Chocolate chip date caramel bars are no bake, soft and sweet, high in protein and fiber and easy to mix in one bowl. This dairy free and gluten free 4-ingredient recipe is easy to make ahead and keep frozen for a grab and go snack.
Peanut butter date caramel bars are creamy in texture, easy to mix in one bowl, and quick to satisfy any sweet cravings with a high protein snack. These bars use only a few ingredients, and can be eaten straight out of the freezer. Dates prevent them from freezing hard.
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Why You'll Love Caramel Date Bars
- High in protein and fiber
- Dairy free and gluten free, and refined sugar free
- Rich in minerals from dates
- Only 4 ingredients
- Stable at room temperature
Ingredients Needed
- Dates. I use Medjool dates which can be found in the produce area in plastic containers.
- Peanut butter. I use healthy brands with only peanuts in the ingredients. Any nut butter is fine.
- Milk. The richer the milk, the creamier your bars. I made mine with canned full fat coconut milk, but ordinary milk is fine too.
- Pantry ingredients. vanilla, chocolate chips
See the recipe card at the bottom for full information on ingredients and quantities.
Steps to Make Date Bars
For more detail, visit the complete and printable recipe at the bottom of this post, but here are general steps.
Prep: Soak the dates in a pot of just-boiled water for 10 minutes. Pit them. If using coconut milk, set the can in a just-boiled pot of water so the solids and liquids combine, stir until you have a creamy milk. Line a loaf pan with parchment paper so the two sides hang over.
Step 1: Add dates, peanut butter, milk and vanilla to a blender or food processor.
Step 2: Process until the dates are broken down and you have a thick texture.
Step 3: Add the mixture to a frosting bag or ziplock bag with tip cut off and pipe a pan or mold or use a mini cupcake pan. Lining is good with strips of parchment or even cupcake liners would be helpful for removal.
Step 4: Level mixture with a spoon, and sprinkle top with chocolate chips.
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Step 5: Freeze for about 30 minutes or less, until you can remove them easily.
Storage
Refrigerated. In a sealed container, these caramel date bars last 1 week and stay very soft so store them in a single layer and without touching each other.
Frozen. In a sealed container in the freezer, these protein date bars will last 6 months. Dates will prevent them from freezing too hard so you can eat them straight out of the freezer.
Recipe Tips
- Use a healthier, runny nut butter. Peanut butter will give your cups a nutty flavor, cashew butter and almond butter will be a more neutral flavor.
- Soak the dates in a pot of just boiled-water for 10 minutes before pitting and blending.
- You can use a food processor or a blender to mix these bars.
Variations
- add crumbled graham crackers on top to create a date bar.
- Top with nuts or freeze-dried fruit
- mix mini chocolate chips into dough
FAQS
Dates are rich in iron, and have a low glycemic value so they don't cause blood sugar spikes. Peanut butter, if you use the healthy kind with only peanuts in the ingredients and no added sugar, is high in fiber and protein as well as healthy fats.
Store them refrigerated for a few days, but long term freeze them in a sealed container. Dates will prevent them from freezing too hard so you can eat them straight out of the freezer.
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📖 Recipe
Chocolate Chip Date Caramel Bars
Equipment
- blender or food processor
Ingredients
- 1 cup Medjool dates 8 dates
- ¼ cup peanut butter or any nut butter
- ¼ cup milk coconut or any milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
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Instructions
Prep
- Soak the dates in a pot of just-boiled water for 10 minutes. Pit them. If using coconut milk, set the can in a just-boiled pot of water so the solids and liquids combine, stir until you have a creamy milk. Line a loaf pan with parchment paper so the two sides hang over.
Make date bars
- Add dates, peanut butter, milk and vanilla to a blender or food processor.
- Process until the dates are broken down and you have a thick batter.
- Add the batter to a frosting bag or a ziplock bag with the tip cut. Pipe caramel date mixture into pan wells, molds, or even a mini muffin pans.
- Level tops with a spoon and sprinkle top with chocolate chips.
- Freeze for about 30 minutes or less, until you can remove the bars.
Video
Notes
Frozen. In a sealed container in the freezer, these peanut butter date bars will last 6 months. Dates will prevent them from freezing too hard so you can eat them straight out of the freezer.
Dee Dine says
These no bake bars are creamy and ready in 15 minutes.