Chocolate Covered Healthy Fruit and Nut Bars

5 from 11 votes
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Homemade Chocolate covered Fruit & Nut Bars – Delicious pantry-friendly healthy snack bars with a mixture of dried fruit, nuts and 100% chocolate, for a grab and go breakfast or snack.

This week I have, once again, turned to my pantry in search of some healthy (but delicious) snack options that I can meal-prep and have on-hand. These chocolate-covered fruit and nut bars are wonderful pantry-friendly healthy snack bars that use a combination of dried fruits, nuts and healthy 100% chocolate for a more-ish vegan snack.

Chocolate covered fruit nut bars

The reason I love these healthy snack bars so much is that they are so customisable and great to use up bits and pieces you have in your pantry. The three main types of ingredients used for these are dried fruits, nuts or seeds, and Chocolate. However, you could also mix in oats to make healthy granola bars and swap out the fruits/nuts used depending on what you have available.

In fact, the only thing worth thinking about when grabbing your ingredients is that the ‘stickier’ the dried fruit, the better. This recipe is able to get away with no added sugars, because the fruits used are sticky and sweet enough.

Chocolate Covered Healthy Fruit and Nut Bars

Some of my favourite options are: 

  • Apricots
  • Figs
  • Dates
  • Barberries
  • Goji berries
  • Soft cranberries
  • Dried cherries
  • Kiwi

You can then combine these with other dried fruits that aren’t as sticky. I.e. apple slices, mango, other berries etc.

The main thing to remember with the fruit and nut chocolate bar recipe is the ratio of fruits to nuts/seeds and then you can feel free to experiment with whatever ingredients you’d like, to make the perfect bars for you.

Chocolate Covered Healthy Fruit and Nut Bars

Why make these snack bars now?

  • These healthy snack bars are perfect as a grab and go breakfast, snack or ‘treat’.
  • Unlike with many store-bought options, these bars are filled with clean ingredient lists with natural ingredients, no added sugars as you have full control over the ingredients.
  • These vegan breakfast bars are ridiculously customisable – choose the dried fruit of your choice, nuts and seeds of your choice and even swap out the chocolate (I used 100% un-sweetened chocolate) for your personal favourite pick. You can even add in extras like rolled oats or shredded coconut etc.
  • If using less ‘sticky’ dried fruits, you can still make delicious bars without the use of any refined sugars – using nut butter or natural sweeteners like maple to make up for the lack of stickiness.
  • These bars are naturally vegan, gluten-free, refined sugar free, high protein and act as a natural energy bar from the ingredients chosen.

The Fruit And Nut Bars How-To

Needed

Ingredients for chocolate healthy bars

  • Dried soft barberries, goji berries or soft cranberries
  • Apricots, dried figs
  • Raw almonds
  • Sunflower seeds and pumpkin seeds  you could also add chia seeds for extra protein)
  • Dark chocolate – I used 100% dark chocolate, choose your favourite

Note: Remember these are just suggestions for your healthy breakfast bars and you can swap out the fruits, nuts/seeds and even chocolate choice according to what you’d prefer. Just stick to the same ratio of fruit vs nuts so the bars stick together.

Steps

Start by chopping the almonds and the bigger dried fruit. I like my snack bars to be quite ‘chunky’ so I hand chop everything. However, you can blend the items together if you want a chewier bar (this also helps the mixture become stickier, as they blend).

Chopped nuts and dried fruit
Line a small baking tray with parchment paper. Then add all the chopped nuts, fruit and seeds in it.

Baking sheet lined tray and chopped nuts and fruit
Mix the ingredients well in the tray or alternatively add these to a large bowl and mix with your hands, pressing the mixture together to form a sticky kind of ‘dough’.

Then start pressing down the mixture with a flat object (or the bottom of a glass/cup). Press down as tightly as possible. Check the recipe video – I show how I pressed it down.

Everything needs to be as tightly packed as possible so it holds its shape and stays together, when chopped.

By pressing down, the fruit will release some of their juice and the mixture will become sticky. If it’s not sticking together, you can add 1-2 medjool dates, a bit of nut butter or some honey (or other natural sweetener like maple syrup or agave). This should help keep the fruit and nut base stick together.

Depending on the size of the tray, you can either spread the mixture throughout the whole tray, or you can stack it all on one side, if you find the bars are too thin otherwise.

You can also use a silicone mould with individual ‘bars’.

Once pressed into your tray/mould,  freeze the mixture for 30 minutes. Once chilled, it will become easier to manage and can be cut easily into bars.

Prepare the chocolate by melting in over a double boiler then pour some chocolate over each bar.

Note* You could also pour the chocolate directly over the fruit/nut mix in their tray/mould. Place back in the freezer to set before cutting into bars. 

covering bars with chocolate
Set aside till the chocolate hardens. It should be pretty quick as the bars were chilled in the freezer.

How to store the bars:

You can store the fruit and nut chocolate bars in the fridge for up to a week, or the freezer for up to two months. I usually separate my bars with a bit of parchment paper, so they don’t stick together. Keep them in an airtight container in the fridge.

healthy fruit and nut bar dipped in chocolate - a delicious vegan snack bar

Other Recipes You May Like

If you’re looking for other healthy snack bar recipes then you might like these Chewy Almond Butter Homemade Granola Bars. Alternatively, for other similar snack ideas, you might like these Vegan Choc Chip & Banana Healthy Oatmeal Cookies or these Healthy Cacao & Almond Protein Balls.

If you have any questions, leave a comment below Also, I love seeing your recreations so feel free to tag me on Instagram @AlphaFoodie.

Chocolate Covered Healthy Fruit and Nut Bars

5 from 11 votes
By: Samira
Delicious pantry-friendly healthy snack bars with a mixture of dried fruit, nuts and 100% chocolate, for a grab and go breakfast or snack.
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 10 minutes
Servings: 8 small bars

Ingredients 
 

  • 1/4 cup barberries dried, or goji berries or soft cranberries
  • 3 dried apricots
  • 2 dried figs
  • 1/4 cup almonds raw
  • 1 tBsp sunflower seeds
  • 1 tBsp pumpkin seeds
  • 1/2 cup dark chocolate to melt for coating

Instructions 

  • Chopping the almonds and the bigger dried fruit. I like my snack bars to be quite 'chunky' so I hand chop everything. However, you can blend the items together if you want a chewier bar (this also helps the mixture become stickier, as they blend).
  • Line a small baking tray with parchment paper. Then add all the chopped nuts, fruit and seeds in it.
  • Mix the ingredients well in the tray or alternatively add these to a large bowl and mix with your hands, pressing the mixture together to form a sticky kind of 'dough'. 
  • Press down the mixture with a flat object (or the bottom of a glass/cup). Press down as tightly as possible. Check the recipe video - I show how I pressed it down. 
    Everything needs to be as tightly packed as possible so it holds its shape and stays together when chopped.*
  • Depending on the size of the tray, you can either spread the mixture throughout the whole tray, or you can stack it all on one side, if you find the bars are too thin otherwise. **
  • Once pressed into your mould, freeze the mixture for 30 minutes. Once chilled it will become easier to manage and can be cut easily into bars.
  • Melt the chocolate over a double boiler then cover each bar with chocolate. ***
  • Set aside till the chocolate hardens. It should be pretty quick as the bars were chilled in the freezer.

    How to store the bars:

    You can store the fruit and nut chocolate bars in the fridge for up to a week, or the freezer for up to two months. I usually separate my bars with a bit of parchment paper, so they don't stick together and keep in an airtight container in the fridge.

Video

Notes

Note: Remember these ingredients are just suggestions and you can swap out the fruits, nuts/seeds and even chocolate choice according to what you'd prefer. Just stick to the same ratio of fruit vs nuts so the bars stick together.
* By pressing down, the fruit will release some of their juice and the mixture will become sticky. If it’s not sticking together, you can add 1-2 Medjool dates, a bit of nut butter or some honey (or another natural sweetener like maple syrup or agave). This should help keep the fruit and nut base stick together.
** You can also use a silicone mould with individual 'bars'
*** You could also pour the chocolate directly over the fruit/nut mix in their tray/mould and then place back in the freezer to set before cutting into bars. 
 
Note: The total time does not include the chilling time.
Course: Snack
Cuisine: American
Freezer friendly: 2 Months
Shelf life: 1 Week

Nutrition

Serving: 1bar, Calories: 135kcal, Carbohydrates: 14g, Protein: 3g, Fat: 8g, Saturated Fat: 3g, Cholesterol: 1mg, Sodium: 3mg, Potassium: 170mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 5g, Vitamin A: 108IU, Calcium: 24mg, Iron: 2mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

 

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