Chocolate Cashew Cream Oat Cookies (no-bake, vegan, gluten-free, refined-sugar-free)

Easy homemade chocolate protein bars that will boost your energy sky high, and make a good start on your daily nutritional requirements.

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Chocolate Cashew Cream Oat Cookies (no-bake, vegan, gluten-free, refined-sugar-free)

Doesn’t the day have a different feel when cookies are involved?

And these are not your average cookies. In fact, they are sort of similar to the candy bar, KitKat. Although, much healthier.

In fact, they are also the perfect both pre- and post-workout snack energizer.

I have made a few easy workout snacks using both black and white beans, here and here, but this time I decided to create a healthy snack that incorporates oats.

How Healthy Are Rolled Oats?

Let me tell you about the beauty of oats.

This grain, and I use a gluten-free brand, is a huge source of vitamins, minerals, fiber and antioxidants that support weight control, lower blood sugar levels, reduced risk of heart disease and even boost the immune system.

And oats are actually higher in protein and healthy fats, and lower in carbohydrates, and contain more fiber than most other whole grains.

Why Chocolate Adds Nutrition to this Recipe

And combining them with chocolate is genius, because dark chocolate is rich in fiber, iron, magnesium, which boosts cognitive function.

Chocolate – and we are always talking about cacao levels 70% and higher, and of course no added processed ingredients – even protects against disease, especially heart disease and high blood pressure. And can even boost protection from the sun!

Whether your workout consists of pedaling or running hard, studying for over-demanding professors or chasing a toddler or even puppy around the house, you can benefit from these cookies-turned-pro-workout-snack!

And the cashew cream is also a nutrition booster, full of fiber, and essential minerals such as calcium, iron, phosphorus, sodium, potassium, magnesium, and zinc – all minerals necessary for a good post-workout recovery.

If you like making protein bars or cookies, you might also like this recipe for quinoa chocolate cherry bars.

This particular recipe also provides you with a basic protein bar recipe that you can customize to make your own protein bars, and spells out the incredible nutritional power of quinoa!

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5 from 4 votes

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Chocolate Cashew Cream Oat Cookies (no-bake, vegan, gluten-free, refined-sugar-free)

Easy homemade chocolate protein bars that will boost your energy sky high, and make a good start on your daily nutritional requirements.

Course Snack

Cuisine American

Keyword glutenfree, protein bars, rolled oats

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 18 minutes

Total Time 28 minutes

Servings 8

Author Dee Dine

Ingredients

Make Chocolate Cashew Cream (about 1 cup)

• 1 cup raw cashews (soaked at least 1 hour in just-boiled water or overnight for a creamier mixture; rinse and drain the cashews after soaking and before blending)
• 2 tbsp maple syrup
• 2 tbsp cacao powder
• 1 tsp vanilla
• pinch of himalayan salt Why himalayan salt? Because it helps replenish all 84 elements found in your body, slowing aging, increasing hydration, improves circulation, expels toxins, absorb nutrients

Oats Mixture

• 2 cups gluten-free rolled oats (Or use popped quinoa or even gluten-free steel cut oats for a crunchier texture)
• 1/2 cup chocolate cashew cream (recipe above)

Chocolate Top

• 1 cup dark chocolate chips

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Prep:

1. Make the chocolate cashew cream ahead of time for this recipe.
   

   To make chocolate cashew cream, blend up ingredients until smooth, keep refrigerated until ready to make the cookies. You will only need half a cup for this recipe; keep the remaining half for smoothies and other recipes.
   

2. When you are ready to make the cookies, line an 8x4 inch loaf pan with parchment paper.
   

Make the cookies

1. Make the crust first: Put ONLY 1/2 cup of the chocolate cashew cream mixture you just made into a large mixing bowl.

   Then add the oats like this: First put in 1 cup and stir up the oats and cashew cream. Then add another 1/2 cup of oats and stir up the oats and cashew cream. Then decide if you have the texture you want before adding the last 1/2 cup of oats.

   Originally I blended the oats and cashew cream and that created a creamy texture. I prefer it chunky like the picture, but if you want a dense creamy bar, by all means blend away.

2. Pour the oat mixture into a parchment-lined pan. Freeze 15 minutes to set.

Make chocolate topping

1. Melt 1 cup dark chocolate chips in a pyrex measuring cup in the microwave at 60 seconds. Remove from the microwave, and stir the hot chocolate until all lumps are melted. Then pour it onto frozen oat mixture. Cut into squares.

2. Like any treat, store refrigerated in an airtight container.. But also feel free to wrap 2-4 bars up in a pretty package and give them as a gift - they do not need constant refrigeration to remain sturdy; just refrigerate if you want to keep them fresh long term. We eat them too fast to know how long they keep, haha.