No bake cashew bars are the perfect blend of rich chocolate and chewy, buttery textures. Made with cashew cream, these treats are incredibly easy, protein-rich, and a hassle-free, nutritious breakfast treat.
These no bake cashew bars offer a tasty blend of rich chocolate flavor and essential nutrients like protein, fiber, and more to enhance energy levels and metabolism. Like my edible chocolate chip cookie dough made with white beans, and my no bake cookie dough bites, these bars are no bake and made in minutes.
Why You'll Love This Recipe
Like a candy bar. These cashew bars have a chewy texture like rice krispies with a chocolate top, only the texture is from nutritious oatmeal. Instead of marshmallows, the binder is cashew cream, far more nutritious than marshmallows but no less delicious.
Surprising nutrition. No bake bars often use butter as a binder, but this recipe uses cashews instead. While butter is made up of saturated fat, cashews are more nutritious and heart healthy with unsaturated fat. Oats provide exception fiber, also lower cholesterol and provide heart-healthy support.
No bake & easy to make. Once you've soaked the cashews (20 minutes), you can whip these bars up fast. Press the batter into a loaf pan, top with chocolate and slice. Bars are ready in 20 minutes.
Ingredients
Cashews. Choose raw or roasted, and unsalted so you can control the salt. Soak them for 20 minutes in just-boiled water. Rinse, and blend along with maple syrup, vanilla and salt. This makes a cashew cream. If you are interested, I also have a whipped cashew cream recipe that can be used as a frosting or whipped cream.
Cocoa. Use the best quality you can to influence the chocolate flavor.
Rolled oats. Use rolled oats, and rinse once in a strainer to remove the dusty coating which can taste bitter.
Step by Step Instructions
- Make cashew cream. Soak cashews in just-boiled water for about 20 minutes. Drain, rinse and add cashews to a blender. Add maple syrup, vanilla, salt and water and blend up a creamy cashew cream.
- Mix up bars. In a bowl, mix the cashew cream, cocoa and rinsed rolled oats.
- Add to a loaf pan. Press the mixture into a parchment-lined loaf pan.
- Add chocolate top. Melt chocolate chips and pour on top.
- Allow to set & slice. Let the chocolate top set at room temperature, or faster in the refrigerator or even freezer. Slice in eight slices.
How to Store
Store these bars refrigerated in an airtight container for a week. Freeze for three months.
Substitutions
Instead of cashew cream. Replace the cashews and maple syrup with ⅔ cup nut butter and ⅓ cup melted butter.
Instead of maple syrup. I used maple syrup for ease, but it does contribute a maple flavor so to avoid that blend 2 pitted Medjool dates into the soaking cashews, then blend with other ingredients to make cashew cream and remove maple syrup from those ingredients.
Divide rolled oats. Swap a portion of the rolled oats for uncooked popped quinoa or even gluten-free steel cut oats or rinsed buckwheat groats for a crunchier texture.
Himalayan salt. If you can find Himalayan salt, it's worth using because it helps replenish all 84 elements found in your body, slowing aging, increasing hydration, improves circulation, expels toxins, absorb nutrients.
FAQS
Can these bars be made smaller in size?
Sure, just cut the 8 slabs in half, so you have 16 squares.
Can this mixture be baked?
I haven't tried. There are no rising ingredients though, so you'd just be drying it.
Are cashews a healthy snack?
Cashews are rich in fiber, protein, and a slew of vitamins, minerals, and compounds that decrease inflammation. these nuts also support weight loss, blood sugar control, and heart health.
Other Healthy Snacks
- No Bake Chocolate Protein Bars
- Baked Oatmeal Brownie Cups
- Chocolate Oatmeal Bars
- Peanut Butter Oatmeal Bars
- Chickpeas & Energy Balls
- Healthy Breakfast Cookies
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📖 Recipe
No Bake Cashew Bars
Equipment
- Measuring cups & spoons
- Mixing bowls
- blender to make cashew cream
- loaf pan, parchment paper
Ingredients
Cashew cream - chocolate
- 1 cup cashews, unsalted, raw or roasted
- ¼ cup water
- 2 tablespoon maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- pinch salt
- 2 tablespoon cocoa powder
- 1 ½ cups rolled oats
Chocolate top
- 1 cup chocolate chips
Instructions
Prep:
- Make cashew cream, soak the cashews in just boiled water for about 20 minutes. Drain and rinse and add to a blender with the water and blend smooth. You may have to add more water to get it blending.1 cup cashews, unsalted, raw or roasted, ¼ cup water
- Line an 8x4 inch loaf pan with parchment paper and let ends hang over the sides.
Make the cookies
- To the cashew cream in the blender, add in the rest of the ingredients except for the oats. Blend until creamy.2 tablespoon maple syrup, 1 teaspoon vanilla, pinch salt, 2 tablespoon cocoa powder
- Add the cashew cream into a large mixing bowl.
- Put the rolled oats in a strainer and briefly rinse with cold water to remove the dust on the surface of oat flakes to remove any sour flavor.1 ½ cups rolled oats
- Fold the rolled oats into a the cashew cream in the bowl.
- Press the mixture into a parchment-lined pan.
Make chocolate topping
- Melt 1 cup chocolate chips in a pyrex measuring cup in the microwave at 60 seconds. Remove from the microwave, and stir the melted chocolate until all lumps are melted. Then pour it onto the base.1 cup chocolate chips
- Let the chocolate top set, maybe 15 minutes at room temperature, faster in the refrigerator or even freezer.
- Slice the bars and store refrigerated in an airtight container for a week. Freeze for three months.
Maria
When blending cashew do u drain any water first? And could you use honey in place of maple syrup?
Thank you
Dee
Hi Maria, definitely drain the cashews before you blend to remove that extra water.. To remain vegan, honey cannot be used, but if that's not an issue, I'm sure honey can be a direct substitute to maple syrup. Thanks for stopping by! Dee xx