This homemade Larabar recipe is about to become your new favourite healthy snack! Made with just four ingredients and only requiring 10 minutes to prepare, this is snacking made easy! Gluten-free and vegan.
I love Larabars, but whenever I have the choice, I always prefer making my own version as opposed to buying the store-bought variety so that I can control exactly what’s going into them. Not to mention, who knows how long those bars have been sitting on the store shelves?! Stale bars? No thank you!
This homemade version is just as (if not more!) delicious than store-bought and tastes so much more fresh, but contains no processed ingredients and is both nutritious and energizing.
These bars are a no-bake option which means that it’s super easy to whip up a big batch with no oven required. They’re perfect for a mid morning or afternoon snack and are also a great pre or post workout option! If you’re looking for more no-bake recipes, be sure to check out these No-Bake Oatmeal Energy Balls, Chocolate Coconut Balls, or Nut-Free Apple Oat Energy Bites!
Why you Need this Homemade Larabar Recipe in your Life
- Great for meal prep: If you’re anything like me, I always like to have grab and go snacks readily available. This recipe makes enough for 8 large bars or 16 smaller ones, perfect to fuel you up throughout the week!
- Quick and easy: Four ingredients and 10 minutes is all that you need. Everything is blended together, pressed into a pan and you are done!
- Gluten-free and vegan: Made with all natural ingredients, these bars are perfect for those with allergies and for individuals who may be following a plant-based lifestyle.
What’s in these Larabars?
- Cashews: Use roasted unsalted cashews. They are a great source of fiber, healthy fats and protein, and you can minimize sodium intake by purchasing the unsalted variety.
- Dark Chocolate Chips: You can also use chopped dark chocolate, which is a great source of antioxidants. Isn’t everything just better with a little chocolate?!
- Coconut Flakes: Use unsweetened coconut flakes to reduce added sugar. The flakes provide a great texture, flavour and are a source of fiber.
- Dates: Dates are a great natural way to add sweetness without the need for added sugar. They also help to bind the other ingredients together, making for the ultimate chewy bar!
How to make homemade Larabars
Line an 8×8 inch baking pan with parchment paper so that the paper hangs over the edges. Set aside.
Fit a food processor with a metal blade. Add the cashews to the processor and pulse until they are uniformly finely chopped (think fresh bread crumb texture.)
Add the chocolate chips and coconut and pulse again until the chocolate chips are also finely chopped and the ingredients are combined. Pour the nut mixture into a large mixing bowl and set aside.
Add half of the dates to the food processor and process until a paste forms and clumps together. Add the remaining dates and repeat.
Next, add half of nut mixture to the food processor with the dates and pulse until combined. Add the other half of the nut mixture and process until the mixture is incorporated and sticks together.
If you find that the mixture is not fully breaking down, add one tablespoon of water at a time until the mixture adheres together but isn’t too sticky.
When all of the ingredients have been processed, wet your hands or use a moistened spatula and press the mixture as evenly as possible over the bottom of the pan.
Freeze for at least 20 minutes before cutting into bars. You can either cut them into 8 large bars or 16 smaller ones.
Use your favourite nuts
I like to use cashews in these bars, but you can use whatever nuts you have on hand. Almonds, peanuts and macadamia nuts will all work well.
Are homemade bars better than store bought?
A million times yes! This Larabar recipe doesn’t only taste better and fresher, but it is also kinder on your wallet! They have a great shelf life and are perfect for a pre or post workout snack to boost your energy.
Storage guidelines
An unrefrigerated bar will be good for 48 hours, covered, at room temperature. Beyond that, it’s recommended that you store the bars in the refrigerator in a tightly covered container for up to two weeks. Alternatively, you can freeze them for up to 3 months.
To defrost: You can either eat the bars partially frozen, or allow them to come to room temperature for about 20 minutes before consuming.
Recipe Tips:
- Use moist pitted dates if possible. If you find the dates that you have on hand are too hard, you can soak them in boiling water for about 5-10 minutes to help soften them and make them easier to blend.
- Use roasted cashews. Raw will work too, but roasted brings out a nice flavour in the bars.
- Adjust consistency accordingly. If the larabar recipe mixture seems too dry, add a tablespoon or so of water. If it seems too wet, add some additional nuts and coconut.
- When placing the bar mixture in the 8×8 dish, wet your hands to help prevent your hands from sticking to the mixture when pressing into the pan. You can also dampen a spatula and use that to press down on the mixture. To help smooth out the bars even further, fold the excess parchment over the bars to cover them and use something flat and heavy to press down firmly on the mixture until it is smooth.
- To slice: Use the excess parchment paper like a sling to transfer the firm bars from the pan to a large cutting board. Slice into 8 large bars or 16 smaller squares.
More Easy Bar Recipes
- Healthy Granola Bar Recipe
- No-Bake Key Lime Protein Bars
- 4-Ingredient No-Bake Peanut Butter Protein Bars
- Sweet Potato Bars
- Oatmeal Breakfast Bars
Did you make this recipe? Scroll down to leave a rating and review!
Lara Bar Recipe {4-ingredients}
Ingredients
- 1 cup roasted unsalted cashews
- 1/2 cup dark chocolate chips or chopped dark chocolate
- 1/2 cup unsweetened coconut flakes
- 2 cups whole pitted dates (moist ones work best)
Instructions
- Line an 8x8 inch baking pan with parchment paper so that the paper hangs over the edges. Set aside.
- Fit a food processor with a metal blade. Add the cashews to the processor and pulse until they are uniformly finely chopped (think fresh bread crumb texture.) Add the chocolate chips and coconut and pulse again until the chocolate chips are also finely chopped and the ingredients are combined. Pour the nut mixture into a large mixing bowl and set aside.
- Add half of the dates to the food processor and process until a paste forms and clumps together. Add the remaining dates and repeat.
- Next, add half of the nut mixture to the food processor with the dates and pulse until combined. Add the other half of the nut mixture and process until the mixture is incorporated and sticks together. If you find that the mixture is having trouble breaking down, add one tablespoon of water at a time until the mixture adheres together but isn't too sticky.
- When all of the ingredients have been processed, wet your hands or use a moistened spatula and press the mixture as evenly as possible over the bottom of the pan. Freeze for at least 20 minutes before cutting into bars.
- To slice: Use the excess parchment paper like a sling to transfer the firm bars from the pan to a large cutting board. Slice into 8 large bars or 16 smaller squares.
Notes
Nutrition
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These are the best bars I have EVER tasted! I used to eat larabars and these don’t even compare! They are soft and chewy and taste like candy! I will be making these as soon as I run out of my last bar! Thank you for sharing this recipe! (I used roasted salted cashews because that’s what I had and ground unsweetened coconut which made for easier mixing. Delish!
Aren’t they delicious?! So addictive!! So happy you enjoyed the recipe and I’m glad to hear you’ll be making another batch :) Thanks so much for your feedback!