These bars have no sugar added, and are gluten free, dairy-free, nut-free, and egg free! Perfect for little ones with allergies or for an allergy-aware school lunch.

By using dates to sweeten these bars, you are getting the added bonus of fibre, iron, and vitamin B6 (along with other important nutrients).

These easy to make bars are perfect for your toddler (or kids!) for a delicious and nutritious snack, as they have no added sugar and are packed with nutrition like iron, omega 3’s, & fibre.

You can substitute any nut or seed butter if you like (peanut butter, almond butter, etc) and add 1-2 tablespoons of maple syrup if you want them a little sweeter!

NO-BAKE FUDGEY BARS

Ingredients

Makes 24 bars

• 1 cup medjool dates (I like to soak mine in hot water for 5 minutes to soften them!)

• 1/4 cup sunflower seed butter or pumpkin seed butter*

• 1/4 cup raw, unsalted pumpkin seeds

• 1/2 cup shredded unsweetened coconut

• 2 tablespoons hemp hearts

• 2 tablespoons ground flaxseed

• 6 tablespoons high quality cocoa powder, like Rodelle

• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

• 2 tablespoons water (may need more)

• 1/4 teaspoon salt

• 1-2 tablespoons maple syrup (optional, if you want them a bit sweetener!)

• 1/3 cup mini chocolate chips (dairy-free if needed), optional

Directions

1. Soak dates in hot water for 5-10 minutes to make processing them smoother. Drain and place in high powered food processor.

2. Add in all other ingredients (except chocolate chips, if using) and pulse until a smooth dough forms. You may need to add a bit more water to get the soft, tacky dough consistency. (It should begin to form into one large ball)

3. Mix in mini chocolate chips by hand if desired. 🙂

4. Line an 8×8 pan with parchment paper. Transfer mixture to pan and press down firmly and evenly. A trick to doing this is to grease your hands slightly with oil and pat down.

5. Place pan in freezer to set. Once set (about 30 mins), slice into 24 bars. Store in freezer for a quick snack! (They are great straight from the freezer!)

*can substitute another nut/seed butter like peanut butter, almond butter, etc.