Well, I stand corrected. All this time readers have been telling me I should make my own Larabars at home, and I proudly stood my ground saying I already make too many things from scratch so I would continue to buy them from the store. But that was until I figured out homemade Larabars taste SO much better than the packaged ones! On a recent blog post I shared that extra good food is worth the extra effort to me so it should be no surprise that I will have to start making these on a regular basis now! I even worked up a nut free Larabar recipe, too.
Want to Save this Recipe?
Enter your email below & we'll send it straight to your inbox. Plus you'll get great new recipes from us every week!
Plus since Larabars are such a simple snack, using only a few whole ingredients, that means they are simple to make at home as well. All you need are Medjool Dates, which can be found in the produce section if your store carries them, and some nuts, peanut butter, seeds and/or granola. And thanks to the seed version (recipe below) those who are nut-free can enjoy these bars now, too. They are the perfect “on-the-go” snack, and my girls were so excited when they saw me putting together the pictured platter…it was like torture for them waiting for me to finish taking pictures! My daughters seriously love these things.
To learn more about Medjool Dates (the fruit that can act as a sweetener in recipes) check out my post a couple months ago that also includes three other date recipes.
Nut-Free Larabars
Ingredients
Instructions
- Combine seeds with olive oil and salt and mix together thoroughly. Toast coated seeds in toaster oven, a pan on the stove (on low heat), or standard oven on 350 degrees F until slightly brown.
- Combine toasted seeds, dates and water in a food processor and puree until mixture starts to stick together. Add a little more water if necessary to help mixture come together.
- Pick up date mixture and using your hands work to squeeze it together into one big clump. Mash it down on a cutting board or sheet of wax paper to form into one even rectangle shape using the sides of your hands (or a knife) to make the edges straight.
- Slice into 8 even squares. For best results store in the fridge, although bars can be kept at room temperature.
Can I use Deglet dates in this recipe instead?
Hi Amber, you can use those instead, they just won’t produce as sweet of a flavor, of course. – Nicole
This is delicious. We go to a nutfree / egg free daycare so I’m always looking for snacks to send and this will now be going on our regular rotation. Quick, easy, delicious.
would it work to replace the dates with prunes or other similar dried fruit??
Hi. I have used prunes.