4 Ingredient Chocolate Candy Bar Bark (No Flour, Refined Sugar, Eggs, Dairy, Butter or Oil)
This chocolate candy bar bark has all the flavors and textures of a classic chocolate candy bar but in easy bark form. It only requires 4 ingredients and doesn’t require any flour, refined sugar, eggs, dairy, butter or oil.
This healthier candy bark is sweet, crispy, has a caramel-like center, and tastes so much like a candy bar, but it is made with healthier ingredients. It is also naturally gluten-free, refined sugar-free, dairy-free, and egg-free.
Ingredients
- Dates
- Puffed quinoa
- Peanut butter
- Dark chocolate
Dates: Medjool dates are used to create the chewy, caramel layer for this recipe. Medjool dates have a caramel-like flavor and texture, which makes them a great healthier caramel substitute.
Puffed quinoa: Puffed quinoa adds a crunchy, crispy layer to the bark. You can make your own puffed quinoa or use store bought. I like to use store bought to save time. If using store bought, make sure to use the ones that are very small pieces, sometimes called quinoa crispies. Avoid using the larger type of puffed quinoa (the type that is perfectly round and bigger than a piece of quinoa) which is not as crispy or crunchy.
Peanut butter: Natural peanut butter with no added oils is mixed with puffed quinoa to help bind them together and to create a creamy texture. Peanut butter can be substituted with natural almond butter, natural cashew butter or natural sunflower seed butter.
Dark chocolate: The bark is finished with a layer of dark chocolate. You can use any type of chocolate for this layer so you can also use semisweet or milk chocolate if you prefer. However, if you need the bark to be refined sugar free, use a chocolate that is refined sugar free. If you need the dessert to be dairy-free, use a chocolate that is dairy-free.
How to Make Chocolate Candy Bar Bark
Split the dates in half, remove pits, and press split side up into your prepared pan in rows of 4, overlapping slightly to ensure they stick together. Place a piece of parchment over top and use a cup or bowl to flatten the dates.
Mix the peanut butter and puffed quinoa until evenly combined. Spread the mixture over the dates. Place a sheet of parchment paper on top to level the peanut butter layer.
Melt the chocolate chips until smooth. Spread it over the peanut butter layer. If desired, you can also garnish the bark with coarse salt, but this is optional.
Place the bark in the fridge until set. Then cut the bark into smaller pieces with a large sharp knife.
Expert Tips
- You can also make the bark on a parchment paper lined sheet pan instead of a square baking pan. I like using a square baking pan so everything is even.
- It’s better to cut the bark rather than break the bark by hand because the date layer is harder to break through without a knife.
- You can use sunflower seed butter to make the bark nut-free.
More Bark Recipes
- 4 Ingredient No Bake Lemon Cake Bark
- 4 Ingredient No Bake Cookie Bark
- 4 Ingredient Sugar Cookie Bark
4 Ingredient Chocolate Candy Bar Bark
Ingredients
- 16 large (400g) medjool dates
- 1 cup (70g) puffed quinoa, see note before starting
- 6 tbsp (100g) unsweetened natural peanut butter, or more if needed
- 1 1/3 cups (202g) dark chocolate chips, see note before starting
Instructions
- Line a 9 inch square pan with parchment paper.
- Split the dates in half, remove pits, and press split side up into the pan in rows of 4, overlapping slightly to ensure they stick together and that there are no gaps. Continue until you have 4 total rows.
- Place a piece of parchment over the top and use a heavy cup or bowl to flatten the dates slightly. Peel off the top layer of parchment paper.
- In a medium bowl, mix the peanut butter and puffed quinoa until evenly combined. Add more peanut butter if needed to make sure the quinoa is coated.
- Spread the peanut butter mixture over the date layer and spread into an even layer. Place a parchment paper over the pb mixture and use your hands or back of a spoon to flatten and smooth the peanut butter layer. Remove the top sheet of parchment paper.
- Add the chocolate chips to a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave in 30-second intervals, stirring between each with a silicone spatula, until fully melted and smooth.
- Spread the chocolate in an even layer across the top of the bark. You do not need to use all of the chocolate. If desired, you can also garnish with coarse salt. Place into the fridge until the chocolate layer is set. Cut the bark with a large sharp knife. Store any uneaten bark in an airtight container in the fridge or freezer.
Notes
- Dark chocolate note: You can use other types of chocolate chips such as semisweet or milk chocolate chips. If you need the bark to be dairy-free, make sure to use dairy-free chocolate chips. If you need the bark to be refined sugar-free, make sure to use chocolate chips sweetened with unrefined sugars such as coconut or date sugar. I like using Hu dark chocolate chips.
- Puffed quinoa note: I use store bought puffed quinoa to save time and because they are more evenly golden. It is a little pricey but one package contains a lot and should last a while. However, you can also make your own puffed quinoa, with the recipe below. I used Natural Foods puffed quinoa.* If buying store bought, make sure to use the puffed quinoa that are very tiny pieces (no bigger than the size of uncooked quinoa). They are sometimes called quinoa crispies. There are some brands of puffed quinoa (like La Purita brand) that look more like round balls which are too big and not as crunchy and don't work well for this recipe.Â
- *These product links are affiliate links. This means I earn a commission from qualifying purchases.
- Homemade puffed quinoa:
- 1 cup raw quinoa
- Heat a 10-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat. Working in batches, add 3–4 tablespoons of quinoa in a single layer. Let cook for 1-2 minutes, shaking the pan constantly, until the quinoa starts to pop and puff. Once most of the grains are puffed and lightly golden, transfer to a bowl. Repeat with the remaining quinoa. Let the puffed quinoa cool completely to room temperature before using.
- The quinoa burns quickly, so it’s important to constantly be shaking and stirring the pan.
- It works better if you preheat your pan before adding the quinoa - they will start popping right away which helps avoid burning
- Estimated nutrition assumes 1 cup of chocolate used since you will likely have a little chocolate leftover.