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NATurally sweet
These Dark Chocolate Date Bars taste like a peanut butter cup. I have never made a dessert with dates until now. They are highly underestimated. I can’t believe how good these bars are! Now one of my favorite no-bake desserts!
**If you have been following me then you know I like to start with a little health education. I think it’s important to know a few helpful facts about the food we consume.
The most common type of dates are the large medjool dates. They come from date palm trees that are mostly found on the Mediterranean shores of Europe. They were first imported into the United States in 1927.
The dried version of these dates preserve their goodness. The outside of them may look a little funny, but the inside is moist and sweet.
They are a great way to add natural sweetness to desserts. They are higher in natural sugar than many others fruits, but it is in the form of fructose, glucose and sucrose. These types of sugar are more easily digested by the body and utilized for energy. Just like any sugar, they should be consumed in moderation of course.
One other beneficial reason to use dates is that they are high in fiber, magnesium, potassium, and calcium among many other nutrients. What a great way to add a little “health” to a dessert! For more information on the health benefits of dates, check out this ARTICLE by Dr.Axe.
WHY DARK CHOCOLATE?
I have always loved Chocolate! I used to consume any type of chocolate. White chocolate, milk chocolate, semi-sweet chocolate, but rarely a dark chocolate. It is the most bitter in flavor. It was an acquired taste for me.
I am always looking for ways to maintain a healthy lifestyle. After learning that dark chocolate is lower in sugar and higher in the antioxidant rich cacao, I have made the switch. This is now my favorite type of chocolate!
Dark chocolate is a form of chocolate containing cocoa solids, cocoa butter and sugar. It doesn’t have the milk added like a milk chocolate does. It also contains many vitamins and minerals.
Just make sure to buy dark chocolate containing at least 60% cacao (or cocoa). The higher the percentage, the more health benefits.
I tried this recipe with semi-sweet chocolate and dark chocolate. Both are great, it really just depends on your taste. If you aren’t sure you like the rich, bitter flavor of dark chocolate, use semi-sweet.
RECIPE TIPS
-The key to making these bars is chilling the layers in between the steps. It is really important that the layers are chilled to make layering easier.
-Leave the bars out for about 10 minutes at room temperature before cutting them. This just makes the knife cut through much easier. You can also try a warm knife to prevent cracking the chocolate.
-It is best to store these bars in the refrigerator to keep the layers in tact. You can probably freeze them as well, although I haven’t tried it myself. These are so good that they usually don’t last long.
-You can use coconut oil instead of the butter for greasing your loaf pan and melting with the chocolate. I used unsalted butter because it’s what I had at the time.
-The sea salt on top of these is the key! I think without the sea salt, they woudn’t be the same. I love taking a bite and getting a little salty and sweet flavor together.
-Below I posted how different these bars can look depending on whether you use chopped walnuts or walnut pieces. Also one time I tried these with a little extra chocolate because I was using the end of what I had. It did make these a little tougher to cut, but they still tasted delicious! My husband actually liked the extra chocolate. I recommend trying the original amount of chocolate first.
Hope you enjoy these no-bake Dark Chocolate Date Bars! Customize them however you’d like. Let me know how you like them in the comments and if you have any questions. If you’re looking for another chocolate dessert, check out my Classic Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe HERE.
Dark Chocolate Date Bars
A healthier no-bake dessert that is perfect for any day of the year! This bar is naturally sweetened with medjool dates. The addition of dark chocolate and walnuts makes it taste like a peanut butter cup.
Ingredients
- 1 Tbsp Unsalted Butter, plus more for brushing
- 1 3/4 Cup Walnut Pieces
- 2 Cups Medjool Dates, Chopped
- 1/4 Cup Peanut Butter
- 2 Tsp Pure Vanilla extract
- 1/4 Tsp Kosher salt
- 1 Cup Dark Chocolate Chips, Melted
- Sea salt
Instructions
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Grease 9x5 inch loaf pan with butter. Line with parchment paper, leaving a few inches of overhang on the long side.
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In a food processor, pulse dates, 1 1/2 cup walnuts, peanut butter, vanilla and salt until finely chopped. The mixture should hold together easily.
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Pour mixture onto lined cookie sheet and press into an 8 inch square. Chill for 20 minutes.
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Meanwhile, melt chocolate and 1 tbsp butter over double boiler on the stove. Stir until silky smooth.
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Once date mixture is chilled, cut formed square in half. Place one half carefully into the bottom of the loaf pan. Pour half the melted chocolate on top and smooth to the edges. Chill for another 10 minutes.
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Once chilled, add your second date layer on top of chocolate. Pour other half of chocolate on top and smooth to the edges. Top with remaining 1/4 cup walnut pieces and sprinkle with sea salt. Chill for 2 hours to firm completely.
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To serve let stand at room temperature for 10 minutes before slicing. Remove from loaf pan using the parchment and place on a flat surface. Slice carefully to avoid breaking chocolate.
