5-Ingredient No-Bake Paleo Energy Bars
on Apr 21, 2014, Updated Jul 24, 2024
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All you need to make these delicious paleo energy bars are 5 simple ingredients – dates, coconut, hemp seeds, cashews and coconut oil.
They’re sweetened naturally with dates so have no added sugar and the coconut oil gives them a soft, almost creamy texture, somewhat like Coconut Larabars.
They’re easy to make too, simply blend everything up in a food processor, then press into a pan, firm in the freezer and slice into bars.
Regardless of your dietary preferences, these bars are absolutely delicious and can be enjoyed by everyone!
Highlights
- Vegan and gluten-free.
- Paleo-friendly (grain-free, no added sugar).
- Easy to make with 5 ingredients.
- No baking required!
- Customize with different nuts, seeds and other add-ins.
- Perfect for a healthier snack, breakfast on-the-go or dessert.
- Great for hiking, road trips and travel.
Ingredients
- Dates: You can use any variety of date as long as they’re soft and moist. If not, you can soak them in hot water for 15 minutes then drain well before use.
- Coconut: You can use fine or medium desiccated (dried and shredded) coconut.
- Hemp Seeds: Sometimes labelled hemp hearts. These can be found in well-stocked grocery stores, health food stores or online.
- Cashews: Use raw cashews with no added oil or salt. The cashews can be substituted with walnuts, almonds, pecans or for nut-free, sunflower seeds. If you’re looking for nut-free snacks, you might like these sunflower seed balls or sesame bars.
- Coconut Oil: The coconut oil adds moisture and binds the bars. You can make it without them if you like but I preferred the texture with the coconut oil.
This list is not complete. Please see the recipe card at the end of the post for the complete ingredient list with measurements and detailed instructions.
Recipe Variations
- For an added treat while still keeping these paleo, try adding to 1/2 cup cacao nibs. If you don’t need them to be paleo, regular or sugar-free chocolate chips work.
- Add 2 tbsp raw cacao powder for chocolate bars or try these No-Bake Chocolate Chia Energy Bars.
- Try adding 1 tbsp lemon juice and 1 tbsp lemon zest for delicious, zesty lemon bars (or try these recipe for lemon energy bars).
- Cinnamon is always a good addition! Other spices you might enjoy are pumpkin pie spice, nutmeg or ginger.
- Add up to 1 tsp vanilla for added flavouring. I also like a pinch of sea salt.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Add the cashews to a food processor and break them down into a grainy flour consistency.
It’s ok if there are some larger chunks but they should be fairly broken down.
Step 2: Add the rest of the ingredients and blend into a thick, sticky dough you can press together between your fingers.
Step 3: Line a 7 or 8-inch square baking pan with parchment paper then use your hands to firmly press the dough into the pan until you have a flat surface.
Place the entire pan in the freezer for an hour to firm. You can skip this step if you want or just do 10-15 minutes but they’re easier to slice and hold together best after they firm up.
Step 4: Lift the bars out of the pan and slice into 10 large bars or 16 smaller squares. Enjoy your bars!
Recipe FAQs
To make these bars nut-free, substitute sunflower seeds or a mix of sunflower seeds and pumpkin seeds for the cashews.
Alternatively, you may like these sunflower sesame energy bars.
You can omit the coconut oil if you prefer. Do not substitute another oil. If you don’t want to use coconut oil, just omit it.
They will keep in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 2 weeks or you can freeze them up to 3 months. They’re okay to take to-go at room temperature but will get soft if it’s warm.
Expert Tips
- It’s important to use soft dates in this recipe. If your dates seem overly dry or you’re not sure, soak them (pitted) in hot water for 15 minutes then drain well before using in the recipe.
- If the dough isn’t sticking together or seems too crumbly after blending (this can happen if your dates were dry), add 1-2 tbsp warm water and blend again.
- A kitchen scale is helpful for accurately measuring ingredients.
- Use wet hands to smooth out the surface of the bars after pressing them into the pan.
Did you try this recipe? I’d love to hear about it! Scroll down to the comment section to leave a star rating and review.
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Paleo Energy Bars
Ingredients
- 1 1/4 cup packed soft pitted dates , 275 g
- 1 cup unsweetened fine coconut, 100 g
- 1 cup hemp seeds, 169 g
- 2/3 cup cashews, 93 g
- 2 tbsp melted coconut oil, 30 g
- 1 tsp vanilla extract, optional
- pinch of sea salt, optional
Instructions
- Add the cashews to a food processor and process to break down into small pieces.
- Add the rest of the ingredients and blend into a thick, doughy mixture.
- Line a 7 or 8-inch square baking pan with parchment paper then firmly press the dough into the pan until it’s flat and even.
- Set the bars in the freezer for at least 1 hour.
- Lift the bars out of the pan and slice into 10 bars or 16 squares.
- Store in the fridge in a sealed container for up to 2 weeks or freezer for up to 3 months.
Nutrition
This recipe was originally published April 21, 2014.
Great recipe! I’ve never used hemp, any preferred brands?
I use North Coast Naturals 🙂
These were WONDERFUL! I was trying to mimic a local vegan cafe power bar and this is definitely the recipe they use, tastes the same!
I did add 1/4 cup of dark chocolate to add a little extra something to it and it was perfect, gave it just the kick I needed.
I also did not have hemp seed, so I used flax seed and it still came out great.
Thanks so much for the great recipe with simple ingredients! 🙂
Hi i am allergic to coconut, i am diabetic and cant eat anything with wheat flour. I am looking for a pancake recipe withou sugar and wheat.
The simplest recipes ar the simplest ones! once it involves to a fault elaborate recipes, from time to time i’m guilty as charged
These look like my kind of bars – simple, delicious and full of goodness!
I love your site btw 🙂
Just made these as my snack for the week! Simple, healthy ingredients = perfection! Snacked on the “dough” as I made them — so good! Thanks for sharing!
Ooo, yay! That’s awesome. So glad you enjoyed them!! xo
They remind me of Lara bars, but taste even better! My kids think they’re candy bars when I add 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder 🙂
The simplest recipes are the best ones! When it comes to excessively elaborate recipes, from time to time I am guilty as charged… but those are always reserved for weekend projects. Recipes like this are ones I would make any day of the week!
Umm … no, no I don’t mind at all that the list only has a handful of ingredients! I love (LOVE!) really simple recipes! I’m totally with you, I skip right over the recipes with a ton of ingredients! I don’t have time for really elaborate and gourmet foods – I would love to have that kind of time, but the reality is, as a busy mommy I just don’t! So yes! Easy recipe lovers rejoice! 🙂
Simple is awesome. Let’s be honest, the simple recipes are the ones we come back to again and again. I love how you used hemp seeds in here. I am definitely going to try that next time I make a nut/dried fruit type bar. Thanks for the inspiration!