Healthy Chocolate Hazelnut Energy Bars (Nutella Inspired!)

If you’re a fan of that classic chocolate hazelnut spread but are living a dairy-free lifestyle, you’re in for a treat! These chocolate hazelnut energy bars have the decadent, nutty flavor you love, but in a wholesome, easy-to-make snack. This recipe is the perfect solution for a quick breakfast, an afternoon energy boost, or a healthy dessert.

Dairy-Free Chocolate Hazelnut Energy Bars Recipe

These no-bake bars have a delightfully chewy finish, thanks to the nutritious blend of the dates, hazelnut butter and oats. They are naturally dairy-free and can easily be made vegan and gluten-free. Plus, each bar is sweetened with just 1 medjool date, less than a teaspoon of honey or maple syrup, and a few chocolate chips, for a snack you can feel good about.

Why You’ll Love These Energy Bars

• Tastes Like a Treat: Rich chocolate and toasted hazelnut flavors mimic that popular “Nutella” taste without the dairy.
• All Natural Ingredients: Unlike Nutella, these bars are made without refined sugars and palm oil. In fact, they’re oil free!
• Quick and Easy: This is a no bake recipe that can be ready to devour in just 30 minutes.
• Perfect for Special Diets: This recipe is dairy-free, with simple swaps to make it vegan and gluten-free.
• Low in Added Sugar: Each bar is sweetened naturally with dates, and has just 6 to 7 grams of sugar from honey or maple syrup.
• Great for Meal Prep: Make a batch at the beginning of the week for grab-and-go snacks.

Ingredient FAQs

• Dates: Can I use a different type of dates? Medjool dates really do work best. Deglet Noor dates can be used if those are the only ones you can find. They are a little drier, so you might need to soak them in advance. Another great option is to substitute figs. They pair well with hazelnuts and add a little dairy-free calcium, too!. 
• Sweetener: Can I substitute a sugar-free sweetener? We haven’t tested this recipe with a sugar-free sweetener, but it could work. You will need a liquid sweetener. A dry sugar-free sweetener will make the bars too dry. If you are shooting for lower sugar, you might also want to use dairy-free, sugar-free chocolate chips.
• Hazelnuts: Should they be salted or unsalted? That’s up to you! The original recipe uses unsalted, raw almonds that are toasted (see below the recipe). If your hazelnuts are salted, you might want to omit the added salt. It’s up to you!

Special Diet Notes: Chocolate Hazelnut Energy Bars

By ingredients, this recipe is dairy-free / non-dairy, egg-free, gluten-free, peanut-free, sesame-free, optionally soy-free, oil-free, vegan, plant-based, and vegetarian. Just be sure to choose chocolate chips that suit your dietary needs. I typically use Enjoy Life for recipes like this one.

Hazelnuts from Turkey

Healthy Chocolate Hazelnut Energy Bars

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These delicious bars have Nutella-like flavor, but without the dairy. They're also low in added sugar, with just 6 to 7 grams per bar.

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Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 2 minutes mins

Total Time 22 minutes mins

Servings: 15 bars

Course: Snack

Cuisine: American

Calories: 197

Ingredients Method Nutrition Notes

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x?

• 1 cup pitted medjool dates
• ¼ cup cocoa powder
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ⅓ cup hazelnut butter see Option below
• ¼ cup honey or maple syrup for vegan
• 1 ½ cups rolled oats certified gluten-free, if needed
• 1 cup hazelnuts toasted
• ½ cup dairy-free semi-sweet chocolate chips

Method

 

1. Lightly grease a 9x9-inch pan and line it with foil or parchment paper.
2. Place the dates in your food processor and process until they begin to come together into a ball. Add the cocoa powder and salt and process to combine.
3. In a small saucepan or in the microwave, heat the hazelnut butter and honey together until warm. Pour into the food processor, and pulse until all is well mixed.
4. Add the oats and hazelnuts to your food processor, and pulse until chopped and combined. Add the chocolate chips and pulse just to combine.
5. Transfer the mixture to your prepared pan. Using a spatula, firmly pack the mixture and even it out.
6. Freeze to set for 15 minutes.
7. Lift the mixture out, peel off the foil and cut it into fifths one way and thirds the other way to make 15 bars.

Nutrition

Serving: 1barCalories: 197kcalCarbohydrates: 22.7gProtein: 4gFat: 11.7gSaturated Fat: 1.7gSodium: 40mgFiber: 3gSugar: 14.7g

Notes

Homemade Hazelnut Butter Option: No hazelnut butter on hand? Make your own by processing about 2 cups of hazelnuts until they form a paste and eventually release their oils. You can also follow this easy hazelnut butter recipe.

Presentation Note: For the photo, some hazelnuts were reserved, coarsely chopped, and pressed into the tops. You can do this, too, if you want a more rustic look.

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Storage Tips

These delicious chocolate hazelnut energy bars will keep at room temperature for daily outings or in lunch boxes. But for optimal freshness, store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. For longer storage, you can freeze them. I like to individually wrap them in plastic wrap for easy grab & go access and to prevent sticking.

More Recipe Tips

• Toasting Hazelnuts: You can use untoasted hazelnuts, buy roasted hazelnuts, or toast your own. To toast, spread the hazelnuts on a baking sheet, and put them in a 350ºF oven for 10 to 12 minutes, until just beginning to toast. When you can smell them, they are definitely done, take them out immediately to avoid burning. 
• Cocoa Powder Options: The original recipe uses natural cocoa powder (sometimes also labeled as “unsweetened”). It adds a touch of bitterness that keeps the bars from being overly sweet. But you can alternatively use Dutch-processed cocoa powder, which will provide a deeper, darker, and slightly sweeter taste.
• Oat Swap: For a softer, less chewy bar, you can use quick oats instead of rolled oats.
• Mocha Lovers: Add 1 tablespoon instant espresso powder or instant coffee powder with the hazelnut butter for a coffeehouse influence on the flavor.

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