No-Bake Chocolate Walnut Bars are an anti-inflammatory dessert you can make without turning on your oven. They have a rich chocolate filling you’ll love!
These bars have a sweet and salty flavor combination that’s hard to resist. They are naturally dairy-free, vegan, and gluten-free, making them the perfect dessert if you’re trying to use less butter and flour.
This healthy dessert can be stored in your fridge or freezer for weeks unless you eat it all before then!
Ingredients You’ll Need
The crumble calls for just four simple ingredients: walnuts, dates, coconut oil, and salt. This will double as your crust and the topping, which means less mixing for you!
Make sure the Medjool dates are soft and squishy. You’ll know they’re good ones if you can easily split them apart with your fingers.
You’ll need a little more coconut oil, cacao powder, and maple syrup for the chocolate filling. Add a little extra cocoa powder if you want a darker chocolate flavor.
Feel free to use another type of nut from your pantry, like pecans or almonds.
How to Make Chocolate Walnut Bars
Spray an 8-inch square pan with cooking spray and press a piece of parchment paper into the bottom. The oil will hold the parchment paper in place, so it won’t wiggle around as you work later.
In a 12-cup food processor fitted with an S-Blade, add the walnuts, pitted Medjool dates, melted coconut oil, and salt. Secure the lid and process until the mixture looks crumbly.
Process until you see no large chunks of dates in the mixture. Continue mixing until the crumble sticks together when pressed between your fingers.
Reserve 3/4 cup of the mixture for the topping. Then, pour the rest of the crumble into the prepared pan. Press the mixture firmly into the bottom, creating a flat crust.
Add melted coconut oil, maple syrup, and cacao powder in a medium bowl. Stir well until smooth, using a whisk if needed. Mixing this will be easier if all ingredients are room temperature and not cold from the fridge.
(My kitchen was cold when mixing, so you can see how the chocolate thickened up a bit.)
Spread the chocolate filling evenly over the crust in the pan.
Then sprinkle the reserved crumble over the top. Lightly press the crumble into the chocolate filling, then place the pan in the freezer.
Let the bars chill for at least 1 hour. They are ready to slice when they feel firm in the center. Slice the bars into 16 squares (or smaller). Then, they can be served chilled.
Detoxinista Tip
Coconut oil acts as the binder for these bars because it’s solid when chilled. If you leave these at room temperature for too long, they may become too soft to handle. Serve them straight from the freezer for the sturdiest results.
Looking for more healthy desserts? Try my Flourless Date Brownies, Banana Snack Cake, or Healthy Birthday Cake.
Crust and Crumble Topping
- 3 cups walnuts (not roasted or salted)
- 8 soft Medjool dates , pits removed
- 3 tablespoons coconut oil , melted
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
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In a 12-cup food processor fitted with an S-blade, combine the walnuts, pitted dates, coconut oil, and salt. Secure the lid and process until the dates have broken down and the mixture sticks together when pressed between your fingers. Reserve ¾ cup of this crumble mixture for the topping.
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Lightly spray an 8-inch square pan with oil then press a piece of parchment paper into the bottom. This will make the bars easier to remove later. Transfer the rest of the crumble mixture to the prepared pan and flatten it evenly to create a crust.
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In a medium bowl, prepare the chocolate filling. Add the cacao powder, maple syrup, and coconut oil, then use a whisk to stir well. The filling may thicken up if your kitchen is cold, but that’s okay! Transfer it to the pan and spread it evenly over the crust.
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Sprinkle the reserved crumble topping over the chocolate layer. Use your hands to press it into the chocolate gently, then place the pan in the freezer. Let the bars chill for 1 hour. Once they’re firm, use the parchment paper to remove the bars and slice them into 16 squares. Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 3 months.
This recipe is adapted from my Chocolate Pecan Bars in Everyday Detox.
Calories: 217kcal | Carbohydrates: 9g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 21g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 10g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Sodium: 74mg | Potassium: 143mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 5IU | Vitamin C: 0.3mg | Calcium: 32mg | Iron: 1mg
If you try these Walnut Chocolate Bars, please leave a comment and star rating below letting me know how you like them.