• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • My Utensil Crock Logo
  • Home
  • Recipes
  • Menu Ideas
  • Cooking Club
    • Cooking Club Themes
    • Cooking Club {Favorite Recipes}
  • Cooking Classes
  • eBook
    • Think Like a Lawyer, Blog Like a Pro
    • Legal Terms Bloggers Should Know
  • About
    • About Me
    • About the Ingredients
    • About the Pictures
    • About the Recipes
    • About My Utensil Crock {Tech + Legal}
  • Contact

My Utensil Crock

organizing my most useful kitchen tools

  • Recipes
  • Menu Ideas
  • Cooking Club
    • Cooking Club Themes
    • Cooking Club {Favorite Recipes}
  • Cooking Classes
  • eBook
    • Think Like a Lawyer, Blog Like a Pro
    • Legal Terms Bloggers Should Know
  • About
    • About Me
    • About the Ingredients
    • About the Pictures
    • About the Recipes
    • About My Utensil Crock {Tech + Legal}
  • Contact
    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter

04.24.2018

Coconut Cashew Date Snack Bars {No-Bake}

Coconut Cashew Date Bars ~ by My Utensil Crock

In January, I looked at a 4-pound bag of Domino’s sugar and had a moment of terror. I bake a lot. This, you know. Recipes for baked treats usually have at least a cup of sugar in them, if not two or more. I go through that 4-pound bag in no time at all.

I was not at all ready for a January cleanse of any sort, but I decided that in February, I would go refined-sugar-free for the month.

And yes, selecting the shortest month was completely intentional.

Coconut Cashew Date Bars ~ by My Utensil Crock

I didn’t want to cut out natural sugars like fruit or skim milk – and I am not the type to turn down an occasional piece of birthday cake. I mean, I wasn’t going on a month-long jerk spree. I just wanted to be more intentional about my choices.

Coconut Cashew Date Bars ~ by My Utensil Crock

My friend AWP hosted Cooking Club in January, with a Whole30 theme (Hostess: AWP; Theme: What is your New Year’s Resolution?; Date: 01.28/18).  And although the full-Whole30-shebang is too extreme for me, I don’t turn down wonderful recipes, which AWP always finds for her menus. Which is what this is.

Coconut Cashew Date Bars ~ by My Utensil Crock

Is combining and chopping up three things a “recipe”? Don’t know. But you should try it.

I have heard at various times about making date-bar snacks using a food processor. It just never struck my fancy enough to try out, and it sounded like a mess to clean up.

Well guess what. My fancy has been smacked over the head, and my food processor is just fine.

This recipe is a lot more forgiving than I would have guessed it could be. I have made this more than 5 times now, sometimes making half a batch, sometimes guessing on the dates, and it has turned out well every time (maybe a little different texture, but always great).

Here is what you may expect when you combine dates, cashews, and coconut in your food processor, and how to go from three distinct ingredients to one delicious snack:

1. This is just pretty. Coconut Cashew Date Bars ~ by My Utensil Crock

2. After a few pulses, the dates and cashews start to break up.Coconut Cashew Date Bars ~ by My Utensil Crock

3. After a minute or two, you will be getting somewhere.

Coconut Cashew Date Bars ~ by My Utensil Crock4. When it starts to adhere into chunks or one large ball, you are basically there.

Coconut Cashew Date Bars ~ by My Utensil Crock

5. If you are not sure, pick up a bit and pinch it. If it sticks together, you are ready to make your bars.

Coconut Cashew Date Bars ~ by My Utensil Crock6. Be warned: It literally might form into one giant ball. This happened (pictured below) when I used medjool dates – but not when I used noor dates. My guess is medjool dates are meatier and have a higher ratio of sticky, inside date, to outside, drier skin date. This is a super-technical description of my hypothesis.

Coconut Cashew Date Bars ~ by My Utensil Crock

7. Then, I like to lay out a large piece of parchment paper and pour the mixture on top. I tried this with wax paper, and it didn’t work out as well. The natural grease soaked right through it (I know – weird). But parchment works well.

Coconut Cashew Date Bars ~ by My Utensil Crock

8. I then fold the parchment paper over the pile, and press down with my hands. To get straight edges, make sure you are pressing into a fold of the parchment paper, like below.

Coconut Cashew Date Bars ~ by My Utensil Crock

9. **Then you want to refrigerate the enormous bar you have made, whole. This will make it easier to cut.** (not pictured) It only needs about 15-20 minutes in the refrigerator, but you can leave it in for as long as is convenient for you. When you are ready to cut, do so with a large chef’s knife (on a cutting board). You can leave the bars on the parchment paper for this. And you can also snack on the less-perfect edges.

Coconut Cashew Date Bars ~ by My Utensil Crock10. The finished bars need to be stored in the refrigerator and will last a long while (if you don’t eat them super fast, which you might). They pack easily and are great for hikes, work snacks, or pre-dog-walk-shove-food-in-mouth-after-work-pre-dinner-snack. You know I’m always looking for those. They are very sweet, and a little heavy when you think about the ingredients. I like to cut them into smaller squares rather than powerbar-shaped rectangles, with the hopes that I will just have one for a quick snack (…but usually have two or three), but you can literally do whatever you want. Always. I will never stop you. Ready for the fridge:

Coconut Cashew Date Bars ~ by My Utensil CrockThese were a great staple for me to have in my fridge during my no-refined-sugar February, and have stood the test of time and stayed in my rotation. Don’t get me wrong – dates have a decent amount of natural sugar, and cashews and coconut are not low in fat at all – but it’s all natural, with no added anything, which felt good to me. You can keep these ingredients on-hand (my fave!) and always be ready to make this easy recipe.

Coconut Cashew Date Bars
 
Print
Prep time
5 mins
Total time
5 mins
 
Three ingredients + two minutes in the food processor = one perfect and natural snack. Great for special-allergy-needs (except nut allergies!).
Author: myutensilcrock.com
Recipe type: Snack, Breakfast
Serves: Varies
Ingredients
  • 1.5 - 2 cups pitted dates (i.e. pits removed)*
  • .75 cup shredded unsweetened coconut
  • ⅔ cup raw unsalted cashews
Instructions
  1. Combine all ingredients in a food processor bowl**, distributing them evenly as possible to give it a good head-start.
  2. Pulse the food processor a few times, holding on to the base (the dates are hard for the processor to get started on, but they will break up soon).
  3. Continue to pulse, or process on low, for a minute or two. The motor will have to work pretty hard, so you may want to give it a break after 30-45 seconds.
  4. The ingredients will chop up finely and then start to blend together. When they start to adhere to each other, you are almost there.
  5. The mixture may form into one big ball. That's great! If it looks like that may not happen, try pinching some and see if it sticks together. If it does, you are good to go.
  6. Pour the mixture onto a large piece of parchment paper. pat it down firmly until it it about .25" thick, using part of the same parchment paper or a second piece.
  7. Refrigerate the pressed mixture for 15-20 minutes (or longer - no rush!).
  8. Place the slab on a cutting board, and cut as desired. I like squares, but you may prefer larger rectangles.
  9. Store in the refrigerator in an airtight container. You may wish to separate the finished pieces with parchment paper so they don't stick to each other.
  10. Enjoy for quick snacks or breakfast on the go!
Notes
* In my experience, "medjool" dates are a bit moister (/better tasting), but come with the pits inside - and you need to get them out. This only takes a few minutes with a paring knife, but some find this task less than desirable. You can usually find "noor" dates with the pits already removed. I have found them in 10oz packages, which you can literally toss straight in the food processor with your cashews and coconut, and be done in two minutes.

For more info on pitting dates, check out this information (look just below the large photo of the date in my fingers).

** Although many recipes can be made in either a food processor or blender, I have not tried this one in a blender and think that the shape of the blender bowl and length of the blades probably won't work for this recipe the way that a food processor will.
3.4.3177

Adapted from: https://www.thebewitchinkitchen.com/coconut-cashew-bars/ 

If you liked this post, I recommend:

  • Oat Flour Pancakes with Fresh Roasted Berry SyrupOat Flour Pancakes with Fresh Roasted Berry Syrup
  • Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Greek YogurtChocolate Chip Peanut Butter Greek Yogurt
  • Fave: Food ProcessorFave: Food Processor
  • Fiesta MuffinsFiesta Muffins
  • How to: Make Pumpkin PureeHow to: Make Pumpkin Puree
  • Lentil Cilantro Soup {Easy + Healthy}Lentil Cilantro Soup {Easy + Healthy}
  • Print
  • Email
  • Tweet

Posted In: Breakfast + Brunch, Recipe, Snacks

Reader Interactions

Tell me what you think! Cancel reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Primary Sidebar

I love healthy food, but I love it more when it doesn’t taste like healthy food. Best of both worlds! Click around to find some of my tried and true staples - and new recipes too, whether my own ideas, inspired by other blogs, torn from the pages of a magazine, or passed through friends or family. Learn more about me and My Utensil Crock HERE.

– Chicken Noodle Soup
– Banana Cookies
– Chocolate Cake with Chocolate Buttercream Frosting
– 20-minute Breakfast Platter
– Easy Homemade Meatballs

Join Me!

Follow My Utensil Crock

  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
Buy Think Like a Lawyer NOW!

My Latest Pins

  • Ga’s Easy Blueberry Coffee Cake
  • Ga’s Easy Blueberry Coffee Cake
  • One-Pot Stovetop Lasagna Ragu with Sweet Italian Chicken Sausage
  • One-Pot Stovetop Lasagna Ragu with Sweet Italian Chicken Sausage
  • Ga’s Brownies
  • Ga’s Brownies
Follow Me on Pinterest

Footer Widget Header

Subscribe by email to receive posts, recipes, and tips straight to your inbox!

Footer

Connect with Me

  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter

Search This Site

Archives

Whirlwind week in Miami for work (aren’t all wor Whirlwind week in Miami for work (aren’t all work trips whirlwinds?) but got to sneak in lunch at @casatuacucina before heading to the airport 👌🏻
🚨Fun night alert🚨 @uvalaw #uvalaw20threunion 🚨Fun night alert🚨 @uvalaw #uvalaw20threunion #firstgusburger
Gas station sandwiches. IYKYK. Gas station sandwiches. IYKYK.
20th @uvalaw reunion weekend begins! Cheers! 20th @uvalaw reunion weekend begins! Cheers!
Savory smoothies to shake things up. Savory smoothies to shake things up.
An afternoon tea ☕️ for cooking club this mont An afternoon tea ☕️ for cooking club this month
“23 hours in Dallas” @hardeightbbq “23 hours in Dallas” @hardeightbbq
Cakesicles and chocolate covered pretzels by @suga Cakesicles and chocolate covered pretzels by @sugarydreamsbymel - she can make anything you can think of. If you are within driving distance of Silver Spring, check it out. I was looking for something special for an engagement party I hosted and this was just what we needed ✨
Quick and dirty pic of made from scratch gumbo and Quick and dirty pic of made from scratch gumbo and dirty rice with bacon.
A rare crossover post with @housenotions - I fired A rare crossover post with @housenotions - I fired up the @bluestarcooking charbroiler today and grilled yogurt-marinated chicken breast. I slice them in half (thickness) to make sure they get the perfect ratio of char and are actually cooked inside.
Follow on Instagram

Copyright © 2012 - 2020 · My Utensil Crock, LLC · Blog Design by Little Blue Deer
Privacy Policy

loading Cancel
Post was not sent - check your email addresses!
Email check failed, please try again
Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email.