Description
These Chewy Dark Chocolate Tahini Date Granola Bars pack great flavor with ingredients and spices from the Middle East - pistachios, apricots, dates, tahini and cardamom make these the ultimate elevated granola bar.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
- 3/4 cup pistachios, 100 grams - can use salted or unsalted
- 3/4 cup hazelnuts, chopped - 100 grams
- 10 ounces Medjool Dates - 287 grams, about 24 large pitted Medjool dates. If using other types of dates, use weight measurements
- 3 cups Old Fashioned Oats - 275 grams
- 1 cup dried apricots, chopped - 175 grams
- 1 Tablespoon ground flax seed + 2 Tablespoons water (flax egg)
- 1 teaspoon ground cardamom
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon salt - kosher, if using table salt, cut in half
- 3 Tablespoons toasted sesame seeds + extra for topping
- 1/2 cup tahini - 125 grams
- 1/2 cup honey - 150 grams
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil
- 1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
- 8 ounces dark chocolate - chopped or chips
Instructions
- Begin by preheating your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and place your chopped pistachios and hazelnuts onto a small sheet pan. Roast for 5 minutes until just fragrant. Set aside and leave oven on.
- 3/4 cup pistachios, 100 grams - can use salted or unsalted
- 3/4 cup hazelnuts, chopped - 100 grams
- Place your dates into a small blender or food processor with 3 Tablespoons HOT water and blend until mostly smooth. It's ok if there are still lumps. Set aside.
- 10 ounces Medjool Dates - 287 grams, about 24 large pitted Medjool dates. If using other types of dates, use weight measurements
- 3 Tablespoons HOT water - I boil in the microwave or instant tea pot
- Add your oats, toasted nuts, sesame seeds, dried apricots, cinnamon, cardamom, salt and flax egg into a large bowl. Set aside.
- Toasted nuts from step 1
- 3 cups Old Fashioned Oats - 275 grams
- 1 cup dried apricots, chopped - 175 grams
- 1 Tablespoon ground flax seed + 2 Tablespoons water (flax egg)
- 1 teaspoon ground cardamom
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon salt - kosher, if using table salt, cut in half
- 3 Tablespoons toasted sesame seeds
- Place your pureed dates, tahini, honey, olive oil and vanilla into a small saucepan and warm on medium-low heat for 3-4 minutes until warm and combined. Pour into your dry oat mixture and mix until fully combined.
- pureed date mixture from step 2
- 1/2 cup tahini - 125 grams
- 1/2 cup honey - 150 grams
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil
- 1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
- Line a 9x13 pan with parchment paper and pour your granola mixture. Press until fully flat and fills the entire pan. You want to press as firmly as possible to really get the bars to adhere. Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit in the upper 1/3 of your oven for 35-40 minutes until golden brown.
- While your bars bake, chop your chocolate (if chopping) and set aside. Once your bars come out of the oven, while hot, add your chopped chocolate or chocolate chips on top. Allow the heat melt the chocolate then spread into an even layer.
- 8 ounces dark chocolate - chopped or chips
- Finally, top with flake sea salt and additional toasted sesame seeds.
- flake sea salt - I like using Malden
- extra toasted sesame seeds
- Place in the freezer to fully set and harden, about 30 minutes. Then remove and cut into bars. Store on the countertop for 2-3 days or for best results, in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. You may also wrap and freeze bars.
Notes
- Be sure to press your granola mixture into your parchment lined pan to ensure everything sticks and adheres to each other for a firmer bar.
- If you need to make gluten free, use certified gluten free oats.
- You can swap out any of the nuts or dried fruit to work with what you have or your preferences.
- The chocolate is optional but in my opinion, the best part that really makes these!