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Healthy Date Candy Bars (Vegan + Paleo) Recipe

Healthy Date Candy Bars (Vegan + Paleo) Recipe
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★★★★★

5.3 from 7 reviews

These Healthy Date Candy Bars are a delicious vegan and paleo-friendly treat made with soft medjool dates, creamy peanut butter, crunchy pretzels, and coated in rich dark chocolate. Perfect as a guilt-free snack or dessert, they combine natural sweetness with satisfying textures in a wholesome, easy-to-make candy bar.

Ingredients

Scale

Filling

  • 8 large soft medjool dates
  • 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter (all natural preferred)
  • 2 Tablespoons pure maple syrup (optional for extra sweetness)
  • 1/4 cup crushed pretzels (gluten-free and paleo if needed)

Assembly

  • 20 whole pretzels (gluten-free and paleo if needed)

Chocolate Coating

  • 1 cup dark chocolate chips (vegan and paleo if needed)
  • 1 1/2 Tablespoons coconut oil

Instructions

  1. Soften Dates: If your dates aren’t really soft, soak them in water for 10 minutes. Drain off the water completely before proceeding to ensure the filling isn’t watery.
  2. Make the Filling: Add the softened dates, creamy peanut butter, and maple syrup to a food processor. Blend until a smooth, gooey filling forms. Then fold in the crushed pretzels gently using a spoon or pulse processor briefly to maintain small pretzel chunks for texture.
  3. Form Bars: Lay out the whole pretzels on a tray. Place about 1 tablespoon of the date and peanut butter filling on each pretzel. Using a spoon or your hands, carefully smooth the filling over each pretzel to shape small, bar-like treats.
  4. Chill Bars: Place the filled pretzels in the freezer for 10-15 minutes to firm up while preparing the chocolate coating.
  5. Melt Chocolate: Combine dark chocolate chips and coconut oil in a heatproof bowl. Melt using a double boiler or microwave in short bursts, stirring frequently until smooth and fully melted.
  6. Coat Bars: Line a tray with parchment paper (unbleached preferred). Dunk each frozen bar into the melted chocolate to fully coat it. Transfer to the parchment-lined tray with the pretzel side down. Optionally, drizzle extra chocolate on top in a zig-zag pattern for decoration.
  7. Harden Chocolate: Place the coated bars back in the freezer for about 1 hour to allow the chocolate to solidify completely.
  8. Enjoy: Once the chocolate is firm, the candy bars are ready to serve. Store any leftovers in the refrigerator or freezer to maintain freshness.

Notes

  • For softer dates, soaking is essential to achieve the right filling consistency.
  • Use gluten-free and paleo-certified pretzels if dietary restrictions apply.
  • Maple syrup is optional and can be adjusted to your preferred sweetness level.
  • Double boiler method helps prevent chocolate from burning during melting.
  • Store bars in freezer or refrigerator; best consumed within one week for optimal freshness.
  • If you prefer nut-free, substitute peanut butter with sunflower seed butter or another nut-free alternative.

Nutrition

Keywords: healthy date candy bars, vegan candy bars, paleo snack, no-bake dessert, gluten-free candy, dark chocolate bars, homemade snack bars

Find it online: https://nayabaker.com/healthy-date-candy-bars-vegan-paleo-recipe/