Stuck in a snack rut? These easy Coconut and Date Bars can be whipped up in less than 10 minutes and are perfect for satisfying sweet cravings.
Servings: 12 bars
Difficulty: Easy
Prep Time: 10 minutes | Cook Time: 0 minutes | Total Time: 10 minutes
Ingredients:
- 2 cups Medjool dates, roughly chopped
- 1/2 teaspoon lemon zest
- 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons unsweetened shredded coconut
- 2 tablespoons water
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 cup toasted walnuts
Directions:
Add the chopped dates, lemon zest, 2 tablespoons of shredded coconut, water, and salt to a food processor. Pulse the food processor until the mixture is fully incorporated but not pureed. Ensure that there are few chunks of dates left.
Line a 9×9 inch baking dish with parchment paper. Press the date mixture into the bottom of the dish and smooth out the mixture into all corners using a spatula. Sprinkle the remaining 1/4 cup of coconut on top of the date mixture along with the toasted walnuts*. Lightly press the coconut and walnuts into the date mixture so that it doesn’t fall off.
You can slice up the bars into squares immediately, or chill them in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to allow them to set more, which makes for easier slicing. To make slicing easy, pull the date bars out of the baking dish by lifting the parchment paper and slice on a flat surface.
* To toast the walnuts: Add the walnuts into a dry frying pan over medium-high heat. Toss the nuts every 30 seconds to ensure they do not burn. Cook for 2-3 minutes or until the walnuts are a light golden brown colour.
Enjoy!
