Lemon Larabar Recipe

This lemon larabar recipe is a delicious no-bake option and is made with just 5 simple ingredients. Bursting with flavour, these homemade healthy lemon bars are a great easy snack or treat for the whole family, and contain absolutely no added sugar! {Vegan, gluten-free & paleo}

Three healthy no bake lemon larabars stacked on parchment paper.

If you’re looking for some new homemade energy bars to snack on, I’ve got one delicious tangy treat for you! This no bake lemon larabar recipe is incredibly easy to make and the bars are so delicious.

Made with only five simple ingredients, these zesty vegan lemon bars are perfectly sweet and chewy all at the same time and are bursting with refreshing lemon flavor.

These bars also happen to be plant-based, gluten-free AND contain no added sugar, so they’re ideal if you or someone in your family has specific dietary requirements.

I love whipping up a batch of these healthy lemon bars and storing them in the freezer for a quick and easy grab and go option.

With all of those nutritious ingredients, it’s the perfect snack or treat for both little ones and adults. Enjoy them as a way to fuel up pre-workout or as a morning or afternoon snack!

In my opinion, the homemade versions are always so much better than store-bought. Don’t believe me?

Then you’ll definitely want to try this Homemade Larabar Recipe with Chocolate Chips and Key Lime Protein Bars too!

The vegan lemon bars wrapped in a strip of parchment and tied with string.

Table of Contents

Why We Love this Homemade Larabars Recipe

Quick and easy: It takes no more than 15 minutes to make up a batch of these homemade lemon larabars. The hardest part is waiting from them to set in the freezer.
No bake: Any recipe that doesn’t require you to turn the oven on is always a win in my books!
Better than store-bought: Homemade larabars are so much more fresh than store-bought, and can be made at a fraction of the cost!
Healthy ingredients: Made with all wholesome ingredients and no-added sugar, these lemon coconut bars are a good source of fibre and healthy fats. A great satisfying alternative to your usual granola bar or chocolate bar!

Larabar Ingredients

Ingredients to make the lemon larabar recipe in bowls.

Nuts: These no bake lemon bars are made with unsalted raw almonds and raw cashews which provide a source of plant-based protein and healthy fats. The nuts add delicious nutty flavor and texture that’s super addictive! You can experiment with adding different nuts such as raw waluts or pecans as well.
Dates: Dates are used to naturally sweeten the bars so no added sugar is required. Their sticky texture also helps to bind the ingredients together. Use soft pitted dates if possible.
Lemon zest: Grated lemon zest adds a burst of flavour to the mix. You can increase the amount of zest or even add a bit of lemon juice or lemon extract if you want even more lemony flavour.
Coconut flakes: Coconut and lemon are a match made in heaven. I used unsweetened coconut flakes (also known as shredded coconut) to keep the sugar content lower.

How to make larabars – step by step instructions

If your dates seem too hard to blend, boil some water and soak dates in the hot water for approximately 5-10 minutes to soften.
Add almonds, cashews, lemon zest, coconut and salt to a food processor fit with a metal blade. Pulse until nuts are finely chopped (but not a paste).

The ingredients for the no bake lemon bars in a food processor.

Add dates and pulse until dates are finely chopped and the mixture starts to clump together. If you find that the mixture is having trouble breaking down, add one tablespoon of warm water at a time until the mixture adheres together but isn’t too sticky. You may need to scrape down the sides of the food processor to ensure that everything is combined.

The date mixture for the lemon bars after being blended.

Line an 8×8 inch square pan or baking dish with parchment paper. When all of the ingredients have been processed, wet your hands or use a moistened spatula and press the larabar mixture as evenly as possible across the bottom of the pan.

The date, nut and lemon mixture pressed into a baking tin.

Freeze for at least 20 minutes before cutting into bars.

The the homemade larabar mixture cut into eight bars.

Keep scrolling down to the recipe card for the full larabar recipe!

Recipe Notes:

Use pitted moist 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 mixture seems too dry, add a tablespoon or so of water until it sticks together. 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 date 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’s smooth.

To slice: It’s best to cut the bars when they’re still partially frozen. 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.

Three vegan lemon larabars stacked on top of each other.

How to store

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 individual wrapped in plastic wrap or in a tightly covered container for up to two weeks.

Recipe FAQs

Can larabars be frozen?

Yes, you can freeze them in a freezer safe container or bag for up to 3 months.
If stacking the bars, place a piece of parchment paper in between the bars to prevent them from sticking together.

To defrost: You can either eat the bars partially frozen, or allow them to come to room temperature for about 20 minutes before consuming.

What are the benefits of larabars?

Larabars are a good source of fibre and healthy fats since they’re primarily made from dates and nuts. They also contain no added sugar since the dates provide natural sweetness, so it’s a great way to cut back on added sugar intake while still having a sweet treat. Larabars are still fairly high in natural sugar, but can be a great way to fuel up pre or post workout, or when served as nutrient-rich energy-boosting snacks or treats. Just be mindful of portion sizes as they can be energy dense!

A hand holding a homemade lemon larabar towards the camera.

Recipe variations

To make nut-free: Replace the nuts with sunflower seeds or pumpkin seeds.
To add more protein: Try adding a scoop of vanilla or unflavoured protein powder. You may need to add a bit of water if the mixture feels too dry after adding the protein powder.
To make them more lemony: Increase the amount of lemon zest. You can even add a bit of lemon juice or lemon extract to the mix as well.
To make lemon poppyseed bars: Add some poppy seeds to the mixture once it’s been blended.
Add dried fruit: Try dried cranberries or blueberries!
Switch up the flavour: If you want to experiment with different flavors, try adding lime or orange zest instead!
Make them into lemon larabar bites: Instead of pressing the mixture into bars, roll it into 1-inch balls instead!

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