These chocolate snack bars are made up of nutritious ingredients like walnuts, dates, and cocoa powder. And they taste like deeply fudgy chocolate brownies at the same time!
Why you’ll love these healthy chocolate snack bars
- High protein, high fiber & low calorie.
- Naturally sweetened, with no refined sugar.
- No oven or baking required.
- Quick to whip up in your own kitchen in just five minutes.
- Better tasting than any packaged chocolate energy bar on the market. (Seriously.)
I’ve been making these homemade chocolate snack bars at least once a month for years. Once you try them, you will keep coming back to the recipe again and again!
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Step by step recipe video
Chocolate snack bar ingredients
The recipe calls for just five ingredients and includes gluten free, dairy free, soy free, paleo, added sugar free, and vegan options.
Dates – You need one and a half cups of pitted dates. Dried Medjool dates are my favorite variety due to their soft texture and sweet caramel taste.
Walnuts or Pecans – Unsalted raw walnuts or pecans give the bars the best chewy texture. You can play around with raw or roasted cashews, almonds, peanuts, macadamia nuts, or sunflower seeds to find your own personal favorites.
Cocoa Powder – Choose a high quality unsweetened cocoa powder. Or for high protein chocolate snack bars, substitute an equal amount of chocolate protein powder.
Vanilla Extract – A teaspoon of pure vanilla extract really heightens the chocolate brownie flavor. Be sure to buy pure vanilla extract, not imitation.
Salt – This ingredient balances the sweetness and adds depth to the cocoa. Leave it out if you really must, but the bars will taste much better if you include the salt.
Chocolate Chips – I like to press a few regular or mini chocolate chips into the finished energy bars. You can also stir in a handful before or after blending. Dark chocolate, semi sweet, or white chocolate are all fine. Or, hello Vegan Peanut Butter Chips.
How to make the chocolate energy bars
- Start by adding the pitted dates, walnuts or pecans, cocoa powder or protein powder, pure vanilla extract, and salt to a high quality food processor. There is no need to soak the dates ahead of time.
- Process on high, stopping occasionally to scrape down the sides of the machine. Stop when you achieve a fine, crumbly, and slightly sticky texture.
- Form the dough into bar shapes by hand. Or roll it out in a large Ziploc bag, then open the bag and carefully cut bars, squares, or fun cookie cutter shapes.
- Press chocolate chips or other add-ins of choice into each bar if you wish.
- Enjoy at room temperature or cold from the refrigerator. I also really love eating the frozen chocolate snack bars straight from the freezer!
Chocolate snack cookies
If you prefer bites to bars, you can easily turn this recipe into delicious double chocolate energy bites. Simply roll the cookie dough into bite size balls instead of cutting it into bars. Press a few chocolate chips into each ball. Best chocolate snack you’ve ever eaten!
Frequently asked questions
Can you? Yes. Do I recommend it? No, and here’s why:
The chocolate date mixture will form one large clump in a blender. This prevents the ingredients from blending evenly, and it yields an overly sticky result. It may also strain the machine’s motor or even break the blades. For the best taste and consistency, it is important to use a food processor.
One common issue with DIY chocolate date bars is that the dough turns out crumbly and the bars fall apart. To avoid this problem, buy Medjool dates (Deglet Noor dates work if you soak them for ten minutes first). And use a high quality food processor, not a mini chopper. If your dough is still not sticky, you may just need to process longer for the nuts to release their natural oils.
I have not personally tried any substitutes for dates. However, you can experiment with other dried fruits like raisins or figs. If you do play around with the base recipe, please feel free to report back with results. There’s also a low carb and date free chocolate protein bar option included in the recipe box below.
Store leftover bars in a covered container. They should keep at room temperature for up to two weeks. Or refrigerate or freeze them in an airtight container for up to two months… if you have the willpower. Mine somehow never last that long.
Honestly, these bars remind me of unbaked chocolate brownies. You’d never expect it, given the healthy ingredients! The texture is like a cross between a chocolate Larabar and a classic bake sale brownie. Just try them for yourself 🙂
Chocolate snack bar flavors
The homemade chocolate brownie bars are super customizable.
Use peanuts for chocolate peanut butter snack bars.
Or add a pinch of ground cinnamon or cardamom.
If you like thin mint cookies, blend in 1/8 teaspoon of pure peppermint extract.
Add a fourth teaspoon of instant coffee for an energizing caffeine boost.
Or throw in the zest of an orange for a citrus kick.
And then there are toppings! From raw cacao nibs, to freeze dried strawberries, to chopped dried bananas or crunchy granola, the sky is not the limit!
Health benefits of the chocolate snack bars
High fiber. Each healthy snack bar provides 18% of the RDA for fiber.
Omega 3s. The chocolate bars are low in saturated fat and high in omega-3 fatty acid that can help lower cholesterol, promote gut health, and reduce inflammation.
Vitamins and antioxidants. Superfood walnuts and cocoa powder offer iron, potassium, magnesium, vitamin E, and B vitamins.
No artificial sweeteners. Unlike many other chocolate snack bar recipes and store bought bars, this one contains no erythritol, sucralose, stevia, allulose, or monk fruit. No maple syrup or honey either!
Provides energy. Dates digest quickly and give you natural carbohydrates and essential electrolytes, making this a great post workout snack bar. Consuming dates after exercising can help fuel muscle recovery.
Endorphins. Do not forget this one! Eating chocolate releases feel-good endorphins and thus improves one’s mood. Moral of the story? EAT MORE CHOCOLATE.
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1. Process the pitted dates, nuts, cocoa powder, vanilla extract, and salt in a high quality food processor.
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2. Blend until the texture is fine and crumbly, stopping to scrape down the sides of the machine as needed. (I recommend using a food processor, because a blender will yield an overly sticky texture.)
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3. Form bars with your hands. Or roll out the dough in a large Ziploc bag, then open the bag and cut into bars, squares, or cookie cutter shapes of choice.
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4. Press chocolate chips into each bar if desired. Enjoy!
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5. Store any leftover chocolate snack bars covered on the counter for up to two weeks or in the refrigerator or freezer for up to two months.
More healthy chocolate snack recipes
Black Bean Brownies
Chocolate Oatmeal Fudge Bars
Healthy Chocolate Chip Cookies
Healthy Chocolate Cake
Chocolate Banana Ice Cream
Avocado Chocolate Mousse
Chocolate Zucchini Muffins