Description

Delicious and nutritious Dark Chocolate and Sea Salt Nut Bars featuring a perfect blend of crunchy nuts, hearty oats, and smooth dark chocolate. These bars are sweetened naturally with honey or maple syrup and finished with a touch of sea salt, making them an ideal snack for energy and indulgence.

Ingredients

Scale

Nuts and Dry Ingredients

1 cup mixed nuts (almonds, cashews, pecans)
1 cup rolled oats
1/2 teaspoon sea salt (plus extra for topping)

Wet Ingredients

1/2 cup honey or maple syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons coconut oil

Chocolate

1 cup dark chocolate chips (70% cocoa)

Instructions

Preheat and Prepare Pan: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line an 8×8-inch baking dish with parchment paper to prevent sticking and for easier removal.
Melt Chocolate and Coconut Oil: In a microwave-safe bowl, combine dark chocolate chips and coconut oil. Microwave in short intervals, stirring in between, until smooth and fully melted.
Mix Ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, add the mixed nuts, rolled oats, honey or maple syrup, vanilla extract, and half of the melted chocolate mixture. Stir thoroughly to coat all dry ingredients evenly with the chocolate and wet ingredients.
Press Mixture into Pan: Transfer the mixture to the prepared baking dish, pressing down firmly to create an even layer. This ensures the bars hold together well once baked.
Drizzle with Remaining Chocolate: Drizzle the remaining melted chocolate over the top in a decorative pattern to add extra chocolate flavor and visual appeal.
Bake: Place the pan in the oven and bake for 15-20 minutes until the bars turn golden brown and set.
Add Sea Salt: Immediately after removing from the oven, sprinkle the bars with additional sea salt while still warm to enhance the flavor balance.
Cool and Slice: Allow the bars to cool completely in the pan to firm up. Once cooled, lift them out using the parchment paper and cut into squares for serving.

Notes

For a vegan version, use maple syrup instead of honey.
You can customize the nuts to your preference or use seeds for variety.
Store the bars in an airtight container at room temperature for up to one week or refrigerate for longer freshness.
If you prefer a less sweet bar, reduce the honey or maple syrup to 1/3 cup.
Adding a pinch of cinnamon or chili powder in the mix can add an interesting flavor twist.

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Category: Snack
Method: Baking
Cuisine: American

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 bar (assuming 9 bars from recipe)
Calories: 230
Sugar: 12g
Sodium: 55mg
Fat: 16g
Saturated Fat: 7g
Unsaturated Fat: 8g
Trans Fat: 0g
Carbohydrates: 18g
Fiber: 3g
Protein: 5g
Cholesterol: 0mg

Keywords: dark chocolate nut bars, sea salt bars, healthy snack bars, homemade granola bars, gluten free snacks, energy bars, chocolate nut bars