No-Bake Chocolate Energy Bars
These no-bake chocolate energy bars are packed with nutrition thanks to hemp, chia, flax and pumpkin seeds. Top with melted chocolate for a treat!
Servings: 16 squares
Ingredients
- 1 cup raw almonds 150 g
- 2 tbsp chia seeds 20 g
- 3 tbsp hemp seeds 26 g
- 2 tbsp ground flax seeds 14 g
- 3 tbsp raw pumpkin seeds 30 g
- 1 tbsp raw cacao powder or cocoa powder 6 g
- 2 tsp cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp sea salt
- 1.5 cups tightly packed, soft, moist pitted dates 330 g
- 1/2 cup dairy-free chocolate chips or chopped dark chocolate 90 g
Instructions
- Place the almonds in a food processor and blend into a coarse, grainy flour. If a few larger chunks are left behind, that's totally fine.
- Add everything except the dates and chocolate chip and mix until broken down into a grainy consistency,
- Add the dates and process until it forms a thick, sticky dough. If the mixture is not sticking together, add 1 tbsp of warm water and process again.
- Line an approximately 7 x 7 inch square baking pan with two strips of parchment paper so they stick out the sides of the pan. Tightly press the dough into the pan. You can wet your fingers and use them to smooth the bars out.
- Melt the chocolate on the stovetop using a double boiler or in a microwave safe bowl in 15-second increments, stirring often. Evenly spread the chocolate over the bars using a spatula or the back of a spoon.
- Place the pan in the fridge until the chocolate has hardened, about 20-30 minutes.
- Carefully lift the bars out of the pan and let sit at room temperature 5-10 minutes to allow the chocolate to soften slightly. Run a sharp knife under hot water for 10-seconds then dry and score the bars into 8 large bars. Slice into 8 bars. If desired, slice each bar in half so you have 16 squares.
Notes
Almonds can be substituted with cashews, pecans, walnuts or any combination of nuts up to 1 cup total.
The 4 types of seeds are interchangeable up to a total of 10 tbsp. If you're missing any, just work with what you have to reach a total of 10 tbsp.
It's important to use soft, moist dates as they bind the bars together. If your dates are dry, soak them in hot water for 15 minutes then drain before using in the recipe. Medjool, sayer and deglect noor dates are all suitable.
Store in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 2 weeks or freezer for up to 3 months.
Nutrition
Serving: 1bar | Calories: 173kcal | Carbohydrates: 23g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 9g | Sodium: 39mg | Fiber: 4g | Calcium: 56mg | Iron: 1mg