Healthy Oatmeal Bars with Dark Chocolate and Sea Salt Recipe

Welcome to my current dessert obsession. I call them Healthy Oatmeal Bars with Dark Chocolate and Sea Salt.

This recipe is a healthy re-creation of my all-time favorite childhood dessert.

The old recipe was delicious, yes, but full of sugar. So, of course, I loved them. I made them ALL THE TIME as a teenager.

I’ve been playing around recently to bring back my old favorite, but with a healthy twist.

I left out the white sugar and added nutritious ingredients like coconut oil, almonds, pecans, dates, and dark chocolate.

You can even add protein powder! In my revised version … bonus, no baking is required!

This does not taste like a “healthy” treat. You will not feel deprived at all. I promise!

Healthy No-Bake Treats

First, you should know these freezer snacks require no baking. Thus, you can hide them in the freezer for yourself and yourself alone!

Or if you want to share with others, you can ration as you please, because who will think to look in the freezer? Right. Nobody.

Fast and Easy Bar Recipe

Second, I made this version in a bar form because it is uber-quick. You do not need to run out and buy a fancy pan, though.

These are so flexible you can make them in any pan or no pan at all. I’ve even made them into bite-sized balls.

You could literally spread the bars out with the palm of your hand or a spoon on waxed paper!

Or you could also use your trusty 8 x 8 inch Glass Pyrex Pan that you probably already own.

The fancy Wilton Non-Stick Tart Pan is super quick too, and a tad prettier. (Affiliate link)

These pans give all desserts an upgrade. I’ve used mine for quiche, fruit tarts, pecan pie bars, and brownies.

What I love the most is that the bottom pops out, so your dessert is easy to remove. You will love it! Sorry, I digress.

Fleur de Sel Sea Salt and Dark Chocolate. Oh yeah.

I do need to mention the obvious highlights of this recipe, dark chocolate and sea salt. Yes, an AMAZING pair.

I ordered the good stuff, Fleur de Sel French Sea Salt, from William Sonoma. I’d read the rave reviews about it for a long time and finally pulled the trigger. 

Try it. You will not be sorry. It’s not cheap, so I save it to finish special dishes and treats.

Another highly rated sea salt is Le Saunier De Camargue Fleur De Sel, (affiliate link), available from Amazon. But don’t despair.

You can also use the salt you have on hand to achieve that delicious salty-sweet flavor.

I also use Lily’s Dark Chocolate Baking Chips (affiliate link), in this recipe. I absolutely love the taste and that it is sweetened with stevia!

Are Dates Good for You?

Besides dark chocolate, this recipe uses dates for sweetness.

Dates are a natural sweetener and contain vitamins and minerals that are good for you when consumed in moderation.

The sugar found in dates is called fructose. It is a particularly damaging form of sugar.

Fructose has been found to cause inflammation, deplete minerals, and cause other stresses in the body.

In other words, eating too many can be bad for your health and your waistline.

Just remember to eat and use dates in moderation.

Stay mindful of how much sugar you consume. For more info, check out my post on sugar, The Negative Effect of Sugar on The Body.

So, what do you say? Shall we begin? Here’s what you need to make this recipe.

Healthy Oatmeal Bars Shopping List

Affiliate links are underlined.

Salted Almonds or Almonds & Salt either work great!
Pecans 
Oatmeal gluten-free or regular
Medjool Dates I buy at Costco
Coconut Oil I buy at Trader Joe’s
Dark Chocolate Chips I buy Lily’s
Sea Salt for finishing 

No-Bake Sea Salt and Dark Chocolate Oatmeal Bar Recipe

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★★★★★

5 from 8 reviews

• Author: cindy munson
• Total Time: 30 minutes
• Yield: 25 bars 1x

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Description

Delicious bars with an addictive salty-sweet flavor!

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Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

Bars
1/4 cup Salted Almonds (if using plain almonds add 1/8 tsp. salt)
3/4 cup Pecans
3/4 cup Oatmeal
4 pitted Medjool Dates
1/3 cup melted Coconut Oil

Topping
1/2 cup Dark Chocolate Chips (I use Lily’s)
1 Tablespoon Coconut Oil
Sea Salt Flakes for Finishing

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Instructions

Bars
Soak the dates in warm water for 5 minutes to soften, then slice in half and remove the pit. Place the pitted dates and the rest of the ingredients for the bars in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse until the mixture is similar to “cookie” dough texture. Wipe sides of processor down with spatula and pulse again. Press dough flat and even in pan or shape on a sheet of parchment paper. Put in freezer to harden.

Topping
Melt chocolate in a glass container in microwave or double boiler. Stir constantly. Do not overcook. When smooth, drizzle or pour chocolate solid over bars. Your choice! Wait a few minutes for chocolate to set, but not harden completely, then sprinkle sea salt on top. You don’t want the salt to sink into the chocolate, but you do want it to stick to the surface. Let cool. When chocolate is hard, remove bars from pan and slice into bars with a knife.

Notes

• For a thinner layer of chocolate topping or chocolate drizzle Use half the topping recipe. Use 1/4 cup of dark chocolate chips OR 2 oz. (2/3 of one Lily’s Dark Chocolate bar) and 1/2 tablespoon of coconut oil.
• For a thicker bar Double bar recipe. It works perfectly either way!
• If using a Cuisinart food processor, use the Metal S blade.

Affiliate link in italics above.

• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Cook Time: 20 minutes
• Category: Desserts
• Method: No-bake
• Cuisine: Healthy

Keywords: Healthy, Clean, Dark chocolate, Sea salt, Oatmeal, Dates, Bars, No-bake, Coconut Oil

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I hope you enjoy these healthy oatmeal bars as much as I do. Let me know if you make them in the comments below.

xo,
Cindy

More Healthy Treats

Below are more delicious healthier recipes to try!

Keto Pound Cake
Gluten-free Cut-Out Sugar Cookie
Keto Whipped Cream
No-Bake Brownie Protein Bites
Oatmeal Bars with Dark Chocolate & Sea Salt

References

Nutritional Weight and Wellness
weightandwellness.com

The Case Against Sugar

Be sure to consult a registered and licensed dietitian, licensed nutritionist, or certified nutrition specialist if you have questions about ingredients and how they fit into your personal nutrition plan.

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