4 Ingredient Chocolate Candy Bar Bark
This healthier chocolate candy bar bark has all the flavors and textures of traditional candy bars but is made with healthier ingredients. You only need 4 ingredients and no flour, eggs, refined sugar, dairy, butter or oil is needed.
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.
- *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.
Serving: 1piece, Calories: 164kcal, Carbohydrates: 27g, Protein: 2g, Fat: 6g, Saturated Fat: 3g, Sodium: 12mg, Fiber: 3g, Sugar: 20g, NET CARBS: 24
The nutrition information provided are only estimates based on an online nutritional calculator. This is not a comprehensive list of all the nutrients in the recipe (i.e., does not include vitamins, cholesterol, etc). I am not a certified nutritionist. Please consult a nutritionist or doctor for accurate information and any dietary restrictions and concerns you may have.
Did you make this recipe?Please leave a star rating and review below!