I think I may have fallen slightly in love with my food processor. What started out as a hesitant attempt to use my new kitchen gadget has quickly become my go-to for just about everything. From healthy brownies to orange cakes, it seems that I am incapable of writing a recipe without sneakily whirring a few almonds or pureeing a few satsumas in this magical machine of mine.

Before you chastise me for breaking my handmade baking ethos yet again, I offer up a plate of these beautiful no-bake cookie bars with pleading, Puss in Boots eyes in order for you to consider adding one to your kitchen gadgetry. Another case of pure kitchen magic, these bars are made with no butter, sugar, eggs or flour, yet retain that sweet, crumbly bite that can be found in a simple oatmeal cookie.

I made these cookie bars for my bake club this month, as the theme was *all natural ingredients*. While some went down the ‘butter is natural, right?’ road, I as usual took it all too literally and went a bit raw diet/clean eating on the group. Just like when someone asks me to ‘just bake a cake’, I will still be smoothing the ganache at 1am to make it is just right. Like the baking freak I am.

Tweaked slightly from Shutterbean’s recipe, I swapped the cashews for almonds to give these bars a real punch of flavour. I also switched up the maple syrup for honey for a sweeter stickiness but kept those all-important dark chocolate chunks with a good pinch of Cornish salt. Although baking without eggs and flour can seems a little challenging, this recipe took less than 10 minutes to make before the mix chills out in the fridge for a few hours. I seem to say it a lot these days, but it really is like baking magic. I think my food processor is fast becoming my favourite kitchen toy.

Adapted slightly from Shutterbean

You Will Need

240g whole almonds

20g rolled oats

3 tbsp honey

¼ tsp cinnamon

Pinch grated nutmeg

90g Deglet Nour dates, pitted

Pinch of fine sea salt

60g walnuts, chopped

50g 70% dark chocolate, chopped

Line a 7 x 7 square tin with baking parchment and set aside. In a food processor, whizz together the almonds and the oats to a fine powder for around 30 to 60 seconds. Add the honey, cinnamon, nutmeg, dates and salt then whizz again to a dough that clumps together when squeezed in your hand.

Add the walnuts and chocolate and pulse briefly to mix through then scoop the dough into your prepared tin. Press down into an even layer with your knuckles or the back of a spoon until smooth, then place the tin in the freezer for an hour or chill for four until your cookie bars are solid. Remove from the tin and slice into rectangles or squares. Keep chilled in an airtight container before serving.