Ingredients
Scale
- 5 pitted medjool dates (about 100-120g), soaked in hot water for 10 minutes
- 1/2 cup (125g) almond butter
- 1/3 cup (113g) honey
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 cup (85g) old-fashioned whole rolled oats
- 1/2 cup (85g) uncooked quinoa
- 1/2 cup (70g) coarsely chopped almonds
- 1/2 cup (70g) pepitas (pumpkin seeds)
- 1/2 cup (70g) sweetened dried cranberries
- 1 tablespoon chia seeds (feel free to skip)
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 ounces (57g) semi-sweet or bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
- flaky sea salt, for topping
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 300°F (149°C) and line an 8-inch square baking pan with parchment paper, leaving overhang for easy removal.
- Drain the soaked dates and pulse them in a food processor until a chunky paste forms. Transfer to a large bowl and mix with almond butter, honey, and vanilla until well combined.
- In a medium bowl, combine oats, quinoa, almonds, pepitas, cranberries, chia seeds, and salt. Mix the dry ingredients with the wet ingredients until fully incorporated.
- Press the mixture firmly into the prepared baking pan, ensuring it's packed tightly.
- Bake for 20–22 minutes, or until the edges are lightly browned and the center feels set. Allow cooling completely for 1 hour in the pan and then chill in the refrigerator for 1 hour.
- Melt the chopped chocolate in a small microwave-safe bowl, stirring every 20 seconds until smooth.
- Lift the bars out of the pan using the overhang, transfer to a cutting board, and cut into bars. Drizzle with melted chocolate if desired and sprinkle with sea salt. Refrigerate for 30 minutes to set the chocolate.
- Store the bars covered at room temperature for 1 week or in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks, wrapping them individually if preferred.
Notes
Chia seeds can be omitted if not available without affecting texture.
For a nut-free version, substitute almond butter with sunflower seed butter.
These bars can be customized with your favorite nuts or dried fruits.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bar
- Calories: 202
- Sugar: 10g
- Sodium: 50mg
- Fat: 8g
- Saturated Fat: 1g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 30g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 4g
- Cholesterol: 0mg
Nutritional information is an estimate. The nutritional values for your final dish may vary based on measuring differences and products used.