Chocolate Chewy Bars

No nuts, no gluten, no eggs, no dairy. Buying products that meet these requires can be quite expensive. I occasionally buy my girls the Enjoy Life Cocoa Loco Baked Chewy Bar for their school lunches. However, at $4.99 for 5 bars can make lunch quickly become expensive.

Here is a version that I find pretty similar. However, let me tell you, it is much harder to replicate a recipe than try to make your own. This bar took several attempts to get right. My family and extended family have been eating my flops all week. I must also warn you that the xanthan gum is not optional. Otherwise, the bars will turn out to be a crumbly mess. Just 1 tsp is all you need for magic!

These bars are almost a brownie, but are chewier and not as sweet. The more I eat them, the more I love them.

*If you are using medjool dates, you don’t need to soak the dates beforehand. If using another type of date, soak them for 1/2 hour in warm water before trying to puree.

MAKES ONE 9×9 pan

INGREDIENTS
– 1 flax egg (2 tablespoons ground flax seed, 3 tablespoons water)
– 3/4 cup white rice flour
– 1/4 cup buckwheat flour
– 1 tablespoon organic cane sugar
– 1 tablespoon organic coconut sugar
– 1/2 cup cocoa powder
– 1 tablespoon potato starch
– 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
– 1 teaspoon xanthan gum
– pinch of salt
– 3 tablespoons date puree (1/4 cup pureed)
– 1/2 cup brown rice syrup
– 1/3 cup sunflower butter
– 1/3 cup chocolate chips, melted
– 1/4 cup coconut oil, melted

DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat oven to 350F.  Line a 9×9 pan with parchment paper.  Make sure that the parchment paper goes up the sides too so that you can easily remove the bars.
2. Prepare your flax egg by mixing the water and flax.  Set aside.
3. Mix all of your dry ingredients together in one bowl.
4.  Make your date puree by blending your dates in a food processor.
5. Mix together your wet ingredients in another bowl (flax egg, dates, sunflower butter, vanilla, rice syrup, melted coconut oil, and melted chocolate chips).
NOTE: you can melt the chocolate chips in the microwave on high for a minute.  Do not overheat or the chocolate chips will harden.
6. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix well.  It will be thick.
7. Scoop mixture into prepared pan and spread using wet hands. Bake at 350 for 14 minutes.
8. Let bars sit in pan for 10 minutes to cool.  Then remove to cooling rack and let cool completely before cutting.