Oh, homemade Larabars. It’s been too long. Really though, I can’t say I’ve had a good reason to make energy bars. Let me tell you, my energy is in zero danger of plummeting any time soon. With all the recipe testing going down, my only challenge is trying not to pop the button off my pants from all this good food. The freezer is bursting at the seams; one wrong move and I’m pummeled in the face by a 10-pound solid chunk of homemade pasta sauce or chocolate pie. The last thing I need is an energy bar.
Eric, on the other hand, could use a portable snack. He plays in a volleyball league which meets for a few hours around dinnertime and he’s usually famished by the time he sits down to eat dinner at 9 or 10 pm. Since I can’t play in the league myself (I have a torn meniscus in my knee), I support him in the best way I know how – homemade snacks.
Of course, I enjoyed a couple bars (ok, ok and some dough!) – all in the name of taste-testing purposes of course. It’s amazing how much of an appetite I can work up hovering over a food processor. Tell me I’m not alone.
Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Energy Bars
Yield
10-12 servings
Prep time
Cook time
0 minutes
Total time
These are my take on the popular Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Larabars. Now you can make them at home for a fraction of the cost! I like to store them in the freezer so I have an energy bar ready whenever I need a pick me up. For thick squares, press the dough into a 9x5-inch loaf pan. For thinner bars, use an 8x8-inch square pan.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups (230g) raw cashews
- 1 cup tightly packed pitted Medjool dates (190g)*
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 to 2 teaspoons water, if needed
- 1/4 plus 1/8 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 3 tablespoons mini non-dairy chocolate chips (regular size chips work too)
Directions
- Add cashews into a food processor and process for 3 to 4 seconds, until a coarse meal forms.
- Add in the pitted dates and vanilla. Process until the mixture comes together, for about 15 seconds, or longer if needed. The mixture should stick together easily when you squeeze it between your fingers. If it doesn’t stick or it’s still a bit crumbly, add a very small amount of water (1 teaspoon at a time) and process it again. I usually add between 1 to 2 teaspoons of water.
- Finally, add the salt, to taste, and the chocolate chips, and process briefly to combine.
- Line a loaf pan or an 8-inch square pan with a piece of parchment paper so that there's overhang to lift out the bars after freezing. Scoop the mixture into the pan and smooth out with your hand until it’s level. Push down firmly all over the mixture. The more you pack it down the better the bars will hold together. Roll out with a pastry roller if you have one.
- Freeze, uncovered, for at least 15 to 20 minutes and then slice into bars. For on-the-go, wrap bars in plastic wrap or tin foil and store in the fridge or freezer. I prefer these straight from the freezer. Most of all, hide from other members of the family!
Tip:
- *If your dates are stiff or dry, soak the dates in boiling water for 30 minutes before beginning. Drain well and quickly pat dry before use.
If you are looking for another tasty energy bar/ball recipe, check out my Dark Chocolate Cherry Energy Bites. Love those!
What’s your favourite Larabar flavour of all time?
Food processor hovering is a full-body workout… my feet start tapping, my stomach tightens in anticipation, my arms are busy messing with the buttons trying to get it to blend faster. Definitely warrants testing. :)
oh that made me laugh :)
Haha… oh that’s so me! =D
I loved the Lara bars! I substituted 1/2 cup of cashews for 1/2 cup oats. They turned out marvelous! Thank you for sharing. A perfect winter snack.
You’re so not alone! I get hungry just reading about using the food processor. These looks great – I’ll have to try them this afternoon!
I’ve been eating the Cocoa Coconut Chew lately and I’m in love! They are a bit expensive, so I would love to make them at home, but I don’t have a food processor.
A food processor is definitely a worthy kitchen investment. When I moved out of home last year, despite being a poor student I had to have one and managed to get a blender and processor for $69. I use it multiple times a day and after nearly 12 months its still going strong!
Thanks for the reply! What kind of processor do you have?
I have a magic bullet, does anyone know if that would be strong enough to process dates? I’m afraid to try it – don’t want to burn it out!
I have a Ronson from Target. I’m in Australia though and I assume you’re not! I got a Magic Bullet too actually. But for $98 I was so disappointed, not very powerful at all :(
I’m in Canada. Darn, I don’t see that processor on Amazon. Ya, that’s why I’m afraid of putting dates in the Magic Bullet. It gets stuck with banana and berries, I’m sure dates would fry it!
I just processed dates (no pits) in my magic bullet today. Definitely pre-soak the dates, and it if the Magic Bullet sounds angry, add a bit more water (1 tbsp at a time, max).
No the nutribullet burns out when u try and process dates… well mine did!
keep an eye on craigslist, I have bought some great kitchen items on there.
Yum! Cookie dough is my biggest weakness and greatest {food} love. I’m just finishing up a snack of my Sacher Torte raw balls now. Gotta’ love healthy recipe re-mixes!
What kind of food processor do you have? Mine won’t these.
I have a Cuisinart processor – pretty happy with it overall!
Food processors amaze me sometimes with the things they can do. This week, I finally worked up the courage to buy dates to attempt something like this. The results were pretty good with dates and oats, but my little food processor will need a major upgrade to handle nuts. :)
Just got a food processor for Christmas… looks like I’ve found the perfect way to break it in! :)
Cookie dough bars and no sweetener added I can not wait to try theses babies, I love cheap easy snacks that do not take much time yum!!!
I love that you use cashews….I am so tired of pecans/walnuts and dates! I’m going to add in some goji berries for good measure!
Oh i love these types of recipes!! Keep em comin!!! :)
Cocoa mole is my favorite! spicy chocolate yum yum yum.
This is one of my favorites (so thank you!). Cherry Pie and Apple Pie also top my list. I can’t wait to make this!
I don’t think I’ve seen the apple pie around here yet…hoping to try it soon!
I always see Apple Pie sold in boxes of five (also, usually, in singles) at Loblaws/Superstores around Ontario (in their natural foods aisles) :)
Thanks for the tip :)
Apple Pie is magnificent. We always SAVE THE PULP after juicing!
And then add it to our bars. The pulp is perfect!!
Because after juicing, it’s already pretty strung out, and still has flavor.
We just keep them seperated, and they can always be on hand!
Sometimes, if it’s still too wet, we’ll let it try out a little first.
Very low in the oven, or even just a wile in the fridge.
Apples, Beets, Carrots!! ABCs of Heaven… In a juice.. AND.. IN A BAR!! Lol
All of our kids LOVE them.
I’ve never tried a Larabar (I’m in the UK) but we have Nak’d bars which I think are pretty similar. I love the Cocoa Mint, Caffe Mocha and Cashew Cookie flavours.
I need to get a decent food processor asap!
Oh wow – these look awesome. Yummy yummy!
I think my favourite flavour is cashew cookie – so these will replace them rather nicely =)
You keep fueling the fire with wanting a food processor! I have a blender, but some things just don’t work in a blender, you know? Do you think that you would ever just use the food processor in place of the blender? I don’t love having a ton of appliances, but I think the food processor might be a must : )
Now that I own both I don’t think there is any turning back! I use both daily usually. :)
Me too. A few years ago I got a combo blender/food processor and it was a bust … very sad, as it was a Cuisinart. I’ve come to the conclusion there’s no way around having both appliances. I bit the bullet and got a Vitamix blender, and it’s worth every penny for someone who uses it every day.
The Ninja kitchen system works very well. My husband got it for me for my birthday, and I’ve been very pleased with it — I can finally process items like this and cookies/batters, and still have a blender feature.
For people that don’t want to get a food processor and blender (or don’t have the cupboard space!) I use a Ninja blender and it can handle anything the food processor can! It is wonderful for Larabars.
Thanks for the tip! I’ve heard those Ninjas are good :)
These are my moms favorite flavor! Can’t wait to make them for her!
Anything that has to do with cookie dough (especially in its raw form) immediately gets me drooling. I’ve made many date bars, but never tried to recreate the oh so delicious cookie dough larabar. These bars will definitely be in my snack lineup this week! I wonder if using half pecans and half cashews would work as well?
I can’t see why not. I think any nuts would work as long as you like the flavour. I also made a fun mocha flavour using almonds and hazelnuts….very good as well.
It must’ve been in the air because I just made these yesterday sans chocolate chips but with nutmeg and cinnamon. We pop ’em just before a workout. SO good!
These look mouth-watering yummy! It was just the other day that I was thinking to myself I wanted to experiment making my own Cherry Pie Larabars, and now you’ve posted this delicious looking treat. I can’t wait to try these :)
Hello…..
I am just wondering when your cook book is going to be out?
Hi Paula, It’s due out early in 2014…..date TBA. :)