Recipe Time: 5-Ingredient Chocolate Pecan Bars

Just like clothing styles, certain nuts seem to go in and out of fashion.

Take the pecan. It feels so 1980s. Pecan pie was a holiday favorite in my house growing up. And when we went out for ice cream, my mom always chose Pralines & Cream.

So what happened to the pecan? I’m not really sure. But my clients these days put walnuts on their oatmeal, snack on almonds or cashews and sprinkle various seeds onto salads.

I suggest you give pecans another try. I love them as a simple snack, or in recipes like the one below. These no-bake chocolate and pecan bars are perfect for a holiday gathering.

Pecans are high in healthy fats (adding to their decadent flavor), rich in fiber, offer a bit of protein and are a good source of vitamin B1, manganese, copper and zinc.

Adapted from Beamingbaker.com

Pecan Layer

• 5 or 6 Medjool dates, pitted and coarsley chopped

• ½ C almond butter

• 1 ½ C pecan halves, divided

• 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract

• ¼ tsp. salt (to taste, less if your pecans or nut butter contain salt)

Chocolate Layer

• ½ C dark chocolate chips

• ¼ C + 1 T almond butter

Topping

• ¼ C chopped pecans

Instructions

Line an 8-inch square baking pan with parchment paper. Set aside.

Make the pecan layer:

Add dates and almond butter to a food processor. Blend about 1 minute until sticky (like wet dough). Scrape down the sides of the bowl, as needed.

Add 1 C pecans, and the vanilla and salt. Blend until soft and crumbly. (It’s ready when you can pinch the mixture between your fingers and it holds together).

Add the remaining ½ C pecans. Pulse a few times until pecans are chopped, with medium-small pieces still visible.

Pour this mixture into the baking pan. Press down and smooth into a tightly-packed, even layer.

Make the chocolate layer:

Use the double boiler method or the following: In a medium, microwave-safe bowl, add all chocolate layer ingredients (1/2 C chocolate chips and ¼ C + 1 T almond butter). Heat in 20-second increments until melted. Stir until smooth.

Pour the chocolate mixture over the pecan bars. Use a rubber spatula to smooth into an even layer.

I like to lightly toast the remaining chopped pecans (1/4 C) before adding them into the chocolate (optional). After sprinkling the nuts into the chocolate, gently press them into the chocolate.

Freeze for 20-30 min. Then remove from freezer and slice into 16 bars.

Serve and enjoy!

(Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 1-2 weeks, and in the freezer up to 1 month.)