I love making desserts with dates like my Date Bark, Date Caramel, or Chocolate Dipped Stuffed Dates. Dates bring a ton of flavor in a healthy and sweet package.
Why Are Healthy Date Bars Great?
Medjool dates are amazing because of their high manganese content. Manganese is one of these minerals we forget but that play an essential role in woman’s health and hormone regulation. They are also high in vitamin C, iron and a natural source of fiber and sweetness.
Ingredients and Substitutions
All you need are a few ingredients.
Medjool Dates – You can use other pitted dates, but Medjool dates are rich, thick and provide the best natural sweetness and caramel-like taste to these no-bake date bars. Cashew Nuts, almonds, or walnuts – any nuts will work very well. Almond Butter, peanut butter, or sunflower seed butter. Old-Fashioned Rolled Oats – or use more nuts or shredded coconut if preferred. Vanilla Extract – for flavor. Salt – to supercharge the taste of chocolate and to decorate. Maple Syrup – While dates are sweet, the boost of sweetness from maple syrup gives the bar a candy-like taste. You can skip the maple syrup for almond milk or water for a naturally sweetened version of these healthy date bars. Dark Chocolate – I use plant-based dark chocolate chips. Coconut Oil – Coconut oil is used to make a solid chocolate layer on top of the bars. It doesn’t bring any coconut flavor.
How To Make Healthy Date Bars
It’s so simple to make these soft, sweet date bars.
Expert Tips
Serving
The next day, cut the healthy date bars on a chopping board using a long sharp knife. Cut it into 16 date squares and serve as energy bars, healthy snack, or dessert. Serve plain or with a pinch of sea salt.
Storage Instructions
Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to two weeks. You can also freeze date bars in zip-lock bags for up to one month and thaw them in the refrigerator the day before.
Allergy Swaps
Below are some options to replace ingredients in this recipe if you need.
Dates – You can also use pitted Deglet Noor dates, and pack them in a cup to measure the amount required by the recipe. Nut-Free – Replace the nuts with shredded coconut, sunflower seeds, or pumpkin seeds. No Added Sugar – Swap the maple syrup for water, but keep in mind that the bottom layer won’t be as firm and sticky with water. Cashew-Free – Try walnuts, pecans, or peanuts. Gluten-Free – Use gluten-free oats or swap the oats for puffed quinoa, puffed rice, or cornflakes. Coconut-Free – You can melt the chocolate with avocado oil or olive oil, or peanut butter. If no oil at all, the chocolate layer is less soft and crunchier. Therefore, slicing with a knife without breaking is much more difficult.
Here are my answers to your most common questions about these healthy date bar recipes.
More Healthy Bar Recipes
If you like this recipe, you’ll love these other healthy bars.
