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Looking for a simple homemade bar recipe that will come together in a few minutes? These date nut bars are just that! All you need are a couple of ingredients and a few minutes with the food processor. Then pop them in the fridge to firm up, and voila – energy bars!
When I first set out to make this bar recipe, I was aiming for an end result that would be similar to a Larabar. Simple ingredients and great flavor. The ingredient list on the Larabars is super short. So it’s not hard to conjure up what ingredients one might use in a bar recipe like this. 🙂 I did some additional research to see what type of proportions other people had had success with. Then I went to work putting together my perfect combination!
Building Blocks for this Energy Bar Recipe
I love a recipe that is super versatile. One that gives you the building blocks for success, but then leaves the ultimate product up to your imagination. This date nut energy bar recipe is precisely like that! At it’s core, it is simply dates, at least one other dried fruit, and nuts – THREE ingredients!! From there you can play with the flavors. Adjust the type of fruits and nuts you use and the extras you add in. The sky is really the limit with the flavors you can make! The recipe I share below is still less than 10 ingredients, but adds some fun flavors and extra nutrition boosters. Take a look, play around with it, and find a combo that you love!
Jump to Recipe
I’m also all about packing as much good nutrition into things I make as possible. So, similar to my Peanut Butter Oatmeal Protein Bars, I added some nutritious seeds to the mix in these date nut energy bars. I like hemp, chia, and flax, but you can use whatever combination you like or have on hand.
If you are looking for another homemade snack option to keep around the house, give these bars a try! This date nut energy bar recipe is quick and easy to make, stores and travels well, and is an easy energy boost!
For another date-based snack check out my Cacao Date Bites. They are also super easy and only require two ingredients (plus a couple optional suggestions)!
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 cup raw nuts (mixed, I like to split between two varieties)
- 1 cup medjool dates (about 10, or 200 g, pit removed and split in half)
- 1 cup dried fruit of choice (My favorites include cherries, blueberries, apricots. Try a combination too!)
- 2 tbsp hemp hearts
- 2 tbsp flax seeds
- 1 tbsp chia seeds
- ⅓ tsp ground cinnamon
- ¼ tsp kosher salt
Instructions
- Add the nuts to the food processor and pulse until evenly minced.
- Add the seeds, cinnamon, and salt – pulse a couple times to blend.
- Add the dried fruit.
- Run on high speed until the mixture comes together in a ball. This may take a few minutes! Stop to scrape down sides if needed.
- Spread the mixture somewhat evenly out onto the pan. Cover with another sheet of parchment paper. Press to desired size with your hands, the back of a spoon, or by pressing a second pan of the same size on top of the mixture. (You may not want to fill the entire pan depending on how thick you would like the bars – just adjust the size to fit your preference.)
- Chill for at least 1 hour before slicing into rectangles (or your shape of choice!).
- Store in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 10 days.
Jackie
Can I add protein powder to this recipe for a higher protein level
Kristi
Definitely Jackie! I would recommend starting with 15-35g (1/2 – 1 scoop), added when you add the seeds and cinnamon. See how it affects the flavor/texture, and then go from there!
Carolyn Marker
Great recipe! I found it while I was actually looking for a recipe for something like a Larabar! I used what I had on hand for the nuts, seeds and dried fruit, but got fresh dates for both. I also added some lemon and orange extracts, along with the zest of the fruits, which I thought would add some moisture to help them hold together. I was also hoping to keep the nuts a little chunkier, so I chopped them coarsely in the food processor, then removed them and added them after the rest of the ingredients were chopped and sticky. The bars are delicious and full of healthy ingredients! I’ll send you photos with the ingredients I used. Thank you!
Kristi
Hi Carolyn,
This sounds delicious! I love the idea of keeping the nuts chunkier too! Thanks for sharing your modifications, I love getting new inspirations.
-Kristi
Rosa
Would substituting with normal dates work? 🙂
Kristi
Hi Rosa,
I’ve never tried anything but medjool dates in this recipe, but I think normal dates should do the job just fine. You could substitute by weight – 1 cup of medjool dates is about 200g, so just weigh out the same amount of whatever dates you have available. The flavor and consistency may vary, since medjool dates are generally sweeter and have more flesh, but I think it would be worth a try 🙂
-Kristi