Ingredients

For the crust:

▪ 1½ cup rolled oats

▪ ½ cup almond flour

▪ ½ cup raw almonds

▪ ¼ tsp. salt

▪ 3 Tbsp. brown rice syrup*

▪ 2 Tbsp. coconut oil, melted

For the filling:

▪ 1 cup dates, pitted and roughly chopped

▪ ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder

▪ 2 - 4 Tbsp. water**

Instructions

1 Line an 8x8 baking pan with a sheet of aluminum foil, leaving a few inches of overhang on the sides to allow for easy removal. Set aside.

2 In a food processor, process oats, almond flour, almonds, and salt until the oats and almonds have broken down and the mixture resembles a rough crumble. Add brown rice syrup and coconut oil, and continue processing until all the ingredients are well incorporated and the dough begins to stick together.

3 Reserving ½ cup of the oat mixture, transfer the remaining dough into your prepared baking pan, using your fingers or a spatula to ensure that it is pressed down firmly and evenly.

4 To make the filling, add the dates, cocoa powder, and water to the now empty food processor, and process until the dates have broken down into a paste. Stop and scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed, and add a splash of water if the mixture is being stubborn. You don't want to add too much, though, since you want the paste to be quite thick.

When you're happy with the consistency, transfer the date fudge to the baking pan and use a spatula that's been sprayed with cooking spray to spread it evenly over the oat mixture. Sprinkle the reserved dough over the top and gently press it down with your fingers. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour before cutting into bars. Store bars in an airtight container in the fridge.