Healthy Recipe: Chocolate Date Nut Bars

After last year’s holiday sugar craze, I’m trying to limit my intake of sweets this year so it won’t be so hard to get back on track once the holiday season is over. Thankfully, I’ve come across a recipe that will allow me to indulge my craving for chocolate without making me feel terrible afterwards. Inspired by Lara Bars, these Chocolate Nut Date Bars offer the richness of dessert without the sugar crash. And because I know my family is trying to eat healthier this year, I thought it might be fun to replace our usual tray of Christmas cookies with plate full of these bars instead.

Luckily, this recipe isn’t just for folks who are trying to cut back on sugar. It’s also vegan, paleo-friendly, and perfect for folks who are allergic to peanuts. Plus, you can swap out any kind of nut or dried fruit you want. Sometimes I’ll even press shredded coconut or slivered nuts on the top before freezing for some added texture and flavor.

Chocolate Nut Date Bars

• 1/2 cup raw unsalted cashews
• 2/3 cup raw unsalted almonds
• 1 cup dried dates
• 1 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
• 2 tablespoons cocoa powder
• 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
• Salt, to taste

1. Pour your nuts into a rimmed baking sheet in a single layer and roast in a preheated 350°F oven for 10-15 minutes. Remove from oven, and let cool for ten minutes.

2. Pour your nuts into the bowl of a food processor, and process until they have formed a paste. Add in the rest of the ingredients, and pulse until mixture is uniformly crumbly.

3. Line a small baking dish with parchment or freezer paper, and press the mixture into the pan so that it’s even in thickness throughout. Cover and place in freezer for 30 minutes.

4. Remove from freezer, and using the edges of the parchment or freezer paper, remove from baking dish. Cut into evenly sized bars using a knife and set aside.

5. Cut the parchment or freezer paper into strips, and wrap your bars. Store in an airtight container in the freezer for up to two months.

Package your bars in decorative paper, and seal with a personalized label from Evermine (I chose brick red and gold colored tags in the style Dottie).

Used In This Project:

• Rectangle Labels • I chose the “Dottie” style in Brick Red and Gold.

More homemade gift ideas from Lindsay:

Brown Sugar Body Scrub	Homemade Beeswax Candles	Sunflower Seed Butter	Homemade Kombucha

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Lindsay (114 Posts)

Lindsay is a writer/blogger from Oregon who loves crafting, cooking, gardening, and simple living. You can find her writing about all of this and more on her blog A Wooden Nest.