Are you spending more than you would like on packaged, real-food snack bars? These chocolate chip cookie dough snack bars are a copycat recipe for the very popular store-bought ones, and they come together super fast!
With each new year, comes resolutions and I know many of us want to eat healthier, ditch packaged snacks, or perhaps spend less money at the grocery. Whatever the reason, these healthier chocolate chip cookie dough snack bars are an easy and affordable homemade snack option.
Perhaps, you’ve hit the refresh button on your fitness routine and eating habits and just want a good snack option that will keep you on track. This.is.it!
With my kids going back to their homeschooling classes and activities, after what feels like a month-long break, I’m back to packing lunches and snacks. I know how tempting to go down the snack aisle at the grocery and start filling up the cart with pre-packaged snack bars and treats, I too have to resist this temptation; but the reality is that there are only a few bars that are affordable and made with wholesome ingredients that taste great.
So, let me introduce you to my newest snack obsession, these homemade chocolate chip cookie dough snack bars. Their simple main ingredients of cashews and dates make it an excellent choice for a snack that both kids and adults will love. This simple recipe will make enough bars for two days, instead of one box lasting just one day!
Packing them for school or in a snack box is super easy too and it’s such a surprise to find a terrific healthy treat like these chocolate chip cookie dough bars.
These snack bars will last in your fridge for up to a week, but not in my house. With 6 of us, we are lucky when they last three days! All I have to do now is teach one of the kids how to (carefully) use the food processor and boom! Snack bars for everyone.
What’s your favorite snack bar flavor?
Healthy Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Snack Bars
- Yield: 9-12 bars 1x
Scale
Ingredients
- 2 cups raw cashew pieces*
- 12 pitted Medjool dates
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- pinch of salt
- 1/4 cup mini chocolate chips or chocolate chunks
Instructions
- Line a 9×9 pan with parchment paper.
- In the bowl of the food processor, pulse cashew pieces and dates until they begin to form a paste. Add in vanilla extract and salt, and continue to process until the mixture is a cohesive paste. Add in chocolate chips and pulse to combine.
- Spread mixture over parchment paper and with your hands, press down and spread evenly, to about 1/2 – 3/4 inch thick. Refrigerate for 1-2 hours until firm.
- Picking up the parchment paper, remove from pan and cut into individual bars. Wrap individually and store in refrigerator for about a week. Bars can also be wrapped and frozen.
Notes
Substitute the cashews with pumpkin seeds (pepitas) or sunflower seeds for a nut-free recipe.
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Looks like a fantastic bar but unfortunately one of my daughters is severely allergic to cashews. I’m curious whether you think the recipe would work with raw almonds instead? Thanks for sharing so many new, healthy ideas!
Use pumpkin seeds instead of cashews. Thanks for mentioning this, I’ll make a note in the recipe.
These look amazing! My child’s school is a nut-free zone. Do you have suggestions for what I could swap out for the cashews? I was thinking oats? Thanks!
Use pumpkin seeds instead of cashews. Thanks for mentioning this, I’ll make a note in the recipe.
What if you do not have a food processor? Is there another way to make these? Also I have never used dates before – are these fresh or pre-packaged?
dates are dried fruit. If you don’t have a food processor, you can use a mini chopper or a blender to finely chop. Unfortuantely, this recipe does not come together by hand chopping alone.
You can make these in a high speed blender like a Vitamix, Ninja, Blend-tec or Nutri Bullet. Fresh dates can also be found in the produce department at a health food store like Whole Foods or Sprouts. Just remember to remove the pit (make a small x with a knife on the bottom and pop out).
These look great! I will for sure make these for my kids to take to school! They love chocolate.
Yummy! These look like a great snack.
Do you have the nutritional info on these?
Althoughh I can get medjool dates I currently only have honey dates in my pantry, can I use those? Did your dates come to about a cup? (For comparison)
those will work too. They were about 1 1/2 cups give or take. Enjoy!
Can you use roasted cashews?
You could. They’ll taste nuttier and probably just as delish!
THESE WERE AWESOME!!!! Thank you for another simple recipe my family loves and it saved us so much $ on the boxed type!!
★★★★★
We could barely wait for these to set they were so good! made them with pumpkin seeds and they turned out great!
★★★★★
These were amazing!
Thanks for sharing the recipe. will become a staple at our house.
★★★★★
Have you tried sunflower seeds instead of cashews?
Yes! I usually add a tablespoon of coconut oil to it but works great!
Can I do 1 cup of cashews and 1 cup of almonds or another nut combination?
absolutely!