Healthy Date Muesli Slice with seeds and dark chocolate (Nut Free, Dairy Free, Refined Sugar Free)
My boys are growing.
Bottomless pits.
Devouring all that is in their path. A practice run I suppose to the dreaded teenage hoovers I’ve heard whispered about.
And so every day I bake something for them. Scrolls, muffins of all kinds, usually with some form of vegetable tucked inconspicuously in there and topped with a faux icing made from avocados. They don’t ask and I don’t tell.
For the last few weeks I have been perfecting a healthy muesli slice. One that ticks a lot of boxes without tasting like it’s trying too hard.
Nut free, Dairy free and Refine Sugar free and made with very little coconut oil but with all the deliciousness you could hope for. The sweetness comes from dates that are cooked down to a soft mush and 2 tablespoons of honey (or syrup of your choice) and that’s it. Filled with seeds of all kinds ticking an enormous amount of nutritional boxes, dried fruit (you could also omit this and add more seeds or nuts), oats or quinoa flake, spices, coconut and linseed meal. The texture is dense and firm like a muesli bar with a flavour that is balanced.
Feel free to omit the dark chocolate from the top but it does give the slice a wonderful finish and ties all the seeds, fruit and spices together. Also feel free to substitute with a faux chocolate topping made from cacao, coconut oil and sweetener (there are plenty of recipes to be found on the internet) but the slice would need to be kept in the fridge at all times and served cold. Not a great option if your looking like me to fill lunch boxes.
Why You’ll Love This Slice
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Nut free and lunchbox friendly
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Dairy free and refined sugar free
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Dense, filling and properly satisfying
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Naturally sweetened with dates and a touch of honey
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Packed with seeds, fibre and slow energy
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Holds together beautifully (no crumbly mess)
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Freezer friendly and make-ahead perfect
It’s the kind of slice that actually fills them up.
The sweetness here comes almost entirely from dates, cooked down into a soft, sticky mush, plus just two tablespoons of honey (or your syrup of choice). That’s it.
The rest is built on seeds — so many seeds — ticking an enormous amount of nutritional boxes. Add in oats or quinoa flakes, dried fruit (or don’t), linseed meal, coconut, spices and puffed grains, and you end up with something that’s firm, sliceable and balanced.
The texture is dense, more like a muesli bar than a cake, which is exactly what I wanted. Something that survives backpacks, heat, hunger and time.
The dark chocolate on top is optional, but it does bring everything together. If you prefer, you can use a faux chocolate topping made from cacao, coconut oil and sweetener — just keep in mind it will need to live in the fridge and be served cold. Not ideal if, like me, you’re filling lunchboxes that sit around all day.
Recipe: Healthy Date Muesli Slice with Seeds and dark Chocolate
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 40 minutes
Difficulty: Easy
Makes: 12–16 slices
Ingredients
Date base
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⅔ cup dates, chopped
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½ cup water
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½ tsp bicarb soda
Wet ingredients
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2 tbsp honey, rice malt syrup or maple syrup
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2 tbsp coconut oil or butter
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1 tbsp cacao butter
Dry ingredients
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1 cup rolled oats or quinoa flakes
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1 cup desiccated coconut
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½ cup linseed meal or LSA
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¼ cup sesame seeds
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1 cup mixed chopped dried fruit
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1 cup mixed seeds (pepitas, sunflower, linseed, chia)
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½ cup puffed grains (buckwheat, rice or both)
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1 tsp each ground ginger, cardamom, cinnamon and mixed spice
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Pinch Himalayan rock salt
To finish
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2 eggs
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Zest of 1 lemon
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½ block dark chocolate (dairy free, refined sugar free), optional
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1 tbsp olive oil
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Beetroot powder and pepitas, optional for topping
Method
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Preheat oven to 150°C fan-forced and line a rectangular slice or brownie pan (20 × 30 cm / 9 × 13 inches).
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In a saucepan, combine dates, water and bicarb soda. Bring to a gentle simmer, cover and cook for a few minutes until soft and breaking down.
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In a large bowl, combine all dry ingredients.
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Add honey or syrup, coconut oil and cacao butter to the date mixture and stir until melted and combined.
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Pour the warm date mixture into the dry ingredients. Add eggs and lemon zest and mix until evenly coated.
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Press firmly into the prepared tin, making sure to get into the corners.
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Bake on the middle rack for 40 minutes, until evenly browned and set.
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Turn the oven off and allow the slice to cool inside (this helps it set firmly).
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Once cool, melt the chocolate with olive oil and drizzle over the top. Sprinkle with beetroot powder and pepitas if using.
Tips & Variations
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Swap oats for quinoa flakes to keep it gluten free
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Omit dried fruit and add extra seeds for lower sugar
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Use maple syrup or rice malt syrup instead of honey
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Skip the chocolate entirely for a fully pantry-safe slice
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Press the mixture down firmly — this helps it hold together
Serving & Storage
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Store in the fridge for up to 2 weeks
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Freeze sliced for up to 3 months
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Perfect for lunchboxes, snacks or post-sport fuel
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Travels well and doesn’t crumble
FAQ
Q. Is this slice suitable for school lunchboxes?
Yes — it’s nut free and holds up well without refrigeration (if skipping the chocolate).
Q. Can I make it egg free?
You can try replacing eggs with flax eggs, though the texture will be softer.
Q. Is it very sweet?
No — it’s gently sweet and well balanced, not sugary.
Q. Can I reduce the coconut oil further?
Yes, but it may affect how firmly the slice sets.
This slice has become a quiet staple in our house.
The kind of food that feeds without fuss. That fills hungry bellies and keeps energy steady. That lets me feel good about what I’m sending out the door each morning — without needing to announce what’s inside.
They eat. I smile. Secrets remain intact.
Healthy date Muesli Slice with seeds and dark chocolate
Ingredients
- 2/3 Cup Dates Chopped
- 1/2 Cup Water
- 1/2 tsp Bicarb soda
- 2 Tbsp Honey/Rice Malt Syrup/maple syrup
- 2 tbsp Coconut Oil/Butter
- 1 tbsp cacao butter
- 1 cup rolled oats/quinoa flakes
- 1 cup dessicated coconut
- 1/2 cup linseed meal/LSA
- 1/4 Sesame Seeds
- 1 tsp each ground ginger cardamon, cinnamon and mixed spice
- pinch Himalayan rock salt
- 1 cup mixed chopped dried fruit
- 1 cup mixed seeds Pepita, linseed, sunflower, chia
- 1/2 cup puffed grains i used both buckwheat and rice
- 2 eggs
- 1 lemon zest
- 1/2 block dark chocolate dairy free and sugar free optional
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- Beetroot powder and pepitas for decoration optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 150C (fan forced) and line a classic rectangular brownie pan (20x30cm or 9×13 inches)
- In a saucepan combine chopped dates, water and bicarb soda. Bring to a slow simmer, cover and allow to soften and break down for a few minutes.
- In a bowl combine all the dry ingredients.
- Once the dates have broken down add the honey/syrup of choice, cacao butter and coconut oil and stir until combined and melted.
- Add the date mixture to the dry ingredients, then add the eggs and mix until evenly combined and coated.
- Press the mixture into the lined pan making sure to press into the corners.
- Place in to the oven on the middle rake and bake for 40 minutes or until evenly browned and set in the middle. turn oven off but leave slice to cool in the oven (this ensures a more evenly set slice, however if you are time poor feel free to pull the slice out of the oven and cool in the conventional way, the result might be a little more bouncy but just as delicious)
- Once cooled Keep refrigerated for up to 2 weeks. Also great to freeze.
- Sprinkle with a little beetroot powder and the pepitas before serving.
Notes
If you loved these Healthy Date Muesli Slice then try one of these
Raw Carrot Cake Bliss Balls – vegan, naturally sweet
Lime and Cinnamon Muesli Bars (nut free)
Banana, linseed and chia bread
Oaty Banana and choc chip cookies
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Did You Make This Recipe?
I’d love to see your version of this Healthy Date Muesli Slice!
Tag @thekrookedspoon on Instagram and use #thekrookedspoon so I can share your creation.
