Larabars are my favorite snack bars. They’re not only delicious, with flavors like blueberry muffin, carrot cake, chocolate chip brownie, and apple pie, but they’re also made from simple, recognizable ingredients: fruit and nuts, and occasionally cocoa or chocolate chips depending on the flavor. No artificial additives or hard-to-pronounce chemicals.
My go-to is the apple pie flavor, which uses just six ingredients: dates, almonds, walnuts, dried apples, raisins, and cinnamon. I recently learned that you can make these at home with minimal effort and at a fraction of the cost of store-bought bars.
The process is quick: a few pulses in the food processor chop the nuts and turn the dates and raisins into a sticky paste that binds everything together. Once the mixture is cohesive, you press it into a pan, slice it into bars, and your homemade Apple Pie Larabars are ready.Homemade bars often taste even better than packaged ones, and they’re ideal if you need snacks that are vegan, gluten-free, soy-free, and dairy-free. They’re fast to prepare and versatile for different dietary needs.
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Homemade Apple Pie Larabars
Ingredients
- 9 large Medjool dates, pitted (available in the produce section or bulk bins)
- 1/4 cup raisins packed
- 1 cup dried unsweetened apples (Trader Joe’s or similar)
- 1 cup raw almonds, unsalted
- 1/2 cup raw walnuts, unsalted
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon salt, optional
Instructions
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Place the dates, raisins, dried apples, almonds, walnuts, cinnamon, and salt (if using) in a food processor. Start with the dried fruit on the bottom. Pulse until the mixture is finely chopped and sticky, and holds together when pressed.
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Line an 8×8 or 9×9-inch baking dish with wax paper, leaving extra paper hanging over the sides to lift the mixture out easily.
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Transfer the mixture to the prepared dish and cover with the overhanging wax paper. Press or roll the mixture until the surface is even and compact.
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Lift the mixture from the pan using the wax paper and cut it into 10 equal bars. Wrap bars individually in wax paper or plastic wrap, or store them in a sealed container.
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Store at room temperature in the pantry for up to 3 months, or keep refrigerated or frozen for up to 6 months.
Notes
*If your dates or raisins seem dry, soak them in a cup of warm water for about 5 minutes, then drain before processing.
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