These triple chocolate granola bars are a chocolate lovers dream! They’re loaded with wholesome ingredients and taste absolutely amazing! Kid-friendly & adult-friendly 🙂
Today I’m sharing my latest obsession… these crazy delicious and surprisingly healthy(ish) no-bake triple chocolate granola bars! They’re packed full of wholesome ingredients and only take 15 minutes to make. Sounds too good to be true, right? Think again! ????
I’m not going to lie, dates have always scared me, however, this amazing smoothie changed everything. Ever since, I’ve been hoarding all of the medjool dates in the bulk section at our grocery store. Yes, sorry fellow Harmon’s Brickyard shoppers, that was me.???????? This is my latest and greatest date recipe (although there’s one more on its way soon) and it’s absolutely perfect for this time of year. These fudgy brownie-like bars are going to be the talk of the cafeteria, all of the other kids will be swapping snacks just for a bite of one these granola bars. The best part though, is that these treats are made with REAL ingredients (minimally processed), they’re refined sugar-free, and can easily be made gluten-free, dairy-free or vegan. ???? Yay for wholesome!!
Another win is that they’re no-bake. For the base I used a blend of dates, chocolate almond butter, flaxseed meal, old-fashioned rolled oats, toasted coconut, re-hydrated cocoa powder, vanilla extract and a pinch of salt. Just toss it into your food processor and give it a whirl until a batter-like paste forms.
Transfer it to a bowl and fold in the reserved oats, coconut, crispy cereal (you can use white or brown rice cereal), and chocolate chips. At this point, feel free to add some chopped nuts, dried fruit or seeds- basically whatever you like, mix it in!
Pour into a parchment lined pan (you can use a 9×5 loaf for thick bars or an 8×8 square pan for thinner bars) and press to create an even layer. Sprinkle with additional chocolate chips (obviously) and then place in the refrigerator to “set” for a good 30 minutes.
How you cut them is totally up to you. These are pretty rich, so I’d suggest 8 bars or 16 squares (especially for younger kids). Of course, you might need to cut them even smaller so there’s a few extra for you!
Guys, I really hope that you will love these triple chocolate granola bars as much as we do. They’re decadent, yet wholesome and so easy to make. Enjoy!
Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Granola Bars Recipe
Ingredients
- 14 Medjool dates - pitted (fresh, soft and sticky)
- 8 tbsp chocolate peanut butter - OR other chocolate nut butters
- 2 tbsp flaxseed meal
- 1/2 cup unsweetened coconut flakes - toasted, divided
- 1 3/4 cup old-fashioned oats - divided
- 3 tbsp cocoa powder - +5 tbsp water, mixed
- 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/4 tsp kosher sea salt
- 3/4 cup crispy rice cereal - white or brown
- 1/4 cup mini chocolate chips - or chocolate covered sunflower seeds
Instructions
- Line a 9x5-inch loaf pan or an 8 x 8-inch square baking pan with parchment paper. Set aside.
- Pulse the dates in a food processor until a paste forms. Add the chocolate almond or peanut butter, flaxseed, ¼ cup of toasted coconut, ½ cup of oats, cocoa mixture, vanilla extract, and sea salt. Pulse until combined. It should look like a thick brownie batter or cookie dough.
- Transfer the peanut butter mixture to a large mixing bowl and fold in the remaining coconut and oats, along with the rice cereal and 3 tablespoons of the mini chocolate chips.
- Pour the mixture into the prepared baking pan and press firmly to create an even layer. Sprinkle the remaining chocolate chips on top.
- Cover the pan with plastic wrap and place it in the refrigerator to chill for 30 minutes. Remove from the pan using the edges of the parchment paper and transfer to a cutting board. Using a sharp knife, cut into 8 rectangular bars or 16 squares.
Hey girl these look oh so yummy!