Ever since a certain nut and fruit bar company was bought out by a mega-corporation, and their bars subsequently shrunk up a bit in size, I’ve been experimenting at home with my own tasty blends. So far, my two favorites are my Pecan Pie Bars (amazing! – and in my ebook Dairy-Free & Gluten-Free) and these Mega Chocolate Fudge Bars.
I mean, up to three types of chocolate in one snack recipe, what’s not to love? To further up the ante, these fudge bars are made with nutritious dates, nuts, and don’t contain a drop of dairy or an ounce of gluten. The nuts add a little protein while the fruit and chocolate provide some all-natural, quick and tasty energy. As an added bonus, these healthy snack bars are safe for those schools with peanut-free policies.
Special Diet Notes & Options: Healthy Chocolate Fudge Bars
These fudge bars are dairy-free / non-dairy, egg-free, gluten-free, peanut-free, vegan, and vegetarian. Just use caution when selecting chocolate chips (or opt for cacao nibs), as some brands do contain dairy. Also, if you are highly sensitive / allergic to dairy, seek out chocolate chips that are made allergy-safe, such as Enjoy Life or Dream brand.
Soy-Free Option: Some chocolate chips do contain a small amount of soy lecithin. Look for soy-free brands like Enjoy Life, or opt for soy-free cacao nibs.
Mix-it-Up: This recipe can easily be customized to your tastes. If cashews aren’t your game, use 5 ounces of your favorite nut and omit the coconut oil (most nuts have more fat than cashews). You can also swap the cocoa powder for carob powder or even a dairy-free milk powder or protein powder. Also, note that the cacao nibs add a nice crunch to the bars, but chocolate chips alone will certainly be delicious, too.
- 1 cup (140 grams) cashews
- 16 dates (approximately 320 grams)*
- 1 tablespoon melted, warm coconut oil
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ⅓ cup cocoa powder, or more to taste
- 1/16 teaspoon salt, or to taste
- Up to ½ cup dairy-free dark or semi-sweet chocolate chips (minis if you’ve got them), cacao nibs, or a combination of the two (for a triple chocolate effect)
- Grind the cashews in your spice grinder or food processor. They will turn into a flour; if a few little chunks remain, not a problem - it will add some texture.
- Place the dates in a bowl or in your food processor with the oil and vanilla. Mash with a fork, or combine with a food processor.
- Add the ground cashews, cocoa powder, and salt, and mash or blend until everything is well-combined.
- Stir / press in the chips and/or nibs.
- Shape the mixture into balls or press it out onto a cutting board lined with parchment paper and gently cut into bars (big or small).
- Store the bars or balls in the refrigerator for one week (they will keep for the day in a lunch box), or the freezer for up to a few months.
18 Comments
oh wow, just made a batch for our local la leche league meeting tommorow, hopefully the toddlers wont devour all of them before the mums get to them 🙂
Well, at least they are healthy enough for the toddlers, too 🙂
Wow, these look ooey, gooey and oh-so good!
Thanks Amy!
Oh I love using dates to sweeten my desserts! What a great recipe – looks amazing!
Thank you Sam!
Alisa I am drooling at 6.34am….Seriously, these are my kind of bars, store bought…Remind me one day to tell you my mini larabar story.
And the beauty is, you can eat them at 6:34am 🙂 Would love to hear that story!
These chocolate fudge bars look luscious! Love that they are a healthier version, too!
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When I first saw this picture, I thought the white in it was cooked quinoa. What if I ground up quinoa instead of cashews? Any thoughts
I think that would yield quite a different result. But don’t hesitate to trial out your own versions Loretta!
these are SO GOOD – just made them tonight and I am on my second square – YUM
So glad you liked my recipe lady! That means a lot coming from the amazing Spa Bettie 🙂
oh my…. these are right up my street! They look fudgy and gooey and altogether scrumptious! Thanks Alisa!
Oh my goodness! These look AH-Mazing Alisa!!!! I make a similar one but with nut butter, I am a sucker for desserts with dates 🙂 Happy New Year!
Oh. Ehm. Gee. This is beyond fabulous looking!! And with one slight modification. . . I think I’ll be eating Healthy Chocolate Fudge Bars this week. 😉
Ooooh, these bars might be yet another divine way to keep a resolution on eating more chocolate (which I stole from Linda over at Free Range Cookie). WOW!
Shirley