No-Bake Chocolate Chia Energy Bars
These healthy yet decadent, no-bake chocolate chia energy bars are one of my favourite quick snacks for busy days, weekend adventures and pre-workout snacks. They’re easy to make in a blender or food processor, high in antioxidants, have no added sugar and taste incredible! Meet your new favourite snack: rich, decadent chocolate flavour, perfect soft but firm texture and wholesome, real food ingredients like walnuts, coconut, dark chocolate and chia seeds.
Would you rather homemade, vegan, all-natural energy bars or store-bought “energy” bars with a long list of hard-to-pronounce ingredients? It’s homemade all the way for me!
These are absolutely one of my favourite all-time snacks. They’re soft and chewy with a little crunch from the chia seeds. The flavour is rich and decadent with hints of coconut, dark chocolate, walnut and sea salt. They are so good! I like to keep a stash in the freezer at all times for sweet but heathy pick-me-ups, and as a nourishing option to take care of any chocolate cravings.
These bars are very energizing and satisfying too. The healthy fats in the chia seeds, walnuts and coconut really help to keep you full and provide long-lasting energy. I love them for a pre-workout snack, post-workout recovery snack and to take on hikes and adventures. They travel well so they’re perfect for taking on the road.
The only downside is you might get a few chia seeds stuck in your teeth, but that’s not so bad is it?
Features
- high in antioxidants
- wrap individually and take to-go
- great for hiking, long walks and runs
- natural, whole food ingredients
- easy to make in minutes
- amazing, rich, chocolate flavour
- delicious soft and chewy texture
- perfect pre-workout for a natural energy boost
- healthy essential fats
- no baking required
- vegan and gluten-free
- naturally sweet with no added sugar
Ingredients
To make these beautiful, nourishing, no-bake chocolate chia energy bars, you’ll need some of my favourite ingredients:
- Medjool dates – Nature’s candy, plenty of health benefits and one of my favourite foods.
- Chia seeds – One of my favourite superfood ingredients and a must-have for any healthy kitchen!
- Unsweetened shredded coconut – A must for no-bake vegan energy bars! Energy for days.
- Walnuts – A super-powered superfood packed with antioxidants, vitamins and minerals and perfect for no-bake bars.
- Dark Chocolate – High in antioxidants and phytonutrients. I like Green & Black’s Organic Dark Chocolate.
Once you have everything you need, it’s simply a matter of creating the “dough” in a food processor or high-powered blender then pressing into a baking pan, setting in the fridge then cutting into bars! Enjoy!
Related Recipes
- Chocolate Coconut Chia Seed Bars
- 15 Amazing Chia Seed Pudding Recipes
- Chocolate Chip Chia Seed Granola Bars
- Chocolate Chia Protein Pudding
- No-Bake Hemp Chia Energy Bars
No-Bake Chocolate Chia Energy Bars
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Prep Time: 10 mins -
Total Time: 10 mins
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Yield: 14 bars 1x -
Category: Snack, Dessert
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Method: Food Processor
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Cuisine: Vegan, Gluten-Free
Prep Time:
Yield:
Category:
Method:
Cuisine:These double chocolate energy bars are a serious crowd-pleaser. They take just minutes to prepare in a food processor and after setting in the freeze, you’ll have delicious, homemade energy bars ready to enjoy.
Print Recipe
Pin RecipeIngredients
- 1 ½ cups packed, pitted dates (350 g)
- ⅓ cup raw cacoa powder or cocoa powder (35 g)
- 1/2 cup whole chia seeds (75 g)
- 1/2 cup unsweetened shredded coconut (45 g)
- 1 cup raw walnut pieces (125 g)
- 1/2 cup chopped dark chocolate (70 g)
- 1/2 cup oats (50 g)
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract, optional, enhances flavour
- 1/4 tsp unrefined sea salt, optional, enhances flavour
Instructions
- Place dates in blender or food processor and purée until they form a thick paste forms.
- Add the walnuts and mix to combine.
- Add the rest of the ingredients and mix until it forms a thick dough.
- Line a square baking pan with parchment paper. Firmly press the mixture into the pan, pressing tightly into all corners.
- Place in the freezer for at least a few hours up to overnight.
- Lift out of the pan and cut into 14 bars.
- Store in an air-tight container in the fridge or freezer.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bar
- Calories: 234 calories
- Sugar: 17 g
- Fat: 12 g
- Carbohydrates: 28 g
- Fiber: 7 g
- Protein: 4.5 g
Keywords: chia seed bars, plant-based, no-bake, homemade, healthy, easy
These tasted too sweet for me. Is there a dried fruit that isn’t as sweet tasting?
★★★
I wouldn’t really recommend any other dried fruit in this recipe. The dates help bind everything together. you could maybe use soaked dried apricots, figs, cherries or raisins but they’d still be quite sweet and I haven’t tested it with any other dried fruit.
This recipe is so delicious!
I made quite a few substitutions but it still tasted amazing. I made this in a late night craving, so I was missing some of the necessary ingredients. Thankfully, I had similar ones. Some substitutions I made were instead of dates, I used 1 cup of sun dried jumbo raisins and 1 tbsp of sweet almond oil. I also used cashews instead of walnuts, and added a little almond milk to help with it forming a dough. And I used 1/2 cup of ghiradelli dark chocolate baking chips as I wanted to be quick. Did I say how delicious it was yet?
★★★★★
Haha, amazing. Glad they worked and you enjoyed them!!
Sounds good!! How long can you keep them out of the fridge?
They’ll be fine for a day or so, they’ll get a bit soft but otherwise be fine. Freeze them first and keep cool if possible and they’ll last longer!
Can I use almonds instead of walnuts? This recipe looks delish xx
Yes, that should be fine..thanks!
Can I leave out the coconut or replace it with something? I’m allergic to coconut.
I haven’t tested anything but you can try hemp seeds or increase the walnuts to 1.5 cups. Enjoy!
These are the best healthy power snacks. Have made them many times now. The biggest difference between these and others that I have made, is they are not too sweet. Perfect for an afternoon snack if my stomach starts growl. Love them!
★★★★★
My husband and I are both distance athletes. I originally made this recipe for a 50k he was doing. We both agreed the taste and the energy effects were great, but I agree that they are very crumbly. So now when I make them, I just do energy balls instead of bars. I just roll them up and press them together! They hold well and still freeze really well. Thanks for such a delicious all-natural vegan recipe!!
★★★★★
Glad you enjoy them! Thanks for the feedback!
Ok, I’ve solved it! I made these again this weekend. This time, I made a chia “egg” (one tbsp chia seeds stirred into 3 tbsp of water, let sit 5 min). It worked like a charm! They stayed together beautifully. I did end up reducing the 1/2 cup of chia seeds to about 1/4 cup (besides the “egg”) because I ran out. They still tasted and worked great!
★★★★★
That’s amazing! Thanks so much for the feedback..that’s such a great tip!
Hi there! Loved the recipe and have just made it. It tastes good BUT it is very crumbly – no way I can take them to go. I put 450 gr of dates instead of 350 and they are still crumbly. Any advice? I suppose I should try to put more dates and less dry ingredients.
I should have read the comments first. The bars didn’t fully stick together. I think the dates were too dry. I will soak them first as suggested or add oil next time.
★★★
Made these for a 5-day backpacking trip – and they were amazing! Tasty for the whole trip (and afterward, I’m eating one right now). I was a little concerned at first that they wouldn’t hold together, but they kept their shape the whole trip. I kept them frozen for several days beforehand. Made a double batch, adding probably 2 tbsp of coconut oil at the end to make sure they held together, put in a 8X8 pan, and froze. Thank you for the morale-boosting and nutritious snack! Will definitely be making again soon.
★★★★★
That’s so good to know! I’ve never had them out of the fridge for that long. So glad they worked out for you. Sounds like an epic trip!
These look delicious! I can’t wait to try. 🙂
“Dark Chocolate – High in antioxidants and phytonutrients. ”
Not if it was dutch processed dark chocolate!! I’ll stick with my 100% cacao which has the antioxidants and phytonutrients, not processed out like many dark chocolates are.
Totally, I always use a cacao dark chocolate for the health benefits, or even straight 100% cacao paste. 🙂 Hope you enjoy the recipe if you make it.
Made them and loved them!! I added 1 scoop of protein powder & a little honey. Amazing!!
★★★★★
Perfect loved by everyone. Thanks.
These bars are amazing! i just made them for the second time. I added some tahini so they stick together better. last time i added some almond milk. This recipe is a keeper. thank you Deryn!!
★★★★★
Awesome, so happy you liked them! Good call on tahini, sounds delicious!
This looks fabulous, thanks so much!