Dates, nuts and chocolate chips are all you need to make these no-bake energy bars but feel free to dress them up with your favorite add-ins.

(NOTE: A VIDEO FOR THIS RECIPE CAN BE SEEN ON MY INSTAGRAM PAGE. )

My husband and I have taken up golf. It’s not our first rodeo with the sport–I first picked up a golf club in my twenties and truly enjoyed my time on the course with my friends. My husband, before we met, did the same but apart from the occasional round with our friends over the past 25 years, we’ve started to take it seriously only last year. These days, we can usually be found practicing at the local driving range to minimize our embarrassment when playing with our more seasoned golfer friends.

Part of the fun of getting started with the sport was getting outfitted with the right equipment and clothes, of course. On the course, an unexpected little joy for me has been packing little snacks for me, my husband and our friends to enjoy and stay energized during the four-hour-plus rounds of golf.

My golf tote will usually have little sandwiches, carrots or celery, chips or nuts and something sweet. For the last component, these bite-size energy bars have been my go-to.

These Chocolate Date Nut Bars are no-bake and take only a few minutes to prepare. Nuts and dates come together in a food processor while the chocolate chips are melted in the microwave. The date-nut mixture is then pressed into a loaf pan before the chocolate is spread over the top. You do need to wait for the chocolate to set before slicing into bars but one hour is a small price to pay for these delightful little bites. They are nutty, just a little sweet and rich in the best way. A square or two is plenty for an energy boost or just to satisfy a sweet craving without the guilt.

A note about the nuts (see more tips below), feel free to use your favorite variety instead of the assortment I have used here. Also, in these pictures, I’ve topped the bars with more nuts, sea salt flakes and pumpkin seeds but this is optional. Lastly, keep in mind that if you plan to pack these as a snack on a warm day, it would be best to store them in an insulated bag or cooler to keep the chocolate from melting. On the other hand, if you’re looking for a packable treat for the slopes, just throw these little bars in a little bag, stow them in your ski jacket and you’re ready to go.

Chocolate Date-Nut Bars: Helpful Tips

1. Nuts: Instead of using assorted nuts, use your favorite single variety.
2. Soaking the Dates: This recipe recommends soaking the dates for a few minutes but it’s not necessary. I usually don’t, especially if the dates are soft but they are a little easier to process with added moisture. Soaking the dates will result in slightly softer bars so bear this in mind when cutting into bars.
3. Optional Add-Ins: sea salt flakes, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, nut butter, oats, etc.
4. Chocolate Chips: The recipe below uses one cup of chocolate chips but you can reduce to 3/4 cup for a thinner, less-sweet chocolate layer.
5. Ingredient Amounts: This recipe uses a 1:1:2 ratio in cups of chocolate chips, nuts and dates, respectively. But as with the chocolate chips above, you can also adjust the nut and date amounts to your liking. I have made these date nut bars with different ratios and they always turn out well. Using a higher nut to date ratio will result in firmer bars (especially if you don’t soak the dates first. See above.)