Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Date Crunch Bars (Printable Version)
Decadent no-bake layers of dates, peanut butter, and crispy rice topped with dark chocolate and sea salt.
# What You'll Need:
→ Base
01 - 1 cup Medjool dates, pitted
02 - 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
03 - 1 1/2 cups crispy rice cereal
04 - 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
05 - Pinch of salt
→ Chocolate Topping
06 - 7 oz dark chocolate (70% cocoa), chopped
07 - 2 tablespoons coconut oil
→ Garnish
08 - 2 tablespoons roasted peanuts, chopped
09 - Flaky sea salt
# How To Make:
01 - Line an 8-inch square baking pan with parchment paper, leaving a slight overhang for easy removal.
02 - In a food processor, blend the dates until they form a sticky paste.
03 - Add peanut butter, vanilla extract, and salt. Blend until smooth and well combined.
04 - Transfer the mixture to a large bowl. Add crispy rice cereal and mix gently with a spatula until fully incorporated.
05 - Press the mixture evenly into the prepared pan, using another piece of parchment or the back of a spoon to smooth the surface.
06 - Melt dark chocolate and coconut oil together in a heatproof bowl over a pot of simmering water (double boiler) or in the microwave in 20-second bursts, stirring until smooth.
07 - Pour the melted chocolate over the base, spreading evenly.
08 - Sprinkle with chopped peanuts and flaky sea salt, if desired.
09 - Refrigerate for at least 1 hour or until the chocolate is set.
10 - Lift out of the pan and cut into 16 bars. Store in an airtight container in the fridge.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The dates create this incredible caramel-like sweetness without any refined sugar hitting you all at once
- You get that perfect snap of chocolate against chewy, nutty base that keeps you reaching for just one more
02 -
- Let the chocolate cool slightly before pouring, otherwise it slides right off the peanut butter base and pools around the edges
- Room temperature dates blend much more easily than cold ones, so let them sit out for twenty minutes if they have been in the fridge
03 -
- Warm your knife under hot water and wipe it dry between cuts for those perfectly clean edges that look bakery worthy
- Sprinkle the sea salt immediately after pouring the chocolate because it needs to stick while the surface is still wet and tacky