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No-Bake Chocolate Pistachio Bars! Pistachio meets chocolate and sea salt in these decadent no-bake bars!
A gluten-free shortbread makes the base, topped with a pistachio layer and a creamy chocolate ganache. It’s chocolatey, nutty, salty, and chewy!
This 8-ingredient recipe couldn’t be easier. It’s no-bake and ready in just a few minutes (not counting the chilling time).
We start with the shortbread, which consists of oat flour and coconut flour combined with maple syrup, coconut oil, and vanilla. Coconut oil helps the shortbread harden, while the addition of maple syrup binds the flours together.
Then we have the pistachio layer that gives these bars their bright green color! To make it, simply process raw shelled pistachio with maple syrup in a food processor until you get a fine meal. At this step, you can add a teaspoon of matcha if you like it or a teaspoon of lemon juice for lemon pistachio bars!
If you have trouble processing the pistachios, feel free to add half a teaspoon of coconut oil. It’s not mandatory, though. I tried without it, and it worked just as well since pistachios are naturally oily.
Finally, we have the chocolate ganache on top. That is just the icing on the cake. Because you know, pistachio + chocolate + salt is one of the best combinations ever.
The ganache requires just two ingredients: almond milk and dark chocolate. You heat the almond milk until hot and then pour it over the dark chocolate chips. Wait a minute before whisking to mix the milk with the melted chocolate. Spread on top of the pistachio layer and refrigerate. We are now ready to cut it into small squares!
These little squares of goodness are the perfect treat to have with your coffee, tea, or just as a snack!
Let me know in the comments if you try this recipe!
No-Bake Chocolate Pistachio Bars
Ingredients
Shortbread
- 3/4 cup oat flour
- 1/4 cup coconut flour
- 3 tbsp maple syrup
- 2 tbsp coconut oil at room temperature
- 1/4 tsp vanilla extract
Pistachio Layer
- 2/3 cup raw pistachios shelled
- 1 tbsp maple syrup
- 1/8 tsp sea salt or more to taste
Chocolate Ganache
- 1/4 cup dark chocolate chips
- 3 tbsp almond milk
Instructions
- Line a 4×7-inch baking dish with parchment paper and set aside.
- In a mixing bowl, combine the oat flour with the coconut flour. Stir in the maple syrup, coconut oil, and vanilla, and mix until well combined. You should get a soft dough. Press the dough into the baking dish. Top with another layer of parchment paper and press it down firmly using the bottom of a glass. Transfer to the refrigerator while you prepare the pistachio layer.
- Add the pistachios, maple syrup, and salt to a food processor and process for 20-30 seconds, or until it has the texture of almond meal. The mixture should be slightly sticky and hold together if you try to shape it into a ball.
- Transfer the pistachio mixture into the baking dish, on top of the oat shortbread. Press it firmly into an even layer and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
- To make the chocolate ganache, place the chocolate chips (or chopped dark chocolate) in a small bowl, set aside. Heat the almond milk over medium heat in a small saucepan until hot. Pour the hot almond milk into the chocolate chip bowl and let it sit one minute. Next, whisk until the chocolate is melted and fully combined with the milk.
- Pour the ganache on top of the pistachio layer and spread it into an even layer. Refrigerate for another hour before cutting into squares.
- Pistachio squares will keep in the refrigerator for up to 7 days.
Nutrition
About the Author
Thomas Pagot is the founder, photographer, and recipe developer behind Full of Plants. He created the blog in 2016 as a personal cookbook for vegan recipes. Through years of recipe development, Thomas has successfully grown Full of Plants into a trusted resource for plant-based recipes.
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Great work Thomas ! Again 🙂
Thanks!!
These bars are SO good! Thanks for an excellent recipe, it’s a keeper.
Glad you like it Vaishali! 🙂
These aren’t vegan unless you use vegan chocolate. Ordinary dark chocolate is a dairy product.
Thanks for your input!
Hi Thomas!
I’d really liked your recipe!
Could I replace pistachios with pumpkin seeds flour? Thank you
Hi, I think it should work but you may have to adjust a bit the liquid ingredients.
Hi! The recipe looks delicious. I was wondering if I can use 1 cup of oats flour instead of 3/4 oats and 1/4 coconut flour. And can I use olive oil instead of coconut oil? Will it give a move savoury taste to it?
Thank you!
I think you may have to adjust the amount of oat flour, maybe a bit more than 1 cup. Regarding the olive oil I would not recommend it as coconut oil helps make the bars firmer.
Both tasty and pretty. so easy to make.
Thanks, Thomas, for another creative recipe
Glad to hear you liked these bars Sara! 🙂
Thanks for your feedback!
Hi Thomas-
is the calorie count for the whole bar? or did you mean a square?
Let me know!
Hi Chanelle,
I wish it was! 🙂 It is for one square.
Very nice i love this
Thanks!
I really liked this recipe! I was looking for a vegan dessert that’s a little different from my usual chocolate cake or chocolate-chip cookie and had all the ingredients for this. It came together easily and it’s a pretty cookie. The shortbread bottom is a bit dry, but maybe it will get more moist when I store it in a plastic container. I topped the ganache with roasted coconut flakes.
Thanks for your feedback Andrea! 🙂 Glad to hear your liked these bars!
I think I only have a circular pan of the size listed in the recipe. Because of this, I’m wondering if I would be able to use a cookie cutter to cut bars into shapes?
You can use a circular pan, but I would cut using a knife. Using a cookie cutter is possible but you might end up with a lot of “crumbs”.
The bars look delicious. Do you blanche and peel the skin from the pistachios to get the lovely bright green color. I have never gotten pistachio paste to look so vibrant. Thanks,
I bought pistachios directly without the skin 🙂
oh my god!!!! its amazing, i just made it, its so so yummy!! thank you so much for the recipe.
i made ganache with coconut cream and dark 80% chocolate
Glad you liked it Julia!
These look delicious. I don’t have any chocolate in the house, so I’m thinking about topping them with a date caramel paste. Do you think that flavour combo would work and would it make them too sweet overall?
I think it will make it a bit too sweet, and you might even have trouble spreading the date caramel on the layer of pistachios.
How can you have 18 squares with a 4X7 pan?
That’s a bread loaf pan.
As you can see on the photos, I cut them into small squares of about 1.5-inch.