No Bake Mango Chia Bars

These super soft, no bake mango infused bars are a breeze to make! There are only 6 main ingredients required for these easy No Bake Mango Chia Bars. Not sure which type of dried fruit to buy? No worries, I got you covered. Check out the Types of Dried Fruit section in this post.

Skip to Recipe

I’ll begin with a friendly warning: We are completely mango-obsessed in this house. But this blog won’t revolve around juicy mangoes. I promise.

The odd thing is that I didn’t even care for mangoes until recently. As one of my husband’s favorite flavors, it simply grew on me over time. Perhaps it was the relentless exposure to all-things-mango that finally converted me to love mango too.

It’s interesting how your taste buds evolve with age. Hopefully you can relate to this strange occurrence.

When I set out to create a fruity energy bar, it should come as no surprise that the delicious flavors of mango came to mind first.

Dried mango slices are – absolutely perfect – for this no bake snack. These No Bake Mango Chia Bars are also ridiculously easy to make with a food processor. You can whip these bars up in 10 minutes or less.

Not only does the dried mango infuse sweetness but it adds a punch of color to an otherwise boring ingredient palette. Let’s face it, oats and almonds need some livening up.

Types of Dried Fruit

As you may know, dried mango or any dried fruit for that matter, come in different varieties. Packages are often labeled as sweetened vs. unsweetened, unsulfured, and dried vs. freezer dried.

But which one should you choose? It’s really a matter of taste preference or how you plan to use the dried fruit.

It’s easy to forgo the sugar ladened sweetened variety since this recipe also calls for Deglet Noor dates. The pitted dates should provide substantial sweetness but maybe that’s just me.

For this recipe, I prefer dried mango slices that are unsweetened and unsulfured.

Unsulfured means the dried fruit lacks an additive known as sulfur dioxide. Sulfur dioxide is a food preservative and the reason why the sweetened kind maintains its natural, golden-orange hue.

You’ll know when the fruit is unsulfured by its appearance alone. It will lack in vibrancy compared to the sweetened kind. The unsulfured slices will also be darkened by brownish undertones, especially along the edges.

You may also come across the words dried or freezer dried, both of which are the result of a dehydration process. The main difference between dried and freezer dried is the quantity of moisture removed.

Freezer dried fruit has the highest level of moisture removed. The result? Mango pieces that are void of flexibility yet have a melt in your mouth candy-like affect. With that said, be sure to avoid the freezer-dried variety for this particular recipe.

How to Soak Dried Mango

I always find the unsweetened and unsulfured fruit to be tougher than the sweetened version. To soften them up, soak the dried mango slices in warm water. The Deglet Noor dates may be soaked too, if you find it necessary.

Softened fruit is always easier to work with even when using a food processor.

How to Make the Bars

Once the dried fruit is prepped, the ingredients come together quickly in a food processor.

Add the mango, dates, chia seeds and optional pinches of sea salt.

Blend until the mangoes and dates are chopped up into small pieces. The mixture will be very sticky after this first round of processing and it will smell delicious!

I used white colored chia seeds but you can use either color, white or black. The color of the chia seeds makes no difference as both offer the same nutritional benefits.

Chia seeds are rich in nutrients, such as omega-3 fatty acids, fiber, antioxidants, vitamins and minerals and even protein.

Next, add the remaining ingredients: almonds, oats and coconut oil. Don’t forget to scrape down the sides to collect any extra chunks that may get left behind.

Process until thoroughly combined or when the mixture has rolled itself into a lump. The mixture will appear chewy yet consistent in texture. It should also feel tacky to the touch but not sticky.

Time to Set

Line a 9×5 loaf pan with parchment paper and have the excess paper overhang the long edges of the pan.

Transfer the mixture, creating an even layer so the bars will be consistent in thickness. Fold one side of the parchment paper down over the mixture to use as a shield for pressing down.

Remember, the more you press the mixture, the better it will hold together.

The next step is the hardest step. Waiting for the bars to set!

Place the loaf pan in the refrigerator for at least 45 minutes. Once set, use the parchment paper to help remove the bars from the loaf pan. Slice into four generously sized bars or keep slicing until you have 8 skinny bars.

These No Bake Mango Chia Bars will keep in an airtight container for 4-5 days in the refrigerator, if they last that long. Ours quickly disappear by the next day!

Let me know if you made this recipe!

Leave a comment below or tag your Instagram post with #findingveggiejoy, I’d love to see what you made!

Print

Back to Top