because I don't trust the accuracy of the nutritional apps. I’m not a nutritionist and don't want to post misinformation.
Did you make this recipe? Let me know!