Chocolate Oatmeal No Bake Bars (Gluten-Free, Nut-Free)

Everyone will love these chocolate oatmeal no bake bars! They are loaded with delicious dark chocolate flavor and chewy dried cherries, plus they make for a filling snack or healthy dessert. Also, gluten-free and nut-free.

I have been on a no-bake sweet making spurt recently. I updated and improved my beloved vegan blueberry raw cheesecake and then made raw cookie dough balls to feed my husband's obsession over chocolate chips cookies (which were a huge success, by-the-way).

And here I am, overeating these fudgy ultra chocolatey no bake bars.

There is just something so satisfying about making dessert without having to turn on the oven, right?

I say dessert, but they make for a tasty snack you can prepare ahead and also a perfect treat to refuel after working out. Hey, they even have "oatmeal" in their title, which makes them totally acceptable for breakfast too. 🙂

I actually started working on these chocolate oatmeal bars because I was looking for something fun and new for my kids that's totally nut-free and safe to send in their lunch boxes. I made these nut-free granola bars a while back for this same goal, but I had more chocolate requests from my little ones in the last weeks. And I bet you guessed it, they are not exclusively kid-friendly after all. Everyone-friendly I would say.

I mean, it is difficult to resist their delicious dark chocolate flavor studded with sweet & tart dried cherries. The dried fruits bring also an amazing chewiness to the bars that contrasts well with the crunchy cacao nibs and hearty bites from the oatmeal.

They are also quite easy to make. The hardest part is to wait for them to set before slicing. Hope you enjoy! 🙂

Why you'll love this recipe

• Simple
• Requires only a handful of ingredients
• No bake and perfect cool dessert for the spring & summer
• Healthy, granulated sugar-free and made without butter
• Nut-free and safe for school
• Dairy-free, egg-free and gluten-free
• Ultra flavorful and nicely sweetened

Ingredients you'll need

• Large medjool dates: these are the large soft and creamy kind of dates that you can find in the produce section. They will give you the best result by creating a super sticky and sweet base.
• Oat flour: I use the gluten-free oat flour from Bob's Red Mill. You could also make your own oat flour from rolled oats, but be sure to grind it ultra fine.
• Raw cacao powder: to choose over cocoa powder as it is higher in healthy antioxidants and less processed too.
• Rolled oats: choose a thicker kind such as old fashioned for added nutrition and better texture. But if you only have quick cooking, then use them, that should be fine.
• Cacao nibs: crunchy and ultra rich in antioxidants and strong in cacao flavor. If you don't have them, then simply omit.
• Vegan dark chocolate chips: I love using the chocolate chips from the brand Enjoy Life as it is nut-free and vegan. Mini chips are better for this recipe.
• Dried cherries: so yummy paired with chocolate!
• Plant-based milk: Not shown in the picture, but you will only need a tiny amount to make the chocolate topping to help the chips melt. Use your favorite vegan milk, but aim for either soy or oat milk if looking for a nut-free recipe.

How to make them

Process

I highly recommend softening your dates before processing. This allows to create a super smooth and hydrated base that will hold together well after setting. To do it, pit the dates and transfer to a bowl. Then, pour boiling water over and let soak for about 10 minutes. When done, drain using a fine mesh colander and gently press on the dates using a spoon to remove the excess of water.

Transfer the softened dates to a food processor and add the oat flour and raw cacao powder. Process until very fine. It should become a dryish crumbly mixture. Then, add 2-3 tablespoons of water. Start with 2, process and add more if needed. The amount of water you will need depends on how much water the dates retained. You know you added enough water when the mixture can be squeezed in between your fingers and hold/stick well.

Then, add the rolled oats and pulse/process until mostly broken down but still with some pieces intact.

Combine

Transfer the mixture to a bowl and add the chocolate chips, dried cherries and cacao nibs. Stir well until uniform. I usually use my hands to mix it as it is easier than using a spoon.

Mold

Line a loaf pan with parchment paper and then transfer the crumbly mixture over. Then, using your fingers, press firmly to create a super tight and compact base. If you don't press enough, it simply won't hold well after you cut into bars, so take your time and make sure to press all the way to the edges and corners.

Garnish and Chill

Make the topping by adding the chocolate chips to a small bowl and pour the the plant-based milk over. Warm up in the microwave for 30-45 seconds and let sit for 1-2 minute. Then, stir until all melted.

Pour the thick chocolate over the pressed mixture in the loaf pan and spread evenly using a spatula.

Transfer the dish in the fridge and let it chill for at least 1 hour.

When done, run a knife around the corners where there is no parchment paper and then pull on the edges of the paper to get the whole recipe out of the dish, then slice in bars. Enjoy!

Watch how to make them

Baking tips

• I recommend making these chocolate oatmeal bars the day before you need them. This allows plenty of chilling time for the bars to set and the rolled oats have more time to hydrate and turn into a pleasant chewy texture.
• You will have to visually estimate how much water to add to the food processor. I usually have to add 2 tablespoons, but you might need a little more if you squeezed more water out of the dates after soaking them. You simply need to create a mixture that sticks and holds well when pressed together.
• Do not skip on covering the dish with parchment paper (or aluminum foil) before adding the chocolate mixture. They slice better when you can first take the whole recipe out of the dish.
• If you don't have a loaf pan, then use whatever dish you have! A square dish would work too as you could slice in squares. A circular cake pan would works too. This is a no-bake recipe, so there is more freedom in the way you shape your treats.
• When the melted chocolate topping is still soft, you can top with flaky salt to enhance the sweet chocolate flavors. Also try sprinkling shredded coconut or even chopped nuts if you are not looking for a nut-free recipe.

Substitutions

I believe this bar recipe can be pretty forgiving even if you change some of the ingredients, especially since it is a no-bake recipe.

I know dried cherries can be harder to find, so you can easily use other dried fruits such as cranberries (yummy with the chocolate!), raisins, dried blueberries or even dried apricots. If the pieces of fruit are too big, simply roughly chop them first.

Also, you can try adding a little bit of shredded coconut to the mixture or some seeds such as chia, hemp or sesame. If you don't have cacao nibs, then swap for something else crunchy such as sunflower seeds or rice krispies.

Storage tips

These vegan no bake bars store very well which make them a great make ahead snack.

Once done, simply slice them all and keep in an air-tight container. Store in the fridge, but can also be frozen.

Other bar & square recipes you might like

• Creamy chocolate strawberry bars
• Pear and cinnamon oatmeal bars
• Nut-free granola bars
• Vegan black bean brownies
• Vegan millionaire shortbread
• Vegan chickpea blondies
• Pumpkin swirl brownies
• No bake peanut butter fudge

I hope you like these vegan chocolate no bake bars as much as we do! If you try them, please leave a comment below and rate the recipe to let me know how they were. Your feedback is so helpful!

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