Looking for an easy, no-bake “granola” bar for your family that’s Paleo and Gluten-Free? Look no further than these delicious, healthy Chocolate Peanut Butter Snack Bars – your kids will gobble them up!
Why is it that all kids come home from school absolutely ravenous? It’s as though the teacher’s take their lunch boxes ransom, and don’t let them eat the entire day. While we know that isn’t true, it often feels like it when they come home and head straight for the snack cupboard!
And because they almost always want some sort of carbo-loaded treat, we decided to create a healthier, homemade alternative that can not only re-fuel them, but satisfy their sweet cravings too.
Enter our insanely delicious, healthy Double-Chocolate Peanut Butter Snack Bars. They’re naturally sweetened with dates, honey and maple syrup and full of protein, healthy fats and antioxidants.
We suggest making a double batch and keeping them in the fridge for your kids to grab when the “I’m hungry”s hit. You’ll feel good about providing them with a healthy snack, and they’ll feel like they’re getting a treat – total win-win!
This recipe uses cacao powder and cacao chips, not cocoa. What’s the difference? Cacao is chocolate in its raw state – unprocessed and additive free. As a result, it contains an abundance of antioxidants, magnesium, fiber, iron, calcium and essential fatty acids. Once the cacao beans are roasted and processed they become cocoa – losing much of their nutritional benefits and often have extra sweeteners added. So if you can, use cacao – you’ll feel better about giving your kids chocolate, and I promise you, your kids will not taste the difference!
Our favorites we use are readily available on our affiliate Amazon:
PIN for when you want to make a healthy homemade “granola” bar for your family:
Healthy, No-Bake Double Chocolate Peanut Butter Snack Bars
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup unsweetened unsalted, crunchy peanut butter
- 1/8 cup raw honey
- 1/8 cup pure maple syrup
- 2 tbsp coconut oil
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 2 tbsp cacao powder
- 2 pinches salt
- 8 medjool dates pitted
- 1/2 cup raw almonds
- 1/2 cup raw pecans toasted
- 1/2 cup raw cashews
- 1/3 cup raw walnuts toasted
- 1/3 cup raw sunflower seeds pepitas
- 1/3 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
OPTIONAL
- 1/3 cup cacao dark chocolate chips
- 1/4 cup chopped nuts of your choice
Instructions
- Combine peanut butter, honey, maple syrup, coconut oil, vanilla, cacao powder and salt in medium saucepan and stir over medium-low heat until combined and smooth. Remove from heat.
- In a food processor, add dates, nuts and shredded coconut and pulse until mixture resembles tiny pebbles.
- Add date/nut mixture into saucepan with the wet ingredients and stir until fully coated.
- Line a 9×13 or 8×8 pan with parchment paper and spread bar mixture evenly over the pan with the back of a spatula (or your hands!)
- To increase the yumminess – add chocolate chips and/or chopped nuts on top, place a piece of parchment paper over them and gently press the toppings into the mixture
- Place pan into the freezer for an hour.
- Remove parchment paper from pan and cut mixture into bars.
Notes
5
5