Ready to learn how to make homemade Larabars?
Ever since I got to try some Larabars for a review back in March, I’ve been hooked. They are amazingly yummy, incredibly healthy and what do you know…they are gluten free!
I’m amazed that they contain so few ingredients…my favorite Cashew Cookie bar is made of only dates and cashews…that’s IT. And it really does taste like a cookie. Only better. :)
Since doing that review, I’ve done two things regarding Larabars:
1) I used some of my Swagbuck earnings to order more from Amazon. I wanted to have these awesome snacks on hand for grab and go moments. They have come in very handy!
2) I used Katie’s Healthy Snacks to Go eBook to make my own.
You have GOT to try your hand at Homemade Larabars.
I can’t believe how easy they are, and the homemade bars taste even better (because homemade always tastes better, right?)!
Malachi is not a big fan of nuts in any form, mostly because he really just hasn’t given them a chance. :) This has been a challenge during our Gluten Free Experiment because I would really like to be able to feed him nuts as a snack. So…I didn’t call these Larabars. I told him that these were a “gluten free bar” that I had made. He didn’t ask what was in them. I didn’t tell. He saw the chocolate chips. That’s all he needed to know. :)
He gobbled one right up, exclaiming over and over how good it was. (yay!) I think we may be going through a lot of nuts and dates while I continue to “play” in the kitchen. :)
Regarding nuts, be sure to check out Braga Farms as a wonderful source for organic nuts! Braga Farms is a fabulous family farm to purchase organic nuts from. You can not beat their quality or their prices! I just placed an order and I can’t wait to get my great box of organic nuts!
Ever tried making your own Larabars? I think we’ve decided to call our homemade bars “Mamabars”. And wow, there’s only one left so I’m going to have to make another batch! :)
Homemade Larabars
- 1½ cups raw cashews
- 8 dates (remove pits)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 Tablespoons water
- ¼ cup add ins like mini chocolate chips, dried fruit, or fresh fruit like blueberries (optional)
- Grind cashews in a food processor until fine.
- Slowly add dates, vanilla, and water and pulse until the mixture forms a dough.
- Fold in chocolate chips or fruit.
- Press mixture into a parchment paper-lined 8x8 inch pan.
- Refrigerate for about one hour.
- Cut into 12 bars.
Need more healthy snack ideas? You’ll love this wonderful and helpful eBook full of 227 Healthy Snack ideas and recipes!
Do the homemade Lara bars have oats in them? I’m looking for gluten-free bars that are also oats-free….
Nope…just fruit and nuts!! I don’t have to eat gluten free, but oats and I don’t get along very well. That’s another reason I really love Larabars!
It looks like several of the recipes in the e-book besides
the homemade lara bars are not gluten
free so that is one reason I’d been leery of ordering it…. unless
I’m wrong??
There are a few recipes in the ebook that have oats or spelt in them. All of the larabar varieties (14 of them) are gluten free. And of course, if you use GF oats, those recipes would be gf too. I’d say *most* of the recipes are gluten free.
Heather,
Just over half the total recipes in the book are GF – you can see a review from a gluten-free blogger here: http://www.simplysugarandglutenfree.com/slightly-indulgent-tuesday-62910/
We’re grain-free right now, and I’ve been making these bars plus some of the others from the book OFTEN. :) I will refund your purchase price if you try it and decide thre just aren’t enough GF options though. Enjoy! :) Katie
All varieties of the LÄRABARs you buy are oat free as well. Just nuts and fruits.
Yum! Those look really good!
Love these! Our Krogers had the Larabars on sale for $1 so we bought several kinds to try so I would know which ones to order on Amazon. They are very good but I haven’t been brave enough to try the homemade yet…maybe soon!
I accidentally got a Lunabar instead or Larabar. Now, I have to go back :) Excited to see if I have a new snack bar.
oooh- A guilt free treat ! I’d love to make these for my husband to snack on at work :)
I have never had a larabar but will be buying some this weekend.
I was SO SHOCKED the first time I picked up a Larabar and saw the ingredients…I wondered why I’d been buying Lunas that were a few boxes away when these taste so much better!
I haven’t tried to make them at home, though…bet they’re even yummier :-)
This looks yummy! I really should go and buy that e-book!
YES!!! It rocks–I use it ALL of the time–totally worth every penny I paid for :) The Almond Power Bars are healthy and taste like candy!!
The Almond Power bars are really good and that recipe is on the Kitchen Stewardship recipe page. I have the e-book also and I love it but there are a lot of recipes on the web for homemade larabars.
I have got to try these!
I love Larabars too, but Katie didn’t have my favorite kind…Apple Pie, so I remade it myself. Here’s the recipe:
http://www.whoislaura.com/2010/09/07/tasty-tuesday-apple-pie-larabar-remake/
Dr. Laura
Dr. Laura,
Did I tell you I tried those, too, and they’ll be in the second edition (free to all purchasers) in the fall? ;) Awesome flavor! :) Katie
I’ve seen a few recipes for these lately, I will have to try one soon!
I’m definitely going to have to get that ebook!
I’ve made a couple varieties from the ebook and I’m hooked. I can’t wait to get some cashews and try the ones you mentioned. I love cashews!
We can’t have nuts right now but I make them pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, coconut and apricots. MMmmmmm, so good!
Our local Target at the Apple Pie version on clearance for 59 cents today (near the pharmacy and “diet” bars). They also had Peanut Butter cookie, but I have been making that kind myself :) YUM I followed the recipes found here http://enlightenedcooking.blogspot.com/2008/02/home-made-lara-bars-energy-bars-part-3.html
no recipe ?? i guess we’ve gotta go buy katie’s e-book.
MamaBars? Love it!
I make my own “larabars” too, I make them in the dehydrator. I’ve made the carrot cake and cherry pie! I’ve also made a no bake cookie version of my own with peanut butter oats dates and coco powder. Yum!
just got the ebook and it looks fabulous! Can’t wait to try the recipes!
I haven’t tried to make my own yet, but we’re hooked on Larabars now, too. I guess I need to buy Katie’s book.
Just made some yesterday as a matter of fact. Made them with cherries & almonds, rolled them into balls and then rolled into coconut to give them a “truffle” look. So yummy!
Kelly,
I love making balls, too, so much easier to hand to kiddos. Haven’t rolled in fanciness yet, thought – what a great idea! :) Katie
I prefer the balls too. I make a double batch and freeze, to use in school lunches. I scoop with my cookie scoop then roll. I googled larabar recipes online, then tried different recipes to find out which ones we liked. Our favorite is dates, pecans, natural PB and cocoa powder. All the chocolatey taste, with no added sugar. I agree, they are even better rolled in unsweetened coconut. Though two of my daughters who like dried fruit and nuts whole, don’t like larabars, go figure.
Umm… Yumm!! I can’t wait to make these for my daughter and husband!
Ok, dumb question. What is an E-Book?
E-book means “electronic book”. It’s created into a downloadable, pdf form. So, if you purchase, you automatically get a download link, then you download the “book” onto your computer. It’s a great way to get a book automatically, and you can either print it or just save it on your computer and save paper!
Thanks Laura!
I so have to try these!
We just bought cashews so we could make some cashew cookie bars.
I have the e-book too, just haven’t had a chance to try out any recipes yet. These look like they would be great for travel ~ we have a road trip coming up…..now to figure out how to sweeze in the time to make these……
Donna – I always find a double batch takes about 15 minutes start to finish. :) Ksatie
I love Larabars, especially pecan pie ones. I usually cut them in half and save it for later because they are quite rich.
I’d like to know if the cost compares to LaraBars.
When you make your own, you can make almost an entire batch for the same price as ONE purchased Larabar!
FYI Aldi has a knock off that comes in apple pie and 1 other flavor I think(much cheaper then actual larabars). I make my own at home, but the prepackaged ones are great for travel and kids sports.
Just in time for summer, can’t wait to try and have the kids help make these. Thanks for sharing!
Just made my first nut and fruit bar recently… can’t wait to try more!
I think you should call them “MaLaBars”… glad he enjoyed them!
These look like a great thing to have on hand. We are just entering a very busy time with baseball and softball practices and games!
Yeah, I had to go buy some the next time I was out and about after you blogged about them – good stuff – now I need to make them.
Hmmm…I’m feeling left out now. I’ve never tried a Larabar. I think my next stop is Katie’s page to take a look at her ebook. These sound great!
These look yummy!
I have Katie’s book and I love it!!! We love the take along spelt biscuits! Love the larabars as well!
Sounds yummy. I think I will have to look into getting the book.
I’d love to try these but my husband can’t have nuts….so nuts!
Holly,
There are a couple of the 14 options that are nut-free – with sunflower seeds instead, if he can tolerate those. And you can always experiment with seed options. ???
I agree though – nuts! ;) Katie
Unfortunately no nuts or seeds for him. It has made a big impact on our snacks.
And this time of year no strawberries is a tough one.
You had me at those chocolate chips!
Do these store well? I am making sack lunches for 3 this year with my oldest 2 children working at a farm and for my dear husband. I need stable healthy snack ideas:)
Yes, just store them in the fridge and they’ll stay good for quite a while!
I’ve also recently been lazy about them, and it turns out they last as awfully long time out of the fridge! ;) They’re definitely good lunchbox items, even for a few days. Katie
we make something similar and add toasted coconut and diced nuts (walnuts or pecans are a favorite) so yummy!
personally I do not like Larabars. I have tried many flavors, but yours look great. need to try them.
We got a couple of boxes to try from Sam’s after you mentioned them a couple of weeks ago…my husband just informed me that he really likes having them at work…guess I’ll have to start making them, too!
Hmmm, I wonder if I could get my nut-hating husband to eat these? On another note – do you know how many of those snacks contain almonds or honey? I am allergic to both, though I supposed I could sub pecans and maple syrup where they’re called for??
I am not sure about honey, but I know that several have almonds as
one of the ingredients. Check the LaraBar webisite and it should
give you an individiual breakdown of each bar and its ingredients.
I hope you can find atleast one flavor because they are so GOOD!
Mainly I was wondering about the ones in the cookbook, though I’ll have to check out the larabars too… I know I have more flexibility when making my own stuff with ubstitutions….
None of the bars call for honey…dried fruit is what sweetens them. A few of them do call for almonds, but yes, I would imagine you could sub for another kind of nut.
Great, I’ve been thinking of purchasing that e-book for a while… Now may be the time… Thanks!
Susan, If it turns out you can’t use too many recipes, I’ll happily refund your purchase price as well – but I do think you can sub other nuts, plus there are lots of other non-larabar recipes in the book to enjoy. Thanks! :) Katie
I am hooked on Larabars and found them once I became gluten free. Cherry pie is my favorite, but I if I could learn to make them myself I would be thrilled. Thanks!
I bet my children would love these!
I have made a few of the KS Larabars . . . awesome!
I don’t love dates, but my husband does. I just bought some from Azure, so maybe I’ll try to make some of these.
Christina,
I don’t love dates just straight, either, but in most of these, you taste the other flavors and the dates are just a happy sweetener and binder. A couple varieties also use just raisins. :) Katie
Wow! YUM!
I’ll have to try these sometime. They would be a GREAT snack to send to work with my hubby — he works a very physical job and gets hungry…I can’t keep him full!
Yum!
These look yummy! And like your son I often only need to know there is chocolate involved to figure it is good enough for me :)
Heather
Interesting, I tried Lara bars after you suggested but they are pricy so I’m interested to try this.
are these stick to your teeth gooey?
No, they really aren’t. I don’t feel like they’re even messy at all.
I need to get out my copy of Healthy Snacks to go and try these.
I made some of these and my husband DEVOURED them! They were so good!!!
Another great snack idea!
They look good! I wish you could share the recipe with us!!!!
I bought some dates to test these out. YUM!
Cant wait to try it!
I am a big fan of your granola bars, can’t wait to try this out!
I have some dates at home. Is the recipe on the website? Would love to try these.
I have indeed made home-made larabars before from Katie’s ebook! I made the german chocolate ones – yummy :)
thanks so much for sharing so many great recipes! i am really excited about this larabar recipe! thanks for sharing! blessings, Kelly
another tip for making homemade “larabars”: if you run short of dates – or just get tired of the date-y flavor, use half dates and half bananas. obviously you’ll have to eat these within a few days and keep them refrigerated – but the bananas work nicely and still hold things together when used with the dates.
:)
I love these! I actually found that apricots can work just like dates. I love mango and wanted to try a mango variety, but thought the date flavor might overpower the mango so I used apricots. It turned into my favorite variety! Cashew, coconut, mango, and apricot. Yum!