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Hi everyone! Ashley and I have been sharing ways to stay creative or try new things from home lately, and when she told me about this whole food dessert (a healthier version of a Snickers bar), I needed the recipe. We’ve been doing what we can to stay healthy during quarantine, and that does not exclude quality treats! Give this quick and easy dessert a try, and let us know what you think in the comments! xo - Candace
I’m a regular fan of the oatmeal chocolate chip cookie or a late night mug cake, but these Peanut Butter Date Bars take the dessert game to a new level. I’ve brought these to birthday parties and potluck dinners, and the feedback is always the same: I NEED MORE. So far since being in quarantine, we’ve only made one batch because they don’t last long in my fridge (not because of shelf life - because of uncontrollable snack attacks), but since I needed photos to share with the recipe, I took one for the team and made another round.
There are some opportunities to add maple syrup, honey, or a sweetener of your choice in this recipe, but I omitted any added sugar and just let the dates add the sweetness. It was plenty for me, but you can experiment. This dessert has three layers - a base, caramel-like filling, and a chocolate topping. I’ve divided the ingredients and preparation steps out per layer, and then put the total amount needed of each ingredient at the end for your reference.
Here’s what you’ll need:
For the base:
1/4 cup melted coconut oil
1 cup each of almond meal and coconut flour (or 2 cups of rolled oats, ground to oat flour in a food processor)
3 Tablespoons natural peanut butter
3 Tablespoons maple syrup or honey (optional - I left it out, and mine were still sweet and delicious.)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
pinch of sea salt
Combine the coconut oil, peanut butter, maple syrup (if you choose) and vanilla extract in a small bowl. You can double boil this mixture to make it smooth and easier to combine, then fold in flour and sea salt. If you have a food processor or blender, I’d use it for this step. Spread your mixture evenly across the bottom of a baking dish (I used an 8 x 8.), and pop it in the freezer.
I used oat flour for my base.
For the filling:
3 cups pitted dates
1/3 cup melted coconut oil
4 Tablespoons natural peanut butter
pinch of sea salt
This step is easy. Pop it all in your food processor (or a blender would work) and combine until thick and creamy. Take the dish out of the freezer and spread the filling over the base layer. Put it back in the freezer.
The filling is thick, so be patient with spreading it.
For the topping:
1/4 cup cacao powder
1/4 cup maple syrup (again, optional)
1/3 cup melted coconut oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
crushed peanuts (or you can use walnuts, pecans, etc.)
Combine the melted coconut oil, maple syrup (if you choose), vanilla extract and cacao powder to make a chocolate coating. Take your dish from the freezer, pour the chocolate on top and spread evenly with a silicone spatula. Top with crushed nuts to taste. Put it back in the freezer until it firms up throughout. It only takes about 45 minutes. EAT AND ENJOY!
Other options for chocolate - pour it on, lift up the dish and swirl it around the cover the top.
Total Ingredients:
About 1 cup coconut oil
About 1/2 cup of peanut butter
1 cup each of almond meal and coconut flour (or 2 cups of rolled oats)
1/4 - 1/3 cup of maple syrup
3 cups pitted dates
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/4 cup cacao powder
1 teaspoon of sea salt
peanuts or nut of your choice to sprinkle on top
If you have any questions or other healthy recipes to try, drop them in the comments, and if you make these, I definitely want to see them on Instagram with the #ybceats!
