Gluten Free Chocolate Energy Bars

photo by recipe author

Servings: 1 9×9 pan
Preparation Time: 1 hour 5 minutes (soaking time included)

3/4 cup walnuts
3/4 cup cashews
3/4 cup almonds
1/2 cup shredded coconut
1/3 cup high-quality, organic cocoa powder
1 tablespoon organic ground coffee (optional)
16 medjool dates (pitted)
2 tablespoons coconut oil
1 tablespoon vanilla
1 tablespoon maple syrup, rice syrup, honey
1-2 tablespoons water
coconut oil for pan

Soak the nuts and dates in warm water for about an hour. Remove the pits from the dates.

In a food processor, blend the nuts, coconut, cocoa, and coffee together. Add the pitted dates, coconut oil, vanilla, sweetener, and water and pulse until combined. The dough will be sticky.

Grease a 9×9 glass dish with coconut oil and then dump the mixture in there. Using a spatula (or your fingers), press the dough into the dish until it is packed firmly. Chill in the fridge or freezer for a couple hours before cutting.

Recipe submitted by Jessica, Denver, CO

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Published on December 5, 2011

(3 votes, average: 4.00 out of 5)

6 Comments

Gail January 6, 2012 at 11:27 am - Reply

This is a lovely recipe. YUMMY!!

Using what we had on hand:

(I do not use coffee, so omitted that.)

We used 2 1/4 cups of various nuts and sunflower seeds, soaked for a few hours, then TINY sprouted overnight. (Walnuts. pecans and other nuts won’t “sprout”, yet are better for you if pre-soaked. Almonds from America are “pasteurized” and don’t sprout.)

My version was more moist, and it didn’t firm up, so we just ate it with a spoon or fork. Which is the way we like to eat it.
we used Stevia drops to sweeten. It is fine without vanilla. 

BLESSINGS!

christie December 8, 2011 at 9:30 am - Reply

If you leave out the coffee, would 1TBSP be the right amount of water?  I have not tried these yet.  Thank You

Carol December 6, 2011 at 9:16 pm - Reply
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Are these raw nuts or roasted?
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Dawn December 6, 2011 at 8:42 am - Reply

I made these – taste good but must have used too much water (2 TBLSP), they never got firm enough to hold as a bar, but can still eat them with a fork!

demi December 6, 2011 at 7:44 am - Reply

hi….want to know about cocoa powder..can i replace it with cocoa paste and how much should i use for the cocoa podwer in receipes?i use it to make chocolate coconut milk or breakfast but dont know how much is ok in sweets.

Nancy December 5, 2011 at 12:16 pm - Reply
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Is there a substitute for dates?
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Gluten Free Chocolate Energy Bars