Dark Chocolate Granola Bars

Salted dark chocolate coated granola bars made with toasted oats and walnuts, almond butter, cocoa, maple syrup, and dates.

Course Snack

Cuisine American

Keyword chocolate granola bar, healthy granola bar, oat and walnut granola bar

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 15

Chill Time 1 30

Total Time 2

Servings Granola Bars

Calories 280kcal

Author Mason Woodruff

Toast the oats and walnuts on a sheet pan for 15 minutes in a 350ºF oven. Cool briefly before combining with the remaining ingredients.
Add the pitted dates to a food processor and pulse a few times before adding the cooled toasted oats/nuts and pulse a few more times. Then add the almond butter, cocoa powder, syrup, and salt. Pulse a few more times. You don't want to make a smooth puree, just an evenly mixed granola-like blend.
Place the mixture in a parchment lined dish and press into an even layer. Refrigerate for 30 minutes. (I used a 1/8 sheet pan that measures about 6.5"x9.5" for the bars pictured here. I've also used a 1/4 sheet pan that measures closer to 9"x13". Would you rather have thin or thick granola bars?)
After 30 minutes, melt the chocolate and olive oil together in a saucepan over low heat. Pour the melted chocolate over the pressed granola and spread it around. Carefully smack the dish on a flat surface to make sure it's evenly distributed.
Refrigerate for at least an hour before slicing. Optional: Sprinkle flaky salt over the bars 20-30 minutes into the chocolate setting.
The bars should keep in an airtight container inside the refrigerator for up to a month.

Recipe adapted from Joshua McFadden's Grains for Every Season.