High-Protein Peanut Butter Bars Recipe Is Like a Healthier Snickers or Reese's (3 Ingredients) by Elisa Schmitz

Want to have your candy and eat it, too? You can, with this crazy good no-bake chocolate peanut butter bars recipe. This high-fiber and high-protein peanut butter bars recipe is like a healthier Snickers® chocolate bar or Reese's® peanut butter cup. Seriously, it's delicious. Plus, it's so easy to make and packs some solid nutrition, too.

This healthier candy bar recipe has a stealth ingredient that adds nutrition, texture and flavor. What is this mystery ingredient? Dates! It might seem strange to include dates in a peanut butter bar recipe, but trust me when I say it just works. My husband, a peanut butter-chocolate fanatic, was skeptical – until he took the first bite. "Wow!" was all he said in between all the "yums."

Dates are naturally sweet, which makes them a great sugar substitute. They also have a wonderfully chewy texture that can mimic the caramel or nougat you'd find in candy bars. Dates are high in fiber and antioxidants, and they may even support digestion and reduce the risk of certain health issues, among the other health benefits of dates. Plus, this recipe includes the health benefits of peanut butter and the health benefits of dark chocolate.

To make this nutritious no-bake date bark recipe, here are the three gluten-free ingredients you'll need to gather: Medjool dates, peanut butter and dark chocolate. That's it! The chopped nuts and flaky sea salt are optional additions. You simply flatten the dates between two pieces of parchment paper, spread the peanut butter over the dates then smooth the melted chocolate over the peanut butter. If using chopped nuts, sprinkle them onto the peanut butter before adding the chocolate. If using flaky sea salt, sprinkle it over the chocolate. Pop it into the freezer until set, then slice and serve.

These high-fiber and high-protein peanut butter chocolate date bars are a decadent dessert you can feel good about. You can enjoy them as a guilt-free snack any time of day. Be sure to make enough to go around because they disappear quickly!

Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 1 minute (microwaves vary)
Freeze Time: 1 hour
Total Time: 1 hour and 16 minutes
Servings: 12

Ingredients

• 12 ounces Medjool dates, pitted and sliced in half
• 1 1/2 cups peanut butter (crunchy or creamy)
• 2 cups chocolate chips (dark chocolate chips or semisweet chocolate chips)
• 1/2 cup chopped nuts, such as almonds or pistachios (optional)
• flaky sea salt or pink Himalayan salt (optional)

Here's how to make it:

1. On your kitchen counter or on a 13x9-inch sheet pan, lay out a sheet of parchment paper big enough to cover the bottom of a 13x9-inch baking pan. Line up the halved dates in three rows, cut-side down, close enough to each other that they're almost touching. (I found it easier to lay the parchment paper directly onto my kitchen counter after measuring it out.)
   
2. Lay a second piece of parchment paper of the same size over the dates. Using a rolling pin, a large soup can, a Mason jar or something similar, roll or press down on the dates until they are flattened and smooth. (I had a full jar of peanut butter, so I used that to roll over the dates until they were smooth.)
   
3. Remove the top piece of parchment paper and move any dates that are not nearly touching each other to be close enough to touch or nearly touch.
   
4. Spread the peanut butter over the dates, ensuring that it's evenly distributed. (I used crunchy peanut butter, but you also could use creamy.)
   
5. Sprinkle the chopped nuts over the top of the peanut butter, if using. (I used a combination of almonds and pistachios, but you also could use peanuts, walnuts, pecans, etc.)
   
6. In a medium microwave-safe mixing bowl, add the chocolate chips. Microwave the chips for 30 seconds, then remove and stir. Microwave for another 30 seconds, then remove and stir again. At this point, the chocolate should be mostly melted, and you can keep stirring until all chips are completely melted. Because microwaves vary, you may need additional microwaving time. Just be sure not to cook it too long because chocolate melts pretty quickly and will continue to melt even after you remove it from the microwave. (You can use dark chocolate or semisweet chocolate chips.)
   
7. After the chocolate is melted, spread it over the peanut butter.
   
8. Ensure that it's evenly distributed. It should be smooth and glossy.
   
9. Sprinkle with flaky sea salt or pink Himalayan salt, if using.
   
10. Put into the freezer until set, about 1 hour.
    
11. Remove from freezer.
    
12. Slice and serve immediately.
    
13. Store leftover bars in an airtight container in the freezer.
    

Recipe cooking times, nutritional information and servings are approximate and provided for your convenience. However, 30Seconds is not responsible for the outcome of any recipe, nor may you have the same results because of variations in ingredients, temperatures, altitude, errors, omissions or cooking/baking abilities. Any nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and it is up to the individual to ascertain accuracy. To ensure image quality, we may occasionally use stock photography.

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