Paleo Bars with Nuts and Chocolate Drizzle
Paleo Bars with Nuts and Chocolate Drizzle: A healthy back to school snack that is crunchy and sweet. Plus, Gluten Free, Paleo, and Vegan!
Back to School
Let’s talk about these delicious Paleo Bars but first… Back to school.
I’d like to tell you I’m currently sad to see my kids go back to school. But I’d be lying.
Every spring, I wait with anticipation for school to be out. I’m eager to travel with the family and make the most of the beautiful scenery in our lush green mountains. I’m ready to cart my babies to the pool, make lemonade and popsicles over and over, and create summertime memories we won’t forget.
Healthy School Snacks
However, two to three weeks before school is back in session, inevitably, the kids start getting antsy. Irritable. Ready for change. Ready to be away from their sibling for some portion of the day.
The moment this altered-attitude occurs, I am ready for them to head back to school as well. I can’t stand bickering and feel we will all appreciate each other so much more after a few hours of separation.
So now my babies are off with their books. They come home each day exhausted from mental challenges and sports, and much more tolerant of each other.
Isn’t school great?!?
While they are away, of course, I miss them again. I’ve been working on tasty and healthy lunchbox treats and after-school snacks so they taste a little bit of love when they come home.
Best Paleo Bars
I’ve made healthy granola bars, energy bars, and energy balls plenty of times before. However, my latest Paleo Bar Recipe with Chocolate Drizzle is a real winner, because it’s made solely out of nuts, Wholesome!™ organic, non-GMO sweeteners, and a little spice.
That means each snack bar is:
- paleo
- gluten-free
- dairy-free
- vegan
So unless you’re dealing with a nut allergy, these bars are perfect for everyone!
Sweet and Crunchy Nut Bar
Both of my kids LOVE this Nut Bar Recipe with Chocolate Drizzle. Carson happens to be in a nut-free classroom this year, but he has been taking them to school to enjoy at lunchtime nevertheless. (Far away from the nut-free table.)
The reason they love them so much is that these Paleo Bars with Chocolate Drizzle are sweet and super crunchy.
Wholesome! Organic Products
The secret to the sticky syrup that flavors and holds the bars together is the right combination of Wholesome!™ Organic Coconut Palm Sugar and Wholesome!™ Organic Blue Agave. Both sweeteners are unprocessed, non-GMO, and paleo/vegan-friendly.
Once the coconut sugar melts into the agave, it creates a sticky base for the bars that will harden enough to form the bars, yet isn’t tough on your teeth. A touch of vanilla, salt, and cinnamon give these snack bars extra oomph, making them hard to resist.
How to Make Paleo Bars
-
Preheat the oven and line a 9×13-inch baking dish with parchment paper. Set aside. In a large bowl, mix the cashews, almonds, pecans, walnuts, and pepitas.
-
Pour the Wholesome!™ Coconut Palm Sugar, Agave, vanilla extract, sea salt, and cinnamon in a large sauce pot. Bring to a simmer and stir to dissolve the sugar. The moment the sugar is completely melted, and the edges are bubbling, turn off the heat and pour in the nuts. Quickly mix the nuts into the syrup with a wooden spoon, until they are completely coated. Pour the nut mixture out onto the prepared baking sheet. Use a piece of wax paper to press the mixture firmly together.
Baking
-
Bake the nut bars on the center rack until the tops are golden. Then (this is the hard part) allow the nut bars to cool for at least 45 minutes in the pan.
-
Lift the whole pan of nut bars out of the pan, by the edges of the parchment paper. Cut into 24 bars. Spread the bars apart.
Chocolate Drizzle
You can enjoy these nut bars as-is, or drizzle the tops with a little dark chocolate. Either way, our Paleo Bars with Nuts and a Chocolate Drizzle is a new family favorite.
- Break a bar of dark chocolate into pieces and place over a double-boiler to melt. Once melted, pour the chocolate into a plastic bag.
- Snip off a tiny portion of the corner, and pipe the chocolate over the bars. Allow the chocolate to dry before wrapping.
- Store in an air-tight container at room temperature for 1 week, or in the fridge for up to a month.
For easy lunchbox treats, wrap them individually and keep them in the freezer. That way, they’ll keep a long time and cool the rest of the lunchbox items as they thaw.
Helpful Tip for Paleo Bars
Buying nuts can be expensive, so you should buy them in bulk if possible. And remember, this recipe makes 24 bars. Compare that to the $2-3 a piece for store-bought nut bars and the recipe ingredients are a bargain!
If you don’t like a particular nut, feel free to make substitutions. Just be sure to have 3 cups whole nuts and 3 cups of small nut pieces, so they hold together well.
Why not try them out on your kids? Or make them as a healthy snack, just for you!!
See The Recipe Card Below For How To Make Paleo Bars with Chocolate Drizzle. Enjoy!
Looking for More Back to School Recipes? Check these out!
- Lunch Box Ideas
- Healthy Baked Carrot Chips
- Homemade Trail Mix Valentine Snack
- Sausage Roll Crazy Bread
- Homemade Tzatziki Sauce with Veggies
- 3-Ingredient Cracker Jack Fudge
- Perfect Tamale Pie
- Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies
- Cheesy Lunchbox Poppers
- Back to School Lunch Ideas from Lauren’s Latest
Paleo Bars with Nuts and Chocolate Drizzle
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups whole raw cashews
- 1 1/2 cups whole raw almonds
- 1 cup chopped raw pecans
- 1 cup chopped raw walnuts
- 1 cup raw pepitas pumpkin seeds
- 1 cup Wholesome!™ Organic Coconut Palm Sugar
- 1/3 cup Wholesome!™ Organic Blue Agave
- 1 tablespoon organic vanilla extract
- 2 teaspoons sea salt
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 4 ounces organic 80% dark chocolate optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F, and line a 9x13-inch baking dish with parchment paper. Set aside. In a large bowl, mix the cashews, almonds, pecans, walnuts, and pepitas.
- Pour the Wholesome!™ Coconut Palm Sugar, Agave, vanilla extract, sea salt, and cinnamon in a large sauce pot. Bring to a simmer and stir to dissolve the sugar. The moment the sugar is completely melted, and the edges are bubbling, turn off the heat and pour in the nuts. Quickly mix the nuts into the syrup with a wooden spoon, until they are completely coated. Pour the nut mixture out onto the prepared baking sheet. Use a piece of wax paper to press the mixture firmly together.
- Bake the nut bars on the center rack for approximately 20 minutes until the tops are golden. Then (this is the hard part) allow the nut bars to cool for at least 45 minutes in the pan.
- Lift the whole pan of nut bars out of the pan, by the edges of the parchment paper. Cut into 24 bars. Spread the bars apart. Break one 4 ounce bar of dark chocolate into pieces and place over a double-boiler to melt. Once melted, pour the chocolate into a plastic bag. Snip off a tiny portion of the corner, and pipe the chocolate over the bars. Allow the chocolate to dry before wrapping. Store in an air-tight container at room temperature for 1 week, or in the fridge for up to a month.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Wholesome!™ Sweeteners. All sugary-sweet opinions are my own.
Do.you think honey or maple syrup could be used in place of the agave? Should it make much difference?
Hi B,
Agave and maple syrup have a similar consistency and stickiness. I haven’t tried the recipe with maple syrup, but it should work!
Absolute favorite in my household!!
Pingback: 61 Healthy Breakfast Ideas – Best Breakfast Foods For Weight Loss | Good Health is Greatest Achievement
Pingback: 61 Healthy Breakfast Ideas – Best Breakfast Foods For Weight Loss – Weight loss nutrition
Pingback: 61 Healthy Breakfast Ideas – Best Breakfast Foods For Weight Loss – Health Fitness Food
Pingback: 61 Healthy Breakfast Ideas – Best Breakfast Foods For Weight Loss – Healthy Food
Pingback: Salted Chocolate Nutty Bars | Garden in the Kitchen