These date bars are a delicious and easy homemade alternative to store-bought bars! Healthy date bars can cost a fortune at the store, but with just a few ingredients you can make your own and customize them how you'd like! These bars are a perfect snack, great for tucking into packed lunches, or for taking on hikes or picnics.
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After spending money on expensive healthy nut bars, I began to wonder if I could make them myself for cheaper. I was pleasantly surprised to learn that they are very easy to make at home and I loved how the ingredients can be customized so I can make whatever flavor bars I want!
Ingredients
- Roasted salted cashews
- Dried pitted dates
- Vanilla extract
- Chocolate chips
Instructions
Cut each dried date into 2 or 3 pieces and add them to a food processor bowl.
Process the dates until a paste forms. Add 1 tablespoon of water, scrape down the sides of the food processor bowl, and process again.
Add the cashews and vanilla extract and process until the cashews are finely chopped and well mixed into the dates.
The mixture will be loose, but don't worry as it will all get pressed together. You can also processor the mixture more to make the nuts finer, if desired.
Useful Tip: If you don't have a food processor, this can all be done using a knife and some elbow grease! Chop the dates until a paste forms and chop the nuts finely. mix all the ingredients together in a bowl and follow the rest of the recipe for pressing the mixture into a loaf pan.
Remove the food processor blade from the bowl and add the chocolate chips. Using a rubber spatula or wooden spoon to mix.
Transfer the date-nut mixture to a parchment-lined loaf pan.
Using the back of a spoon, press the mixture into the pan, spreading it into the corners and making sure that you are pressing hard enough to really compact the mixture.
Lay a sheet of plastic wrap on top of the mixture and refrigerate for at least one hour before cutting.
Serving Suggestions
Wrap up the bars individually in plastic wrap and they are the perfect food to take on the go! Tuck one or two into a packed lunch, take them on a picnic or hiking, or do like we do and bring them on flights or road trips for quick snacks!
How To Store the Bars
Store the bars in a food container or individually wrapped in plastic wrap in the refrigerator for up to a month.
Variations
Here are some ideas for customizing your own date bars:
- Use unsalted cashews or raw cashews.
- If cashews aren't your thing, substitute them with other nuts like walnuts, almonds, pecans, or a combination!
- Substitute a couple of tablespoons of nuts for pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds or shredded coconut.
- Instead of chocolate chips, substitute them with chopped dried fruit or dried cranberries.
- Fancy them up by melting chocolate and drizzling or spreading a layer on top of the bars.
More Bar and Date Recipes
Chocolate Chip Date Nut Bars - these are similar to the cashew chocolate chip date bars, but they use a mix of nuts and there's cocoa mixed in for a more chocolatey flavor!
Simple Nutty Granola Bars - these bars start with my recipe for Simple Nutty Granola and then we add in the dates and chocolate chips!
Sweet & Nutty Chocolate Coated Dates - these bite-sized treats bear an uncanny resemblance to Almond Rocha toffee candy, but these are way healthier and easier on the teeth!
Once you make these bars, you'll be amazed at how easy it is and will want to make them again and again! You can save money on buying bars from the store, you can customize them however you'd like them, and they're a lot healthier than many of the store-bought bars out there!
~ Lisa.
Recipe
Chocolate Chip Cashew Date Bars
Ingredients
- 1 cup salted roasted cashews
- 1 cup tightly packed pitted dates
- 3 tablespoons chocolate chips
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Instructions
- Cut each date into 2 or 3 pieces and put them in the food processor bowl.
- Process the dates until a paste forms. Add 1 tablespoon of water, scrape down the sides of the food processor bowl, and process again.
- Add the cashews and vanilla extract and process until the cashews are finely chopped and well mixed into the dates. The mixture will be loose, but don't worry as it will all get pressed together. You can also processor the mixture more to make the nuts finer, if desired.
- Remove the food processor blade from the bowl and add the chocolate chips. Using a rubber spatula or wooden spoon to mix.
- Transfer the date-nut mixture to a parchment-lined loaf pan.
- Using the back of a spoon, press the mixture into the pan, spreading it into the corners and making sure that you are pressing hard enough to really compact the mixture.
- Lay a sheet of plastic wrap on top of the mixture and refrigerate for at least one hour before cutting.
Notes
- If you don't have a food processor, this can all be done using a knife and some elbow grease! Chop the dates until a paste forms and chop the nuts finely. mix all the ingredients together in a bowl and follow the rest of the recipe for pressing the mixture into a loaf pan.
- If dates seem dry and hard, soak for 10-20 minutes in warm water, until they are softer. Squeeze out extra liquid from dates.
- Try different nuts in your bars, like almonds, walnuts, pecans...or do a combination as long as the total amount equals 1 cup of nuts.
- Substitute dried fruit for the chocolate chips.
- Substitute some of the nuts for pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, or shredded coconut.
- Fancy them up by melting chocolate and drizzling or spreading a layer on top of the bars.
- Store them in a food container or individually wrapped in plastic wrap in the refrigerator for up to a month.
Thanks for stopping by! If you make this dish or any of my other recipes, I would love it if you could take the time to comment and rate it below. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did!
**This recipe was originally published March 26th, 2017 and republished August 12th, 2024 with an updated recipe, new photos, and new writing.
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