Homemade Larabar Recipe – Easy, Real & Nutritious!

Here is a super simple recipe for homemade Larabars, using all real food! These chewy, tasty bars are full of nutrients and easy to pack for an on-the-go snack.  Enjoy!

Homemade Larabar Recipe - Easy, Delicious, Real & Nutritious!

Added Nutrition

Larabars are a staple in my house and have been since I made the switch to real food. They are like a chewy protein/granola bar that is made with very few simple ingredients and are a perfect grab-and-go snack to keep in your purse for those epic toddler meltdowns.  Mama, you know the ones, the ones where your kid suddenly turns into the Hulk because he hasn’t eaten in 8 and a half minutes and if you don’t feed him immediately all you know what is going to break loose?!  No?  Just my kid?

Anyway, I wanted to created more nutrition while still being delicious and super portable, so I included extra nuts, seeds and dried fruits that pack a nutrient punch.  These are sweet and chewy and an easy way to get more nutrition into your kids. And I was pretty tired of spending money on Larabars at the store since I already had all the ingredients sitting in my pantry.

Some Tips

This recipe is super versatile so feel free to omit or add ingredients based on your preference.  The base is made of dates, which become a bit sticky and help bind all of the rest of the ingredients.  You throw it all in the food processor and create a mixture that will clump together when you compress it in your hand.  If it’s not clumping together then you can add more dates or other dried fruits.  If it’s too sticky then you can add more of your other ingredients like nuts or seeds.  This recipe has a great consistency and is not super sticky once compressed in the pan, which is great for toddlers, kids, husbands, your sofa and the inside of your car.

Homemade Larabars - in the pan

I will also say that I highly recommend making these in a food processor and not a blender.  I broke my food processor several years ago and thought I didn’t need to replace it.  Until I attempted to make this recipe in my beloved Vitamix.  I spent an embarrassing amount of time trying to dig the mixture out of the blades.  I LOVE my new food processor and it’s definitely worth it if you want to make this recipe or any other similar recipes.  Your kiddos can help scoop, measure and put the ingredients in the food processor and can help squish down the mixture.  I like to cut these into squares and wrap individually in plastic wrap.  That is not necessary but helps make these super handy.  And they are perfect for the lunch box!

Easy Homemade Larabars - Delicious, Nutritious, Real and Paleo!

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DIY Larabars – Perfect for the lunch box!

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This simple recipe yields a chewy and tasty snack that is great for kids and adults alike!

  • Author: Julie - My Merry Messy Life
  • Category: Snack

Ingredients

Scale
  • 8 pitted dates.  (I like to soak my dates in warm water for a few minutes before blending.)
  • ½ prunes
  • ½ cup dried raisins or any other dried fruit
  • 2 tbsp sunflower seeds
  • ½ cup nuts of choice
  • 1 tbsp chia seeds
  • 2 tsp ground flax
  • ½ cup shredded coconut (I like to add this to the food processor first and blend till it’s pretty fine in consistency)

Instructions

  1. Blend and press into a parchment lined dish.  I use a glass Pyrex dish that is 7”x5” but any size will work it will just make your final bars thicker or thinner.  Take your time pressing the mixture into the dish.  I used the back of a measuring cup to press and smooth the mixture.
  2. The better you compress it the better they will hold together.
  3. Refrigerate for 3-4 hours, slice and enjoy!

Let me know if you and your family enjoy this recipe!  I hope you give it a try.

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