Who doesn’t love a snack that’s easy to make, saves you money, and tastes just like your favorite store-bought bar? These homemade Larabars check all of those boxes! I reverse-engineered these Larabar copycats, using only the ingredients listed on the Larabar label to create these homemade versions. That means no added flavors or ingredients, no fluff – just simple ingredients for great energy bars. Plus, I’ve made the the most decadent bar of the bunch, chocolate chip cookie dough, nut-free. Now anyone can enjoy these yummy bars!
homemade Larabar basics
The recipes for each of our favorite four flavors are below, but they all generally follow this master Larabar recipe:
Dried Fruit: In almost every bar, dates act as a natural sweetener and glue to hold everything together. Then, we throw in more dried fruits for flavor (like apples, pineapple, cherries, and raisins!). Nuts: Larabars often use almonds, though walnuts and pecans also work great in them. All of the bars, except chocolate chip cookie dough, use almonds or walnuts for some crunch and substance. These have both omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, making them a healthy addition.
Making them is easy
Making homemade Larabars is as simple as blitzing the ingredients in a food processor until evenly mixed, forming into a rectangle, and then cutting into bars. I like to freeze the rectangle for 30 minutes before cutting to give the bars crisp edges!
Apple Pie Larabars
Everything you love about apple pie – the wintery spices, raisins, and nuts – all packed into a tasty little bar! To make this apple pie flavor, you’ll need the following.
Raisins: Feel free to use dark or golden raisins here. Dried Apples: It wouldn’t be apple pie without the apples! Rather than using fresh apples, which would make these bars too watery (and less shelf-stable), we’re going with dried ones. Cinnamon: Ground cinnamon plays the part perfectly (feel free to go wild and throw in ground nutmeg and cloves as well).
Cherry Pie Larabars
These win the award for “Shortest Ingredients List.” You just need one more besides the basics.
Dried Cherries: Dried cherries aren’t overly sweet, but they bring all the flavor of cherry pie!
Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Larabars
We switched up our recipe a bit from the Larabar ingredients list, nixing the cashews and adding rolled oats for that perfect cookie dough flavor. I know it’s not traditional, but I wanted to create a nut-free option that tasted just as good (or better!).
Chocolate Chips: I went with semi-sweet, though dark chocolate would be delicious (and vegan!). Rolled Oats: Rolled (aka old-fashioned) oats add a nutty flavor and make these bars utterly addictive! In a pinch, you could also use instant oats, though the texture might be different (steel-cut oats will not work here). Salt: Salt brings out the flavors of the oats and chocolate, amplifying that cookie dough flavor! Vanilla: Finish it off with good-quality vanilla extract.
Carrot Cake Larabars
The ingredients list may be longer, but each plays a crucial role in creating these scrumptious carrot cake Larabars!
Raisins: A carrot cake classic, these bring a deep sweetness reminiscent of the traditional cake! Dried Pineapple: This adds even more sweetness to our cake bars. You can find it in most stores or online. Unsweetened Shredded Coconut: Be sure to use unsweetened coconut here! Carrot: We’ll use fresh shredded carrots, meaning the shelf life of these bars will be shorter than with the other flavors. Cinnamon: Gotta have the spice! Ground cinnamon plays the part perfectly (feel free to go wild and throw in ground nutmeg and cloves as well). Coconut Oil: Tie it all together with a spoonful of extra virgin coconut oil.
