Who has a “right-before-bed” sweet tooth? ME! It’s so easy to turn to ice cream or cereal, but those don’t really pack any nutritional value. These no bake chocolate nut butter bars are easy to customize and only take about 5 minutes to prepare. They are a bit more nutrient dense than snacking on candy or ice cream and they keep in the fridge for a week!
Now before I dive into recipe, I want to hear from you in the comments! Do you get sweet cravings right before bed? What is your favorite sweet treat? I want to be able to make healthier versions of your favorites to satisfy your sweet tooth. It’s all about balance, after all!
First things first, you’ll need a food processor or blender to break up the oats. You could forego this step and mix in the whole oats, but the consistency will be more like a granola bar. If you are using the food processor method, pulse the oats a few times to break them up a bit, but not completely. Next, add the nut butter, two tbsp cocoa powder, and one tbsp of the maple syrup. Pulse again til everything is combined.
Those steps are the bulk of this recipe! Now comes the easy part. Transfer to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and press down until mixture is in an even, compact rectangle or square. Freeze for at least 30 minutes. Before removing from the freezer mix up the chocolate by melting coconut oil in the microwave, and adding the remaining cocoa powder and maple syrup.
Remove the bars from the freezer, slice into desired number of squares, and drizzle with chocolate. You can keep the bars in the refrigerator for up to a week!
I used peanut butter this time and it was a huge hit with my husband. He devoured them! Which says a lot, because he doesn’t always dig my healthier versions of treats. You could use any nut or seed butter you’d like, but you may need to adjust the sweetness if you’re using an already sweetened nut butter. Additionally, after processing the base of the bars, you could remove the blade and add in whatever you want! I think they would be amazing with chocolate chips, dried cranberries, or shredded coconut mixed in. I also like to sprinkle mine with just a touch of pink Himalayan sea salt at the end.
I hope you all enjoy this recipe! If you decide to make it, post a picture on Instagram using #sngeats, so that I can see what you added to your version and give it a like!
No Bake Chocolate Nut Butter Bars
Ingredients
- 2 cups oats
- 1 cup nut butter of choice
- 6 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
- 3 tbsp maple syrup (or honey if not vegan)
- 2 tbsp coconut oil
- sprinkle of sea salt to taste
Instructions
Pulse oats in a food processor or blender until they are broken down, but some oats remain whole.
Add nut butter, 2 tbsp of cocoa powder, and 1 tbsp of maple syrup (or honey), pulse again until combined. Transfer mixture to parchment paper on a baking sheet and press down into an even, compact square or rectangle, about 1/3" thick. Put in the freezer for at least 30 minutes.
Right before removing the bars from the freezer, melt 2 tbsp of coconut oil in the microwave in a small bowl. Mix in remaining 4 tbsp cocoa powder, and 2 tbsp of maple syrup. Remove bars from freezer and slice into 9-12 even pieces. Use a fork or spoon to drizzle bars with the chocolate. Sprinkle with just a touch of sea salt to taste. Bars will keep in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to a week. They will soften quickly at room temperature and chocolate will melt!
Notes
If you have leftover chocolate, pour on parchment paper and freeze to have raw chocolate in your freezer for a tasty sweet treat!
