Oatmeal Date Almond Bars

Ingredients

Bar Batter

• 8 to 10 pitted Medjool dates
• 1 cup old fashioned oats – use certified gluten-free if needed
• 1 cup creamy almond butter
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Pinch kosher salt – omit if using salted almond butter

Chocolate Topping

• 6 ounces dark chocolate – roughly chopped, about 1 cup
• 1 tablespoon creamy almond butter
• ¼ cup sliced almonds – optional
• Pinch flaky sea salt – optional

Direction

1. Soak the dates in a bowl with hot water for 10 minutes to soften. I just used hot water from the tap, not boiling water. Once softened, drain. In the meantime, gather the other ingredients. Line an 8×8 or other square baking dish with parchment paper.
2. Combine the soaked dates, oats, almond butter, vanilla, and salt in a food processor. Pulse until the dates are chopped into small pieces and the batter is well-combined.
3. Transfer the batter to the lined baking dish and spread it out into an even layer.
4. Place the chopped dark chocolate into a microwave-safe bowl and add the 1 tablespoon almond butter. Microwave for 20 to 30 seconds, stir, and repeat until the chocolate is melted and smooth.
5. Pour the melted chocolate over the almond butter batter and spread it out. Sprinkle with sliced almonds and flaky sea salt if desired.
6. Place the bars in the fridge for about an hour until the chocolate has hardened. Slice into 16 squares and enjoy!
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Notes

1. I recommend using 70% or more dark chocolate but you can substitute 1 cup of semi-sweet chocolate chips or another type of chocolate if you don’t want to use dark.
2. If you don’t have a food processor, you can still make the recipe. Chop the dates into small pieces with a knife and mix the ingredients together by hand.
3. Store bars in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week. Use parchment or wax paper to separate the layers of the bars so they don’t stick together.
4. The bars also freeze extremely well. I like to eat them right out of the freezer!