Homemade Larabars are a great alternative to classic energy bars or protein bars. They are soft, chewy, and definitely dessert-like. Made with just a handful of wholesome ingredients, Larabars are not only raw, but also vegan (dairy-free, egg-free), grain-free (gluten-free), soy-free, and refined sugar-free.

If there is one snack food I buy in the store, it’s Larabars. I make them at home too from time to time, but we go through so many, especially my kids, that it’s hard to keep up.

Fortunately, Larabars are sold everywhere (at least here in Canada). The four original Larabar flavors were Apple Pie, Cashew Cookie, Cocoa Coconut Chew, and Cherry Pie. Currently, there are 30 different flavors, all inspired by popular flavors of cakes, cookies, and ice creams. In addition to those, there are also Larabar protein bars with plant-based protein, which are denser and a bit drier than the original bars.

My favorite? Definitely the Apple Pie Larabar!

The great thing though is that you can easily replicate all the flavors. In this post, I will share with you recipes for a few of the original Larabars, namely the Apple Pie, Cherry Pie, and Pecan Pie. But if you want to make any other Larabars at home, simply follow the basic ratio of dried fruit to nuts and then add the mix-ins listed on the Larabar label.

Ingredients

Larabars are typically made with just fruit, nuts, and spices. That’s it! These homemade Larabars are no different with the following ingredients:

• Medjool dates: when choosing dates for your homemade Larabars, I highly recommend fresh dates. Fresh dates, such as Medjool dates, are harvested from the date palm, cleaned, and packaged right away. This is why you’ll find them in the produce section at the grocery store. They are soft, moist, juicy, and sticky. Dried dates, such as Deglet Noor, are firm and quite dry. If all you have are dried dates, soak them in hot water for about 10 minutes first, so they soften up. Dates are the only binder in this recipe, so it’s important that they are moist and sticky otherwise the Larabars won’t hold together well.
• Nuts: you can use pretty much any nuts you like to make Larabars at home. Almonds and cashews are the most common for sure, but hazelnuts, peanuts, pecans, and walnuts appear in a few Larabars are well. 
• Mix-ins: most of the add-ins in Larabars are actually just fruit and nuts, again. The most common ones are apples, bananas, cherries, coconut, pears, pineapple, raisins… of course, I cannot forget also chocolate chips and cocoa.
• Spices: depending on the recipe, some bars contain also spices, including allspice, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and vanilla.

How to Make Homemade Larabars

There isn’t much to making Larabars at home. All you need is a food processor and a few minutes. No baking necessary.

1. Process the nuts. Store-bought Larabars have relatively smooth texture. You will bite into a piece of nut here and there but the bars are not particularly crunchy. To achieve the same texture, add the nuts into a food processor fitted with an S blade and pulse until the nuts are crumbly. If you process the nuts with the dates (without pre-chopping them first), they will not break down as much. 
2. Add the dates. Once the nuts are coarsely chopped, add the dates and pulse until well combined. The mixture should be tender and slightly crumbly at first, but it should be sticky enough to hold together when you press it between your fingers. If the mixture it too dry, pulse it a little bit more or add a tablespoon or so of coconut oil to help bind everything together.
3. Add the mix-ins. Finally, pulse in (or stir in) the add-ins (if the recipe calls for them). 
4. Shape the mixture into a rectangle. Transfer the mixture into a parchment paper-lined baking dish and press it into a smooth, even layer. You can also roll out the mixture in between two pieces of parchment paper and then shape it into a rectangle.
5. Dehydrate/chill. Store-bought Larabars are dehydrated, which is the reason they stay firm even at room temperature. If you don’t have a dehydrator, you can also chill homemade Larabars in the freezer for at least 2 hours to get them firm. Once firm, cut into individual bars.

DIY Larabar Variations

Some of the most common flavors I see in the stores are Banana Bread, Banana Chocolate Chip, Cashew Cookie, Chocolate Chip Brownie, Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough, Gingerbread, Peanut Butter Cookie, Pecan Pie, and Pumpkin Pie. You can easily replicate all these flavors at home. Here are a few examples:

• Banana Bread: 1 cup almonds, ¾ cup Medjool dates, ¾ cup dehydrated banana (not banana chips!)
• Banana Chocolate Chip: 1 cup almonds, ¾ cup Medjool dates, ¾ cup dehydrated banana (not banana chips!), ¼ cup mini semi-sweet chocolate chips
• Cashew Cookie: 1 ½ cups cashews, 1 cup Medjool dates
• Chocolate Chip Brownie: 1 ½ cups Medjool dates, ¾ cup almonds, ¼ cup walnuts, ¼ cup cocoa powder, ¼ cup mini semi-sweet chocolate chips, pinch sea salt
• Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough: 1 ½ cups cashews, 1 cup Medjool dates, ¼ cup mini semi-sweet chocolate chips, 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract, pinch sea salt
• Peanut Butter Cookie: 1 ½ cups Medjool dates, 1 cup roasted peanuts, pinch sea salt

How to Store Homemade Larabars

• Storing at room temperature: transfer the Larabars into an airtight container and store at room temperature for up to 1 week. (If you are not dehydrating the Larabars, I recommend storing them in the fridge or the freezer).
• Refrigerating: transfer the Larabars into an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 1 month.
• Freezing: transfer the Larabars into an airtight container, separating each layer with parchment paper, so the bars don’t stick together, and freeze for up to 3 months.

More Energy Bars Recipes

Snack bars are something I always have on hand, whether it’s Larabars, Cliff bars, KIND bars or any other type of energy bars. If you’re looking for more homemade energy bars (or energy bites) recipes, here are a few ideas:

• KIND bars: these copycat KIND bars pack a ton of flavor and a lot of interesting textures –  snappiness on the top, chewiness on the bottom, and a lot of crunch in between. 
• Muesli bars: these muesli bars are similar to granola bars, but only mildly sweet and with a softer, chewier texture.
• Cereal bars: if cereal bars are your go-to for running out the door, you’ll love this homemade version – caramel-y sweet, chewy, and slightly crunchy.
• Almond butter energy bites: energy bites are really just a variation of energy bars. These particular ones are very close to the store-bought Almond Butter Larabars.

If you try any of these recipes, please, leave a comment and rate the recipe below. It always means a lot when you do.