Quick answer
Choose Maple & Nibs if you want a crunchy, brownie-like bar sweetened with maple sugar; choose Pure Cacao & Dates & Vanilla if you prefer a super-dark, date-sweetened bar with a thick, chewy melt and no added refined sugar.
Sugar source changes flavor, not just sweetness
Maple & Nibs uses organic maple sugar, which brings a warm, brownie-like sweetness that rounds out the cacao. Pure Cacao & Dates & Vanilla relies on ground dates for sweetness, so the bar tastes darker and more fruit-forward, with the vanilla bean adding aromatic depth. Neither bar contains refined white sugar, but the type of unrefined sugar creates a noticeably different eating experience.
Texture: crunchy versus chewy
Maple & Nibs is rich and smooth inside, generously sprinkled with toasted cacao nibs for a crispy, crunchy outside. Pure Cacao & Dates & Vanilla has a thick melt and a slightly sticky, chewy quality from the ground dates, which makes the chocolate linger on the palate. If you like textural contrast, Maple & Nibs delivers it; if you prefer a slow, fudgy melt, the date bar is the better fit.
What the ingredient lists tell you
Maple & Nibs lists organic cacao beans, organic maple sugar, and organic cacao butter, with toasted nibs as a topping. Pure Cacao & Dates & Vanilla blends Dominican cacao, ground dates, and pure vanilla bean. Both are organic and vegan, but the date bar has fewer ingredients and no added maple sugar, which may appeal if you want a shorter label. The catalog does not provide full nutritional breakdowns for either bar, so check the packaging if you need precise sugar or fiber numbers.
Key trade-offs
- Sweetness level: Maple & Nibs is noticeably sweeter and more dessert-like; Pure Cacao & Dates & Vanilla is darker and less sweet, with dates providing a subtle, fruity sweetness. If you usually find dark chocolate too bitter, start with Maple & Nibs.
- Texture and melt: Maple & Nibs offers a smooth interior with a crunchy nib coating; Pure Cacao & Dates & Vanilla has a thick, slightly chewy melt that coats the mouth and lingers. Choose based on whether you want crunch or a slow, fudgy melt.
- Ingredient simplicity: Pure Cacao & Dates & Vanilla contains just cacao, dates, and vanilla; Maple & Nibs includes maple sugar and cacao butter plus nibs. If a short ingredient list is your priority, the date bar wins.
Product facts
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Pure Cacao & Dates & Vanilla: Sweetened only with ground dates and flavored with pure vanilla bean; no added sugar. Ideal if you want a date-sweetened dark chocolate with a thick, chewy melt and a clean ingredient list.
Pure Cacao & Dates & Vanilla
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Maple & Nibs: Sweetened with organic maple sugar and topped with toasted cacao nibs for crunch. A good choice if you want a crunchy, brownie-like bar with a warm maple sweetness and alternative sugar.
Maple & Nibs
Which bar is right for you?
Best for
- Anyone who loves crunchy texture and a brownie-like flavor
- People exploring unrefined sugar alternatives like maple sugar
- Those who prefer a sweeter dark chocolate
Not for
- Anyone who dislikes crunchy bits in chocolate
- People seeking a very dark, low-sweetness bar
- Those who want the shortest possible ingredient list