These look like fudge brownies, and so it does take a
millisecond for the brain to process that they’re not going to taste like fudge
brownies. Having said that, they really are delicious, and satisfying in a
non-decadent, but still chocolaty way.
Try your hardest to find Medjool dates, but if you can’t,
any dried date should work, as long as it’s soft and sticky enough. If the ones
you’re using seem too hard and dry, simply soak them in water until they soften
up a bit.
Beyond the advantages I’ve described already, you also have
the freedom to use any combination of nuts, seeds, and dried fruits you’d like.
There’s about a million ways you can go, and I expect to hear about any particularly
brilliant combinations. I hope you give these a try soon. Enjoy!
Makes about 12 Chocolate Energy Bars:
2 cups chopped, pitted Medjool dates
2 cups raw cashews
1 cup raw or roasted unsalted almonds
3/4 cup high-quality unsweetened cocoa powder (I used
Guittard Cocoa Rouge)
2 tablespoons coconut oil
1/2 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 to 2 tablespoon cold espresso coffee or water,
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt (or 1/4 teaspoon fine salt)
very small pinch cayenne
49 comments:
Maybe a small amount of Chia seeds a now popular health ingredient.
With only 6,872 calories per bite, what could possibly wrong with these? Seriously, I'll be making these tomorrow, even though my only source for Medjool dates is a grocery store with a parking lot full of pick-ups.
Can't wait to try these.
Where's the instructions? I'd like to print it out to have with me when I go to make it. Thanks.
I've been making these for a few years and can certify their divine goodness. If you have nut allergies, sunflower and/or other seeds are a serviceable replacement. You can also play around with grain additives like bran, rolled oats and the like. I often add other dried fruits as well--Turkish apricots and flaked coconut make a good variation. Refrigerator storage preserves them longer, but they usually don't last long enough to go bad. They're a great alternative to high-priced grain free options like Lara Bars. Rolling the mix into balls also makes for a fun snack for kids, for some weird reason.
Hi Chef,
Could you do a recipe of a protein bar as well?
So if anyone is wondering, the calories per bar come down to
330 per bar.
22g of Fat
8.3g of Protein
29.85g of Carbs
Many of the carbs are from Fibre, making it a quite nutritious and relatively healthy bar as all ingredients (minus coconut oil) are very nutritious and healthy themselves.
Are there any alternatives to coconut oil for us allergic folk? :)
the only person you would be hurting is yourself - by toasting the cashews you are losing some of the potential, some of the nutrients compared to using them raw ... arguably in this scenario for only a very modest gain in flavor.
Hey Chef,
great recipe! Could you please write down, how long will they last in fridge/freezer? Thanks a lot.
Sweet! Can the same sort of process be done to make granola bars?
Aw yeah! I was always wondering how to make these so sticky without drenching them in some sort of oil. I wonder who wishes this...
Hi Chef,
What's the purpose of the coconut? Can we leave it out or use a substitute? Thanks.
Hello Chef John,
What's the shelf life once they are stored in the fridge...?
:)
Hi, I would like to make this bars, but currently I don't own a food processor and I don't think I can get one any time soon. Will it work if I just use my blender? Or any other tips to do it without the processor could be helpful :)
Mine are in the fridge now. Very delicious! (What? You expected me to wait until they were ready? It's chocolate, there will be no waiting.)
I added cocoa nibs, because I had them, and they are chocolate. My almonds were not roasted, I'm lazy and when there is chocolate in my near future roasting almonds is not a priority.
Didn't use water or coffee, just added a few more dates. Why anyone would put coffee in chocolate I will never understand, but to each their own I guess.
Love this recipe - Always enjoyed the versatile recipes that beg you to get creative. Going to try Peanut Butter or even Wasabi in a few of these attempts!
Hey John, loving those energy bars!!! Quick question: How long will they keep out of the fridge when wrapped in parchment paper or saran wrap? I'm doing a six-day hike very soon and would love to take some bars with me ;o)
Clavi,
You could crush up the nuts by putting them in a plastic bag/mortar (Mortar may crush them too finely though) and hit them with a meat hammer/pedestal. You can mix the ingredients in a mixing bowl by hand or using a stand/hand mixer. It may take a little longer to come together and you would want to scrap down the sides a few times to ensure it gets thoroughly combined. Best of luck!
Chef John,
Is there anything you could use to coat the bars with to make them less sticky when held? Maybe finely processed oats or something? I'm not sure if that would stay stuck on.
Regards,
Andrew Ghazi
A tip for people who have small food processor like me: process the nuts first to your desired texture, and after that, mix it with all the ingredients in a bowl. You can now blend your energy bars in portions, and finish like you would normally do.
To one of the posters above, maybe you can try coating the bars in more crushed nuts? Almost powder-fine, at that. It'll give them some crunch too.
I'd like to know what we can substitute for coconut oil as well. If the fat's not absolutely necessary, can I use (grape) molasses? And I think I'll use hazelnuts in place of cashews, I don't really like those. Goes well with the chocolate theme.
I just made these. I didn't have anymore coconut oil :( but I used peanut butter instead and it seems to work juuust fine. They are pretty good.
...so do you own two fridges or did you recently do some deep cleaning? I never have THAT much room in my fridge.
Any Canadians here hip to a place Guittard Cocoa Rouge could be ordered for a decent price?
Hey Chef John, what size food processor do you have? And do you mind sharing the brand? I am looking to purchase and want something reliable for long-term use
Hmmm....I love chocolate, but I can't stand cashews, dates, coffee, or coconut. So where does that leave me?
Yeah, I know. Throw some sugar in the cocoa can and eat it with a spoon. *sigh*
Still and all, I might try this without the above mentioned items and see what happens.
You are the czar of your bar
chef john i love you .. what you do is awesome. the recipes and happy narrations and all that for free. You have the perfect homemade recipes and i know that even the best cooks among us would pay for your recipes. I am studying medicals so i dont have time to cook all the recipes plus in India i dont find most of ingredients like Strawberry, heavy cream, brown sugar etc. Still when i get married i really want to cook the recipes for my kids and in laws to impress them.i even told my friends about your videos and they love it. Is there any other way i could promote you?
LOve from India
Hi Chef John,
I have Hershey's Special Dark Cocoa Powder already, which is a blend of natural and Dutch process. Do you think it'll be OK?
Thanks.
i'm allergic to coconut..do you have any options? please & ty
I've made these several times, in different versions, with regular dates. I added some dried figs for texture, and it came out perfect, every time. These things are way better than the ones you buy.
If you really want a blast, use Special Dark Cocoa. These will make you glow in the dark......
You can leave the coconut out, if you want.
What can you substitute dates with?
Maybe figs, raisins, or currants?
I bet prunes would work if not enough dates on hand.
I used chia seed and peanuts because not a huge cashew fan and they were awesome. Tasted like a power bar got into a collision with a Reese's peanut butter cup.
Toasting the nuts sure makes a big flavor difference. Next time I'll toast the coconut also.
I made these but I put a protein powder in it as well...
Would anyone know the calorie intake per bar?
And for a non-chocolatey variation, leave out the cocoa and coffee and add the juice and zest of two limes. So yummy!
I made these bars with what I had in the house - pistachios, almonds, walnuts and a scoop of protein powder. Originally, I made them for my husband and kids because I've type 2 diabetes and have to be very careful about what I eat. I tested my bsl then tried a small 1"×1" piece of energy bar,tested again and my bsl only went up 3 points (didn't even go over 100!). This is my new "sweet" treat. It tastes delicious and satisfies my craving for something chocolatey. Thank you so much Chef John!
Chef this is great idea! Kinda reminds me of pemican. I love dates but I am on keto, so I would use blueberries, cranberries or cherries, and swap coconut oil with suet or butter (this is just a personal preference). Just a thought for low sugar option. :)
I just made a double batch of these. I am allergic to raw almond so I used 1/2c chia seed and 1/2c quinoa seed that I toasted first. Came out great. Lots of energy plus great fun for hours picking seeds out of your teeth! perfect to keep you entertained on a long hike.
Dear Chef,
First of all thanks for all your recipes. They are absolutely fantastic. The best of all, they really work. I have cooked many of your dishes for the first time and following the instructions they have been with no exception delicious.
I was wondering if you could please make a energy bar for cycling purposes. I have tried many many recipes but there is always a detail. Sometimes they are too hard that it is almost impossible to bite and some times they are too soft. The latter is a big issue in cycling energy bars because you put them in the back of your t-shirt so after 1 hour of cycling they are all melted. Any tip or a quick recipe would be highly appreciate.
All the best and thanks for all.
Thanks for sharing the method of backing chocolate energy bars in home.
I make something similar all the time. If you have nut allergies then substitute raw sunflower seeds and pumpkin seeds. The pumpkin seeds are very good for those of you who have problems with the prostate. For those worrying about the fat in the coconut oil...don't, it is very good for you. About the only other oil that is that good for you is avocado oil. You could use that in these as a substitute. Remember both the coconut and avocado oils are from fruits, not vegetables. Just my take on this great recipe. ;-)
To change your taste and try out different flavors, They will recommend you to try out our stunning range of Organic Meat Bars that are of top-notch quality. And they try their level best to make available these organic meat bars at the lowest possible prices.
merci chef vos recettes m'intéresse je suis algérienne je vous salue j'ai essayé la nougat
I will try this for sure! With hazelnuts instead of almonds :) I love your recipes!
It should be said that you need a 12 capacity food processor to make a full recipe. My 8 cup was too small
I just made these, I found I needed about 3 tbs of coffee. I toasted the almonds and then forgot about them. Noticed that after the bars were chilled so I ground them up and pressed them on the outside. Worked good and very tasty.
Thanks
Bill
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