No-Bake Nutella Fudge Bars (Vegan & Gluten-Free)

🥘 Ingredients

• raw hazelnuts 1 ½ cup
• rolled oats 1 ¼ cup
• packed cup soft Medjool dates 7 oz
• raw cacao powder or unsweetened cocoa powder 0.33 cup
• fine sea salt ½ tsp
• pure vanilla extract 2 tsp
• coconut oil 2 tbsp
• pure maple syrup 0.33 cup
• raw cacao nibs 4 tbsp
• vegan chocolate chips or chopped dairy-free dark chocolate ½ cup
• Flaky sea salt for topping

1. 1

   Gather: raw hazelnuts , rolled oats , packed cup soft Medjool dates , raw cacao powder or unsweetened cocoa powder , fine sea salt , pure vanilla extract , coconut oil , pure maple syrup , raw cacao nibs , vegan chocolate chips or chopped dairy-free dark chocolate , Flaky sea salt for topping .
2. 2

   Roast the hazelnuts. Preheat the oven to 350°F / 175°C. Place the hazelnuts on a rimmed sheet pan and spread out evenly. Roast in the oven for 10-15 minutes , or until browned and very fragrant.
3. 3

   While the hazelnuts are roasting. Line an 8x4-inch (20x10 cm) or 9×5-inch (23×13 cm) loaf pan with parchment paper, letting the excess hang over the long sides to form a sling. If the Medjool dates are not very soft, cover them with hot water for 5 minutes , then drain and pat dry. Place the oats in the bowl of the food processor and pulverize them until you have a very fine oat flour. Remove the oat flour and set aside.
4. 4

   Peel the hazelnuts. When the hazelnuts are done roasting, add them to a clean kitchen towel and wrap tightly into a ball. Let them sit wrapped for 1 minutes to steam, then rub the towel vigorously to remove the hazelnut skins. It will take a few times, but it’s not necessary to remove all the skins.
5. 5

   Place the hazelnuts in the food processor and blend until you have a finely ground meal, but don’t blend too long, or it will start to turn into hazelnut butter.
6. 6

   Make the dough. Return the oat flour back to the food processor, along with the pitted dates, cacao powder, salt, vanilla, coconut oil, and maple syrup. Process until you have a sticky dough that you can press together with your fingers. If using cacao nibs, stir them in by hand with a silicone spatula or your hands (remove the blade from the food processor to make this easy, or transfer the dough to a bowl).
7. 7

   Spread the dough out into the prepared pan and smooth the top out evenly, pressing all the way into corners using your fingers or a flat-bottomed steel cup to get the mixture even on top. Place the pan in the freezer for 30 minutes (or longer) to set.
8. 8

   Before removing from the freezer, melt the chocolate. Double boiler method: Add a few inches of water to a saucepan and bring to a simmer. Nestle a large heatproof glass bowl that sits on top of the saucepan without touching the water to create a double boiler. Once the water is simmering, add the vegan chocolate chips or chopped dark chocolate to the bowl. Whisk frequently with a spatula until the mixture is just melted. Microwave method: Add the chocolate to a microwave-safe bowl and microwave on high in 25 to 30-second intervals until the chocolate is almost melted (about 3 intervals). Use a spoon to stir the chocolate until it is melted.
9. 9

   Drizzle the melted chocolate over the cold Nutella dough and lightly sprinkle with flaky sea salt. If the chocolate doesn’t immediately harden, return it to the freezer for 5-10 minutes to set, then slice into 8 thick bar or into smaller squares. Store leftovers in the freezer (they’ll stay good for several weeks).