Chef John's Chocolate Energy Bars

If you compare these chocolate energy bars to similar fruit/nut bars sold at the store, I think they taste better, are nutritionally superior, and probably cheaper to make at home. The only problem is they look so good it takes your brain a millisecond to process that they're not going to taste like the fudge brownies they resemble.

• Preparation Time: 15 mins
• Total Time: 15 mins
• Calories: 343 Calories

Ingredients

• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• 2 tablespoons coconut oil, melted
• ½ cup unsweetened shredded coconut
• 2 cups pitted Medjool dates, roughly chopped
• 2 cups raw cashews
• 1 cup raw or roasted unsalted almonds
• ¾ cup high-quality unsweetened cocoa powder (such as Guittard® Cocoa Rouge)
• 1 tablespoon cold espresso, or more as needed (or water)
• ½ pinch cayenne pepper

Recipe Instructions

Step 1

Place cashews, almonds, coconut, dates, cocoa, coconut oil, vanilla, cold coffee, cayenne and salt in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse on and off to start. Process about 1 minute; check to ensure mixture is sticky and moist enough to stick together. Add more coffee if needed. Continue to process until mixture becomes a chunky mass.

Step 2

Line a baking pan with plastic wrap. Scoop mixture into pan. Press down with a spatula until mixture is even. Place a layer of plastic wrap on the surface and smooth again with your hands.

Step 3

Refrigerate until cold and firm, 2 or 3 hours.

Step 4

Remove from the pan and unwrap. Cut into bars of your preferred size. Store in a zip top back in the refrigerator.