Just 6 ingredients come together to make one of our most popular treats! They’re sweet, with a perfect toasted coconut flavor. And – of course – chocolate.
You’ll notice these goodies are sweetened with dried dates. They’re a natural, whole fruit sweetener that offer sweetness, fiber and nutrients. If you’re new to cooking with dates, check out our popular date post.
When melting chocolate for treats such as these, we recommend Baker’s Unsweetened Baking Chocolate.
If you’re looking for something sweeter, its best to find a dairy-free brand and the higher percent of cocoa the better (aka less sugar). Here’s some dairy-free options:
- Green & Black’s
- Trader Joe’s semi-sweet chocolate chips
- Enjoy Life Dark Chocolate Morsels
- 70% and up of Lindt products (70%, 85%, 90% and 99% bars)
Plant-Based Samoa Bars
Ingredients
- 1 cup Dates pitted
- 1/4 cup Water
- 1 tsp Vanilla extract
- 1/4 tsp Salt
- 2 cup Coconut flakes unsweetened
- 1 1/2 cup Chocolate melted
Instructions
- Place the dates, water, vanilla, and salt in a food processor. Process until smooth, stopping to scrape down sides as needed.
- Spread coconut flakes out on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Toast in the oven at 300ºF for 5 to 10 minutes or until golden. Mix halfway through. **Keep an eye on the coconut as it can burn easily.
- Melt the chocolate in a double boiler on the stove top over medium heat. Reduce to low heat once the chocolate is entirely melted.
- Combine the processed date mixture and coconut in a mixing bowl.
- Spread mixture evenly on a parchment paper-lined baking pan. A 9x13" pan will yield thinner bars and an 8x8" pan will yield thicker bars. Either will work fine.
- Pour half of melted chocolate over entire pressed coconut/date mixture and spread evenly.
- Place the pan in the freezer for 30 minutes.
- Remove the pan from the freezer and flip. Use a spoon to drizzle the remaining chocolate over the top.
- Place the bars back in the freezer for 5 minutes.
- Remove from the freezer cut into 2x2 inch squares. Store finished bars in the freezer.
Notes
- Green & Black's
- Trader Joe's semi-sweet chocolate chips
- Enjoy Life semi-sweet chocolate
- 70% and up of Lindt products (70%, 85%, 90% and 99% bars)
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