• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
A Mind "Full" Mom
  • Recipe Index
    • Breakfast Recipes
    • Main Courses
      • 30-Minute Meals
      • Easy Pork Recipes
      • Beef Recipes
      • Soup, Stew, and Chili Recipes
      • Sandwiches, Burgers, and Wraps
      • Vegetarian Recipes
    • Slow Cooker Recipes
    • Instant Pot
    • Appetizers
    • Beverage Recipes
    • Breads and Muffins
    • Allergy Friendly Recipes
      • Dairy Free
      • Gluten Free
      • Paleo
      • Vegan
      • Low Carb
    • Pasta
    • Snacks
    • Side Dishes
    • Desserts
  • Instant Pot
    • Start Here: Instant Pot 101
    • All Instant Pot Recipes
    • Healthy Instant Pot Recipes
    • Sign Up for Instant Pot Tips and Recipes
  • About Me
    • Contact
    • Work With Me
    • Cystic Fibrosis
  • Free Instant Pot Secrets
  • Free Meal Plans
menu icon
go to homepage
subscribe
search icon
Homepage link
  • Recipes
  • Instant Pot
  • About Me
  • Subscribe to Newsletters
  • Free Instant Pot Secrets
  • Free Meal Plans
    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
  • ×

    Home » Real Food » Snacks » Homemade Larabars

    Homemade Larabars

    By Kristen Chidsey | 65 Comments | Published April 29, 2020 | Updated March 14, 2022 *This post may include amazon links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Pin
    Share
    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe
    Simple, wholesome ingredients come together to form a delicious, healthy copycat version of larabars. Homemade Larabars will quickly become a staple at your house, and with eight different varieties, you will never tire of eating them! Gluten-free, dairy-free, and vegan friendly, this is one healthy snack that is perfect for everyone!

    Simple, wholesome ingredients come together to form a delicious, healthy copycat version of larabars. Homemade Larabars will quickly become a staple at your house, and with eight different varieties, you will never tire of eating them!

    Homemade Lararbars on Parchment Paper

    Have you ever had a Larabar?

    They are delicious!!

    Larabars taste like an extremely decadent dessert, but they are typically made with just nuts and fruit--that is it!

    However, they are very pricey--at least $1 a bar on sale. And with a family of 4, we could go through some serious $$ if we purchased the bars on a daily basis.

    Thankfully for my wallet (and YOUR wallet), making larabars at home is extremely easy, and much more economical.

    Key Ingredients

    In my book, it doesn't get much healthier than larabars, as the base is made with two wholesome ingredients: nuts and dates.

    Nuts contain fiber, protein, and healthy fats. Dates are a natural source of sweetness and contain many vitamins and minerals. My son refers to dates as God's candy. I agree--they are perfectly sweet, making these bars taste like a dessert or candy bar, while not containing any added sugars.

    Bowls of dates, almonds, walnuts, cashews, and peanuts on counter.
    • Nuts: You can use any combination of nuts you like. Almonds are the most common nut found in larabars, but any variety of nuts you like or a combination of nuts will be delicious.
    • Dates: It is really important to use whole, pitted dried dates. Chopped dates have been coated in sugar or cornstarch.

    How to Make Larabars at Home

    The base of larabars is simple--nuts, dried fruit, and a dash of salt. My perfect ratio for Larbars is 3 parts fruit to 2 parts nuts. I add in a dash of salt to bring out the flavor and if needed, a bit of the date soaking liquid to help bring the mixture together.

    The ratio may sound complicated.  But do NOT be overwhelmed, I have broken the recipe down for you in detail. But basically, this means for every 1 cup of nuts, use 1 and ½ cups of dried fruit.

    Step One: Soften the Dates

    In order for the dates to process easily into the bars, they need to be soft. Soften your dates by soaking in hot water for 10-15 minutes before making homemade larabars.

    Once the dates are softened, drain off the soaking liquid, reserving the liquid to use in the bars if needed. Tip: Save what is left from the soaking liquid and use it to sweeten smoothies or oatmeal. 

    dates soaking in hot water next to almonds

    Step Two: Process the Ingredients

    In a food processor fitted with an s-blade, process the nuts until small chunks are formed.

    Add in the softened dates along with a dash of salt and pulse until a thick paste forms, adding in up to 1 tablespoon of the soaking liquid from the dates if needed to help the mixture come together. The dates and nuts should be broken down and a thick, sticky paste formed.

    Food processor with homemade larabar mixture

    Step Three: Form

    You can choose to press the Larabar mixture in a 7x11 pan lined with parchment paper or roll into 1-2 inch balls, for Larabar Bites.

    I prefer to make Larabars into little "cookie" balls versus an actual bar. Something about making Larabar bites, make my children believe these bites are cookies. And hey, this mom is all for these healthy cookies and happy kids!

    Each recipe will make 6 bars or between 24-30 "cookie" balls depending on the size, you like.

    White tray of homemade larabars

    8 Varieties of Homemade Larabars

    Once you master the basic recipe, let your imagination run wild! The variations of larabars are endless to make. These are 8 of my favorite varieties. Prepare any of these flavors by first pulsing the nuts until they break into small chunks and then adding the remaining ingredients and pulsing together until a thick paste forms. 

    • Cashew Cookie: 1 cup cashews combined with 1 ½ cups of pitted whole dates.
    • Peanut Butter Cookie: 1 cup peanuts combined with 1 ½ cup of pitted whole dates
    • Oatmeal Raisin: Combine 1 cup walnuts with 1 cup raisins,  ¾ cup oatmeal, 1 tsp cinnamon, and ½ tsp vanilla extract.
    • Cherry Pie: Combine 1 cup almonds with 1 cup dried unsweetened cherries, ½ cup dates, a dash of salt, and ¼ tsp cinnamon.
    • Dark Chocolate: Combine ½ cup almonds and ½ cup walnuts with 1 ¼ cup pitted dates, 3 tablespoons bittersweet or semisweet chocolate chips or chopped dark chocolate, and 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder.
    • Apple Pie: Combine ½ cup almonds and ½ cup pecans or walnuts with  1 cup dried apples, ½ cup pitted dates, 1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon, and a dash of salt.
    • Pecan Pie: Combine ¼ cup almonds and ¾ cup pecans with 1 ½ cups pitted dates and a dash of salt.
    • PB & J: Process 1 cup peanuts with ½ cup packed dried cherries, 1 cup pitted dates, and a dash of salt.

     Whole30 Compliant Larabars

    A lot of people ask if Larbars are whole30 approved or paleo. The answer is not a simple yes or no.

    In order to be whole30 compliant and paleo, larabars need to not have any added sugars and contain no legumes or grains.

    Watch for the following:

    • Be sure that you use dried fruit that has no added sugar.
    • Do not add oats in Paleo or Whole30 Larabars, as I do in my Oatmeal Raisin Larabar Variety.
    • And only walnuts or almonds as your choice for nuts. Peanuts are a legume and not allowed on whole30 or paleo diets. Cashews are highly debated. Some people say they are paleo, some say they are whole30 approved, and others say they are not either. Cashews are not a nut or a legume, but actually a seed--so it can be tricky to tell where they fall. To stay safe, I suggest just using a combination of almonds and/or walnuts for whole30 approved larabars.
    • For any recipe that calls for peanuts, substitute them for almonds, walnuts, or cashews and your homemade bar will be whole30 approved.
    • My recipe for Pecan Pie Larabars, Apple Pie Larabars, and Cherry Pie Larabars, and the base recipe are all whole30 compliant.

    More Homemade Healthy Snacks

    • Homemade Granola Bars
    • Homemade Cheese Crackers
    • Homemade Gogurts
    • Cherry Smoothie

    If you love these Larabars, I would love for you to leave a comment and a review below. 

    Larabar on Parchment Paper

    Homemade Larabars

    The basic formula for creating a copycat version of store bought larabars
    4.86 from 14 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Snack
    Cuisine: American
    Prep Time: 5 minutes
    Total Time: 5 minutes
    Servings: 8
    Calories: 184kcal
    Author: Kristen Chidsey

    Ingredients

    • 1 cup nuts any combination
    • 1 ½ cups dates or a combination of dates and another variety of dried fruit
    • dash of salt
    Prevents your screen from going dark while preparing the recipe.
    Text Ingredients To Phone

    Instructions

    • Place dates into a small heat-safe bowl. Pour hot water over the dates and allow to soak for 10-15 minutes to soften the dates.
    • Once the dates have soaked, drain the liquid off the dates, reserving the liquid to use if needed.
    • Fit a food processor with an s-blade. Place nuts in the food processor and pulse until the nuts break down into small pieces.
    • Add in the dates and dash of salt, and pulse the mixture together until the dates have broken down and a thick paste forms, scraping the sides down if needed. Add in 1 to 2 tablespoons of the soaking liquid if needed to help bring the mixture together.
    • To shape larabars press mixture into a 7×11 pan lined with parchment paper and refrigerate for 30 minutes before slicing int0 6 bars.
    • Alternatively, you can shape the mixture into 1-2 inch balls for a bite-size treat.

    Equipment Needed

    • Food Processor

    Notes

    • Do not use chopped dates, as they are coated in sugar and/or cornstarch. 
    • Store homemade larabars in refrigerator for up to 7 days, or in the pantry for 2-3 days. Store in a container lined with wax or parchment paper, adding wax or parchment paper in between layers of bars. 
    • I do not recommend freezing larabars, as the texture will greatly change when defrosted.
    • Larabar Flavor Options:
      • Cashew Cookie: 1 cup cashews combined with 1 ½ cups of pitted whole dates.
      • Peanut Butter Cookie: 1 cup peanuts combined with 1 ½ cup of pitted whole dates
      • Oatmeal Raisin: Combine 1 cup walnuts with 1 cup raisins,  ¾ cup oatmeal, 1 tsp cinnamon, and ½ tsp vanilla extract.
      • Cherry Pie: Combine 1 cup almonds with 1 cup dried unsweetened cherries, ½ cup dates, a dash of salt, and ¼ tsp cinnamon.
      • Dark Chocolate: Combine ½ cup almonds and ½ cup walnuts with 1 ¼ cup pitted dates, 3 tablespoons bittersweet or semisweet chocolate chips or chopped dark chocolate, and 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder.
      • Apple Pie: Combine ½ cup almonds and ½ cup pecans or walnuts with  1 cup dried apples, ½ cup pitted dates, 1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon, and a dash of salt.
      • Pecan Pie: Combine ¼ cup almonds and ¾ cup pecans with 1 ½ cups pitted dates and a dash of salt.
      • PB & J: Process 1 cup peanuts with ½ cup packed dried cherries, 1 cup pitted dates, and a dash of salt.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 184kcal | Carbohydrates: 25g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 2mg | Potassium: 288mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 17g | Vitamin C: 0.1mg | Calcium: 23mg | Iron: 1mg
    Liked this Recipe? Tag me Today!Snap a picture and tag #amindfullmom on Instagram - I would love to see!

    This post was originally published in 2016 but was updated in 2020 with new pictures.

    Pin
    Share
    « Jojo Potatoes
    Homemade Flour Tortillas »

    About Kristen Chidsey

    Hi, I am Kristen, creator of A Mind "Full" Mom. I believe that making a wholesome family meal does not need to be hard or expensive! I love nothing more than to share with you delicious solutions for your hungry family.

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Amanda

      April 14, 2022 at 3:59 pm

      5 stars
      I made mine with 1 cup of Pistachios, 1 cup of Dates and 1/2 cup of Dried Cranberries… SOOO good!! I want the try the lemon version next. Since I’m not needing these for an on-the-go snack, I used my Pampered Chef Bar Maker. It made 10 bars and I love that it has a lid, so I just kept them in there and removed them as needed. Thanks for the great recipe!

      Reply
    2. Cait

      March 24, 2022 at 6:19 am

      Where are you buying your ingredients? Based off of my local (west MI) Costco prices on dates & almonds, these would still end up being over a dollar per bar. That's why I haven't tried making them yet.

      My boys do love Larabars. They're both gf, so snack options are always more limited and costly. I'm doing my best to make healthy options from scratch when it's more economical. The older they get, the less I can keep up with their appetites. They're constantly hungry! Which leads to hangry... But I digress.

      Great recipe, though. Very cool to see how simple it is to DIY these.

      Reply
      • Kristen Chidsey

        March 24, 2022 at 7:10 am

        Hi Cait! The cost of ingredients are going up since I first wrote this post, however, by purchasing nuts at Trader Joe's and dates at Costco, I am still able to keep the cost at under a dollar per bar.

        Reply
    3. Julie Handy

      December 26, 2021 at 10:20 am

      The recipe says to cut into 6 bars but it serves 8. I’m really trying to watch portion sizes. Which is correct? Thanks!

      Reply
      • Kristen Chidsey

        December 26, 2021 at 2:00 pm

        If you want to match the nutritional info, cut into 8 bars. Sorry for that confusion.

        Reply
    4. Kitty

      September 20, 2021 at 2:11 pm

      5 stars
      Almond/dates/cocao/dried coconut was the clear winner at my house. Thanks for the recipe!

      Reply
      • Kristen Chidsey

        September 20, 2021 at 2:21 pm

        Thanks for sharing Kitty! My son LOVES that combo himself.

        Reply
    5. Pat Clancey

      April 29, 2021 at 10:47 am

      Greetings, I occasionally make up some of these bars; they are very good. I don't use single-use plastic wrap, so am wondering if you have found a way to package them either as a bar or in balls for carrying on hikes, vehicle trips and to gatherings. Also am wondering if there is a way to reduce their 'stickiness', which would make them easier to remove from any wrapping. Thanks.

      Reply
      • Kristen Chidsey

        April 29, 2021 at 10:49 am

        Hi Pat! To reduce stickiness, add in a couple more tablespoons of nuts when processing or dust with some ground wheat germ, toasted almond flour, or ground flaxseed. I would recommend preparing in balls and placing in a reusable container--that's what I do for school lunches! Enjoy!

        Reply
        • Pat Clancey

          April 30, 2021 at 12:42 am

          Thanks for the tips Kristen

          Reply
          • Kristen Chidsey

            April 30, 2021 at 6:59 am

            Happy to Help!

            Reply
        • Judy C Myers

          February 19, 2022 at 1:18 pm

          Do you have a recipe for Lemon Lara Bars? I'm going to try to make the peanutbutter Lara bars today.

          Reply
          • Kristen Chidsey

            February 19, 2022 at 2:13 pm

            Hi Judy! Yes! I need to update to include the lemon variety (it is my son's favorite) Combine 1/2 cup almonds, 1/2 cup cashews cup, 1 & 1/2 cup dates, with 1 tablespoon lemon juice and 1 teaspoon lemon zest. Enjoy!

            Reply
    « Older Comments

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

    Primary Sidebar

    Meet A Mind "Full" Mom

    welcomeHi! I'm Kristen. I want to welcome you into my kitchen and my REAL, imperfect life. Let me share with you tips and tricks to help you make healthy eating a reality for your family in the chaos of life and on the constraints of a budget. Read more

    Instant Pot Favorites

    jar of plain yogurt next to instant pot

    Instant Pot Yogurt

    Perfect Hard Boiled Eggs Sliced Open on cutting board

    Instant Pot Hard Boiled Eggs

    Shredded Pot Roast with carrots and Potatoes in white bowl next to Instant Pot.

    Instant Pot Pot Roast

    Whole Chicken on cutting board

    Instant Pot Rotisserie Chicken

    Bowl of Cold Start Yogurt

    Instant Pot Cold Start Yogurt

    Inner pot of instant pot filled dried beans

    Instant Pot Beans

    4 chicken breasts cooked inside instant pot.

    Instant Pot Chicken Breast (Fresh or Frozen)

    How to use the instant pot as a slow cooker

    How to Use Your Instant Pot as a Slow Cooker

    Reader Favorites

    Bowl of Baked Meatballs.

    The Best Baked Meatballs

    slice of egg cheese overnight breakfast casserole with sausage

    Hashbrown Breakfast Casserole

    Creamy and Cheesy Chicken and Rice in yellow casserole dish

    Creamy and Cheesy Chicken and Rice

    Baked Potato on White Plate

    Instant Pot Baked Potatoes

    Chili seasonings labled on wooden board

    DIY Chili Seasoning

    Plate of chicken and bok choy stir fry topped with cilantro.

    Stir-Fried Chicken and Bok Choy

    Platter of Instant Pot Wings next to ranch dressing

    Instant Pot Chicken Wings

    Bowl of slow cooker oatmeal topped with maple syrup and nuts

    Slow Cooker Maple Brown Sugar Oatmeal

    Taco Meat in skillet with wooden spoon

    The Best Taco Meat Recipe

    Homemade Chicken Tenders on platter.

    Homemade Chicken Tenders

    FEATURED ON

    featured

    Footer

    Featured on:

    Websites AMind"Full"Mom has been featured on

    ↑ back to top

    About

    • Privacy Policy

    Newsletter

    • Sign Up! for emails and updates

    Contact

    • Contact
    • Work with me

    DISCLAIMER: THE SITE DOES NOT PROVIDE MEDICAL ADVICE AND IS FOR INFORMATION PURPOSES ONLY. IT IS NOT INTENDED TO BE A SUBSTITUTE FOR PROFESSIONAL MEDICAL ADVICE OR TREATMENT. AFFILIATE LINKS TO PRODUCTS I GENUINELY LOVE ARE OFTEN INCORPORATED IN MY POSTS. THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT.

    Copyright © 2020 · A MIND "FULL" MOM