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You are here: Home » Snacks

Date Bars - Easy Homemade Recipe

Sep 5, 2024 -May contain affiliate links

2.7K shares
  • 27
Jump to Recipe·Print Recipe·5 from 3 reviews
Close up view of 6 homemade date bars next to a bowl of hazelnuts

These naturally sweet and healthy date bars will remind you of the chocolate hazelnut spread (aka Nutella) flavor you love, with none of the guilt. We like to call them Nature's Candy Bars because they are refined sugar-free, vegan, and gluten-free. All you need is about 20 minutes of prep time and you'll be snacking on these naturally sweet nut bars!

Close up view of 6 homemade date bars next to a bowl of hazelnuts

Looking for a delicious and nutritious snack option that is both vegan and gluten-free? Try this easy recipe for homemade date bars made with wholesome ingredients and no added sugar. Perfect for breakfast, a midday treat, or a healthy back-to-school snack!

Table of contents

  • Just 5 Simple Ingredients for Vegan Date Bars
  • Step-By-Step Instructions on How to Make Our Date Bars  
  • Variations for No-Bake Date Bars
  • The Story Behind this Cocoa Hazelnut Date Bars Recipe
  • How Do I Store These Snacks? 
  • More Healthy Snacks

Just 5 Simple Ingredients for Vegan Date Bars

overhead image of the ingredients needed to make chocolate hazelnut date bars. Each ingredient is in it's own small bowl and labeled with white text
  • Dates. Pitted, chopped, and soaked. This is where you'll get all the natural sweetness. Medjool dates are our favorite date variety, but you can use any dried date you can find.  If you love dates, check out our tasty recipes with dates.
  • Raisins or dried cranberries. Add a more robust flavor to the bars and a little extra sweetness.
  • Hazelnuts. These give that signature flavor you love in your favorite chocolate hazelnut spread.
  • Freeze dry raspberries. These are optional but recommended. They give these homemade bars a nice tangy contrast and chocolate-raspberry is a classic flavor combination.
  • Cocoa Powder. Dark chocolate flavor with no added sugar. 
  • Vanilla Extract. Adds a sweet and smooth flavor. 

Step-By-Step Instructions on How to Make Our Date Bars  

overhead image of a glass mixing bowl with dates and raisins soaking in warm water
  1. Soak dates and raisins in warm water for 10 minutes. 
overhead image of the ingredients needed to make chocolate hazelnut date bars being blended together in a food processor.
  1. Drain and add to a food processor along with the remaining ingredients. Pulse to combine well. 
overhead image of the date mixture sandwiched between two pieces of parchment paper
  1. Transfer to a cutting board lined with wax or parchment paper. 
overhead image of the date mixture in a square on top of a piece of parchment paper
  1. Shape into a square. 
overhead image the chocolate hazelnut date bar mixture in a square topped with hazelnut halves
  1. Decorate with hazelnuts. 
overhead image of the chocolate hazelnut date bars after being sliced
  1. Slice into 8 bars. 

Variations for No-Bake Date Bars

  • Instead of cutting this treat into bars, you can scoop about 1 tablespoon and roll into a ball to make a one-bite dessert. Roll the date truffle in melted chocolate, cocoa powder, shredded coconut, or finely crushed hazelnuts. 
  • If you prefer, you can line a square baking pan or rectangular loaf pan with parchment paper and press the date mixture into it to shape it. Top with your desired toppings and cut into squares or rectangles.
  • Instead of hazelnuts, you can alter the flavor by using other nuts instead: 
  • almonds
  • walnuts
  • cashews
  • pecans 
  • peanuts 
  • peanut butter

The Story Behind this Cocoa Hazelnut Date Bars Recipe

In 2015 I was visiting my daughter who was spending a year abroad. Needless to say, I went there with a whole bunch of presents.... but I also wanted to bring her something homemade something comforting. What to do? What to bring?

Since she is one of our biggest fans and loves to taste our recipes, and knowing how disappointed she was for having to miss an entire year of "May I have that Recipe" food, I thought, why not bring her some homemade goodies?

While flipping through the pages of the January 2015 issue of Bon Appetit Magazine,I saw 3 great bar recipes full of nuts, seeds, and other healthy ingredients. The bars were also free of refined sugars. Bingo! Right up her alley. I shared the idea with my sister Ruth, and the next day she showed up with these delicious cocoa and hazelnut date bars. And I have to tell you, they taste just like that popular chocolate and hazelnut spread (AKA Nutella), only healthier! No sugar added and with an intense hazelnut cocoa flavor. Just awesome.

So I made two of the Bon Appetit bars (with some modifications of course, because you know, I can never follow a recipe!) a big batch of these yummy date bars, and voilà! The perfect gift.

And just as I anticipated, the date bars were a complete success. Mission accomplished!

6 homemade date bars wrapped in the middle with a strip of parchment paper next to a bowl with dates and another bowl with hazelnuts.

How Do I Store These Snacks? 

Store the chocolate date bars in the fridge in an airtight container until ready to serve. 

To store long-term, you can wrap each bar individually in parchment paper and then store it in an airtight container in the freezer. When ready to eat, allow to thaw at room temperature for 10 minutes. 

More Healthy Snacks

  • Chocolate Hummus
  • Peanut Butter Energy Balls
  • Superfood Date Balls
  • Chia Pudding
  • Chickpea Cookie Dough 
  • Tahini and Turmeric Vegan Granola Bars

Side view of view of 6 homemade date bars next to a bowl of hazelnuts

If you enjoyed this recipe, it would help us tremendously if you left us a star rating in the comments below or on the recipe card. Do you have any questions about the recipe? Do you need a swap for any of the ingredients? We are here to help, just leave us a question in the comments below.

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Close up view of 6 homemade date bars next to a bowl of hazelnuts

Date Bars - Easy Homemade Recipe - No Sugar Added


5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

5 from 3 reviews

  • Author: Vicky Cohen and Ruth Fox
  • Total Time: 20 mins
  • Yield: 6 bars
  • Diet: Vegan
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Description

Looking for a vegan and gluten-free nutritious snack? Try our recipe for wholesome easy homemade date bars with no added sugar. 


Ingredients

Units Scale
  • 8oz dates, pitted an chopped
  • 2 tablespoon raisins or dry cranberries
  • Warm water (just enough to soak the dates and raisins)
  • ½ cup roasted hazelnuts plus set aside 4 hazelnuts cut in half. See note 3
  • 3 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 2 tablespoon freeze dried raspberries (optional)
  • 1 teaspoon natural vanilla extract

Instructions

  1. Soak dates and raisins in warm water for 10 minutes. Drain all the water and transfer to a food processor
  2. Add hazelnuts, cocoa powder, raspberries and vanilla and pulse until all the ingredients are combined and become a soft dough.
  3. Transfer to a cutting board lined with wax or parchment paper and place another piece of parchment on top. Form a ½ inch thick square. Cut into 8 bars, decorate each bar with 2 hazelnut halves and refrigerate until ready to eat.

Notes

  1. Instead of making bars bars, scoop about 1 tablespoon and roll into a ball to make healthy energy balls. Roll the date truffle in melted chocolate to make it into a healthy one bite desserts, or roll them into cocoa powder, shredded coconut, or finely crushed hazelnuts. 
  2. Instead of hazelnuts you may use almonds, cashews, peanuts, pecans, sunflower seeds, or pumpkin seeds 
  3. Check out how to roast hazelnuts at home
  • Prep Time: 20 mins
  • Category: snack
  • Method: raw
  • Cuisine: American

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1 bar
  • Calories: 133
  • Sugar: 17.9
  • Sodium: 1
  • Fat: 5.4
  • Saturated Fat: .5
  • Unsaturated Fat: 4.6
  • Trans Fat: 0
  • Carbohydrates: 22.7
  • Fiber: 3.1
  • Protein: 2.1
  • Cholesterol: 0

Did you make this recipe?

Tag @mayihavethatrecipe on Instagram and hashtag it #mayihavethatrecipe #tahiniandturmeric

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Lisa Jay

    February 06, 2015 at 1:13 pm

    Wow! So easy. Now, can you give me an easy way to clean that food processor after?

    Reply
    • Vicky & Ruth

      February 06, 2015 at 1:51 pm

      Use a rubber spatula to scoop as much date mixture as possible. Add some warm water and soap into the food processor cup and pulse it a couple of times, that should help you clean it.

      Reply
  2. leah

    February 06, 2015 at 1:22 pm

    you dont say how many boz dates to use

    Reply
    • Vicky & Ruth

      February 06, 2015 at 1:33 pm

      Hi there,
      The recipe calls for 8 ounces, pitted and chopped

      Reply
  3. The Steaming Pot

    February 21, 2015 at 7:02 am

    How beautiful they look! I wish I could get hold of hazelnut, not so accessible in my part of the world 🙁

    Reply
    • Vicky & Ruth

      February 23, 2015 at 8:51 am

      Thank you very much. Sorry you cannot get hazelnuts easily. You may want to try replacing the hazelnuts for your favorite seed or not.

      Reply
  4. Connie Greenwald

    November 04, 2017 at 3:16 pm

    Just made these and they are in the fridge hardening up a bit. Next time I will pulse the hazelnuts before adding the other ingredients. I found a product at Trader Joes that has the same ingredients as these bars. They are individually wrapped disc's and very high in fiber, but a bit pricy. Do you have any idea on the nutritional value of these bars?

    Reply
    • Vicky & Ruth

      January 23, 2018 at 7:41 pm

      Hi Connie, we just posted the nutritional information.

      Reply
  5. Kaylu

    November 07, 2017 at 6:12 pm

    Any idea how long these will last, in the fridge or out? I'd love to take them on camping trips.

    Reply
    • Vicky & Ruth

      January 23, 2018 at 7:41 pm

      Unfortunately, we don't know. They never last long enough in our house. If we would have to guess 3-5 days.

      Reply
  6. Sue Sanman

    June 25, 2018 at 10:39 pm

    Is soaking th dates necessary if they aren’t dried?

    Reply
    • Vicky & Ruth

      June 26, 2018 at 6:22 am

      Hi Sue,
      Yes, we recommend soaking the dates and the raisins, so they can break down and blend better with the rest of the ingredients.

      Reply

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Welcome!

We are Vicky & Ruth, authors of the vegan cookbook Tahini and Turmeric. Born and raised in a multicultural Jewish-Lebanese-Spanish household our culinary journey began in Barcelona, Spain where we learned from our family the rich flavors of Lebanon, Turkey, Israel, Morocco, and Spain. From our mother's fragrant Lebanese dishes to our grandmother's secret Sephardic Turkish specialties, our Moroccan friend's fragrant recipes, our sister's vibrant Israeli creations, and our neighbor's authentic Spanish fare, each dish was a key that unlocked new exciting yumminess.

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