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The perfect snack that’s filling, nutritious, and made with easy pantry staples! One batch of these homemade Lara bars and you’ll never buy them again!
Homemade Chocolate Chip Lara Bars
There are so many choices out there when it comes to snack bars. What I’ve found, though, is that making a homemade version of Lara Bars really couldn’t be easier. And the bonus? My kids love them even more because they can help make them and choose the mix-ins.
The ingredient list is as short and sweet as the time it takes to make them. These add the perfect extra nutritional boost to a healthy school lunchbox with lara bars if you have an older child or an athlete.
Since these last up to a week in the fridge, I love to have them on hand to serve as an after-school snack or pack in the lunchbox when I feel I need to add something extra!
Ingredients
Today I’m sticking to peanut butter, but this homemade Lara Bars Recipe allows for all kinds of room for experimenting with new flavors! My go-to recipe includes:
- Pitted dates: add natural sweetness and lots of nutrition. You can swap them for other dry fruits.
- Peanuts: or you can use almonds!
- Creamy peanut butter: my favorite for these bars; almond butter also works.
- Mini chocolate chips: make everything tastier!
Health Benefits
These copycat Lara bars are made with real ingredients that provide tons of nutrition in one single snack. Dates and peanuts contain vitamins, minerals, fiber, healthy fats, and antioxidants. Dates are also naturally sweet and offer a quick energy boost!
How to Make Copycat Lara Bars
Making homemade Lara bars involves no baking or anything complicated; it’s just about putting the food processor to work and refrigerating! Check out the easy steps:
- Combine
Use your food processor to process the dates and peanuts. When they are almost a paste, add in the peanut butter and process until you have a dough. Finally, add the chocolate chips. - Transfer
Transfer the mixture to a loaf pan and press. - Refrigerate
Store the homemade Lara bars in the fridge for 1 to 2 hours until firm. Cut into 6 bars, wrap individually, and refrigerate for up to a week. Easy, right?
More Mix-Ins
There are so many combinations to try that you could make a new flavor every week! Swap out the peanuts and peanut butter for almonds and almond butter or use mixed nuts. Add in dried fruit or shredded coconut instead of chocolate chips. Maybe a dash of cinnamon to celebrate the flavors of fall? Or a pinch of sea salt for extra tastiness!
Storage Tips
The best way to store these homemade Lara bars is to wrap them individually in plastic wrap and keep them in the fridge for up to a week. This way, whenever you need them, you simply open the fridge and grab one to enjoy immediately or to pack in the lunchbox.
How to Pack Lara Bars for School Lunch
Pack your homemade Lara bar in a separate compartment of the lunchbox so it doesn’t absorb the moisture of wet ingredients like fruits and veggies. For little kids, you can cut the bar into smaller pieces.
Homemade Lara Bars
Ingredients
- 1 cup pitted dates,
- ½ cup peanuts
- 2 tablespoons creamy peanut butter
- ⅓ cup mini chocolate chips
Instructions
Make the mixture:
- In a food processor, process the dates and peanuts until they begin to form a paste. Add in the peanut butter and continue to process until a dough begins to form. Next, add in the chips and pulse a few times to combine.
- Line a 9×5-inch loaf pan with parchment paper or plastic wrap and spoon in the mixture. Press firmly in the loaf pan, until about ¾-inch thick.
Refrigerate:
- Refrigerate for 1 to 2 hours until firm. Lift up the parchment liner, remove from the loaf pan, and cut into 6 bars. Wrap individually and store in the refrigerator for up to a week.
Preyma Grace says
OMG! I didn’t have peanuts on hand but I had almonds & almond butter. It didn’t form what I’d call a paste but it was well combined. I stuck it in the freezer and almost ate the whole thing when I took it out. THIS WAS TO DIE FOR!!! Thank you for such a great & simple recipe!
MOMables says
So glad you enjoyed it!
Allison says
How many bars does this recipe typically make?
Thanks!
MOMables says
I typically cut 8-9 bars out of my loaf pan.
Kathryn says
Do you have any suggestions of ingredients to use in place of the nuts and peanut butter? Nut allergies :(
MOMables says
You can omit the “nuts” and substitute with dried fruits. You need some type of “nut butter” to bind it all. Soy/sunflower?
Jess says
Do you think this recipe would still work if I added some protein powder?
Perhaps with some kind of additional moisture? Also, can we substitute
for the dates, they aren’t my favorite! lol
Laura says
Jess, you can sub the dates for any dried fruit. apricots, apples, raisins, craisins, berries… you name it. just keep the same measurements. protein powder..not sure. never done them like that but it’s a matter of trying. i am sure if you mix 1 scoop of powder, 1TB of water with the peanut butter, then follow rest of instructions. let us know how they come out! :)
Jess says
Thanks Laura. I use Momables b/c I have kids in school, but I also use a lot of the recipes and ideas as a way for portion control for myself. I need to eat high protein, low carb and will be testing out some of the recipes with protein powders, egg beaters, etc to see how they work out.
Ludicrous Mama says
Those dates have a ton of sugar in each one… (16g each.)I think a cup of dates is, like, 7 dates, so 112g sugar in the whole pan, plus the chocolate chips. How many bars does this make? 6? 8? (Looks like 4 equals the size of a Lunchbot, so trying to think how a Lunchbot compares to a bread pan… Maths is hard!) Either way, over 14-18g sugar per bar. Do kids like them as much as candy bars? These sound like a healthier alternative to candy, with the fiber, iron, vitamins and little bit of protein (less than 1/2g per date.) But with all that sugar, it would have to sub for dessert.
Laura says
Thanks for doing the math! we aren’t saying that these should be eaten every day. Our goal is to provide a homemade version of what is purchased at the store. this recipe had dates but you can omit them, reduce the amount or substitute for another dried fruit. I often think or LaraBars as an adult bar myself-my kids don’t find much appeal to all of their nut and fruit load. thanks again!
Ludicrous Mama says
Okay. I can see it being a Mama’s “dessert.” Many more nutrients than the empty-calorie candy bar kinds! And I could see tossing a date into a batch of smoothies instead of the same grams of sugar via honey or agave!
Ludicrous Mama says
The Larabar PB-chocolate chip ones have 19g sugar per bar.
Usually dates are too rich for me; I can only eat a few at a time. So being able to mix in a variety of dried fruit might help cut down on the richness too. :) Although the PB might do that already…
Jeanine Pedersen says
So pleased to see the recipe. With 3 hours of gymnastics 3x a week plus swimming and volleyball I need something that packs a wallop as a before practice snack. Peanut butter and dates give a lot of bang (flavour, protein & carbs) in a healthy snack. Thanks so much.
Laura says
I take these with me on “activity” days too! :)
Marie says
these are fantastic
Laura says
thanks Marie!