No Bake Date Bars
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I make these no-bake date bars almost every week for my kid, who loves them. They take about 5 minutes to put together in a food processor, then they go into the freezer to firm up before slicing.
I use both dates and dried apricots in these bars. The dates are sweet, while the apricots add a little tartness and make the bars chewier. I also add almonds, pumpkin seeds, cocoa and coconut oil.
They are naturally gluten-free and suitable for vegans. The mixture might look crumbly when you finish processing it, but once you press it firmly into the pan, it comes together.
If you have more dates to use, chocolate covered dates are one of my favorites and they are also especially good straight from the freezer. For a baked option, peanut butter banana brownies also use dates and cocoa.
For more quick snack ideas, have a look at no bake energy bars, fruity no bake energy bars or no bake energy bites.
Tools/equipment needed
- Food processor
- 8×8-inch (20×20-cm) square pan
- Parchment paper
- Spoon or measuring cup for pressing the mixture
How to make these no-bake date bars
I like making these date bars in stages.
First, process the dates and dried apricots until they are finely shredded. This takes about a minute in my food processor, but you might need a little more or less time depending on how powerful yours is.
Don’t process them for too long or they can turn into a very soft paste. If that happens, they are still fine to eat, but that’s not the texture we want here.
Next, add the almonds and pumpkin seeds and pulse until they are broken into small pieces, but not ground into powder.
Add the melted coconut oil and unsweetened cocoa powder and process until everything is well combined. The cocoa gives the bars a chocolate flavor that I really like.
The mixture will still look quite crumbly at this point, but that is normal.
Transfer it to an 8×8-inch (20×20-cm) pan lined with parchment paper. Press it down firmly with the back of a spoon or measuring cup and smooth the surface.
Place the pan in the freezer for 15 to 30 minutes, or until the mixture is firm enough to slice. You can also leave it there overnight.
Cut into 10–12 bars, depending on how large you want them.
How to store the bars
Keep the bars in an airtight container in the fridge or freezer. I highly recommend the freezer. You can eat them straight from the freezer, and I think they taste even better chilled.
Useful tips
Dates: I normally use Deglet Noor dates because they are more affordable than Medjool dates and work well in this recipe. I don’t usually soak them first. If yours are unusually hard, you can soften them in warm water before using. If you’re not sure which dates to buy or how to store them, this guide is helpful.
Dried fruit can vary: Some dates and dried apricots have more moisture than others. If your mixture turns out stickier than mine, that can be the reason. Keeping the bars in the freezer helps firm them up.
Coconut oil: I always use coconut oil because I find it helps the mixture bind and keeps the bars from becoming too dry or crumbly. I haven’t tested a direct substitute. If you want to leave it out, you could try adding a few more dates so the mixture still holds together. The bars will probably be softer, so you may find it easier to roll the mixture into balls instead.
Substitutions and add-ons: You can use sunflower seeds instead of pumpkin seeds. You can also add 1–2 tablespoons of chia seeds if you like.
Gluten-free: There is no flour or oats in this recipe. If you need the bars to be strictly gluten-free, check the labels of the ingredients you use.
No Bake Date Bars
Ingredients
- 1½ cups dried dates
- ½ cup dried apricots
- ½ cup almonds skinless
- ¼ cup pumpkin seeds or sunflower seeds
- 3 tablespoons coconut oil
- 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
Instructions
- In a food processor, process the dates and dried apricots until finely shredded, about 1 minute.
- Add the almonds and pumpkin seeds and pulse until they are broken into small pieces, but not ground into powder.
- Add the melted coconut oil and cocoa powder and process until well combined. The mixture should look like coarse crumbs.
- Transfer the mixture to an 8×8-inch (20×20-cm) pan lined with parchment paper. Press it down firmly with the back of a spoon or measuring cup and smooth the surface.
- Place in the freezer for 15 to 30 minutes, or until firm enough to slice. You can also leave it there overnight.
- Cut into 10–12 bars, depending on how large you want them.
Notes
- Dates: I don’t normally soak the dates before making these bars. If yours are unusually hard, soak them in warm water for 15 minutes or longer to soften them.
- Coconut oil: I find that coconut oil helps the mixture bind and keeps the bars from becoming too dry or crumbly.
- Storage: Store the bars in an airtight container in the fridge or freezer. I prefer keeping them in the freezer and think they taste even better chilled.
- Servings: I usually cut this batch into 10–12 bars, depending on how large I want them. The nutrition information is calculated for 12 bars.
- Variations: Sunflower seeds can be used instead of pumpkin seeds. You can also add 1–2 tablespoons of chia seeds.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator and may vary based on ingredient brands, substitutions, and portion sizes.
Fabulous. So very quick and easy. Full of nutritious goodies. I got eight bars.
This was very very good. but wish I new about soaking the dates in warm water first. I know you put it on the second page but i did not see it. would be better to put it in parenthesis in main recipe. Ido have a question tho. what is the purpose of coconut oil in a no bake recipe.
Hi Susan. I am sorry it prints out 2 pages. If everything was in the main recipe, it would be very long and some people find it confusing. However, I make these bars on regular basis (almost every week for my kid who loves them) and don’t presoak them at all. The chances are that you get 2 or 3 dates hard out of the batch and it should not be any problem at all. Did you find this a problem? The coconut oil helps the mixture bind better. That is at least what I noticed. If I don’t put it in, sometimes with the other ingredients, the bars might taste dry or crumble. But, you can try without the coconut oil. If you like them without, then you can omit it. Hope this helps.
I put stem ginger in for a spicy hit and sometimes combine shredded coconut and banana chips. For a real chocolaty hit try raw cacao drops.
Sounds delicious, Tony!
Really lovely recipe, ideal for my husband who is a fell runner. I usually double the quantities, & sub 2 tbsp organic peanut butter for coconut oil. Delicious!
Thanks so much for your feedback, Jess!
My bars are way too sticky! Will they dry out a little so they don’t stick to everything (including my hands) ???
Hi Loretta. This may be due to the different quality of dates as well as apricots. Some are juicier than others. You can add more seeds (or nuts, if you like). However, in general they are on the juicier side so they mights be stickier than any store-bought ones. I recommend keeping them in the freezer. They will be harder and perhaps less stickier. Hope this helps.
This recipe is a great jumping off point for all kinds of great combinations! I add a few tablespoons of flax seed and chia seeds to mine, as well as a combo of dates, blueberries, cherries, and cranberries! Thanks for the recipe!
You are welcome, Whitney. Thank you so much for your feedback!
Just done with my morning workout, and these are just something what I need now. Yummy, and healthful!
These look great!! Is there something I could substitute the coconut oil for?
Hi Scott. I always use coconut oil so not sure. Perhaps you could try adding a few more dates instead, so the bars hold well together.They will probably be quite soft and might not hold their shape that well. But you could also just roll them into balls.Please do let us know if you give it a go!
I use honey!
You can use melted butter instead of coconut oil.
Try a delicate/mild organic olive oil.