If you're a fan of those store-bought energy bars but not so much a fan of their price tags, I’ve got you. These homemade Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Larabars are proof that snacks can be simple, satisfying, and sneakily wholesome.
With just a few pantry staples—dates, cashews, vanilla, and a sprinkle of sea salt—you’ve got that soft, chewy cookie dough vibe without turning on the oven. Stir in some mini chocolate chips, and suddenly you’re the snack hero of the house. I've been making these for years, and trust me... they disappear fast.
The best part? You can riff off them endlessly. Add nut butter. Swap in almonds. Toss in a dash of cinnamon. These bars are easily adaptable, naturally sweetened, and basically a little love note to the people around you. Or your future hungry self.
Have you ever worked with dates? For the longest time I thought I didn't like dates. I really dislike most store-bought energy bars, and I thought it was the dates that gave them that funky flavor. When I created my little Snack Ball/Energy Bites I didn't use dates, but I have since realized that dates are just fine. I don't like eating them alone, but I don't mind them in things like this.
I recently found pitted dates at my favorite wholesale warehouse store, but if you can only find the regular ones, they're easy to pit. I just rip them in half with my fingers and take the pits out. Then I put them in my food processor (which has since broken... RIP little buddy. I now use my Twister Jar that fits on my Blendtec. Works like a charm.).
I add the cashews back in (which I ground before the dates), and buzzed it up with a pinch of salt and a splash of vanilla.
At this point you might think the mixture is dry. Dump it into a bowl and knead it a few times. The dates will continue to coat and add moisture to the nuts. Add the chocolate chips and mix them in, too.
Go ahead and taste it. Larabar cookie dough is pretty fantastic. Those cashews and dates give it a great creamy dough flavor. You could also add a little peanut butter to this (or almond butter). But not too much or they'll be mushy. Maybe take out a few dates if you do that.
Oh, and don't forget a pinch of sea salt.
It's hard to tell from these photos, but I actually used a quarter sheet pan (not the half sheet pan that everyone has) to roll these out. It was the perfect width to get the thickness I wanted and nice, flat edges.
Well, on two sides. I also used a child-sized rolling pin because my pan was small. It was perfect for this! We have a couple of those baking kits for kids. We use those little rolling pins when we make sugar cookies, too. Or for play-doh days.
You don't have to do that, though. You can use whatever pan and pin you've got. And you can make them whatever shape you want. Little cookie cutters in different shapes would be so cute! Hearts! Stars! Unicorn-shaped! (OK, that one might be hard to kept in one piece. It would be hard for it to even look like a unicorn, actually. Maybe that's not a good idea.)
I cut them into 1 ½-inch squares. I like them that size because they're kid-friendly.
My girls kids adore these, and I feel good about giving them a snack with no added sugar made from real food. Honestly, it's hard to keep them on hand. I almost have to ration them like actual chocolate chip cookies because once they find out I have some, that's all they ask for. Hahaha.
How to store these Larabar Cookie Dough bars
I usually put them into a glass jar and keep them on the counter (maybe I need to use an opaque bowl...).
I made this particular batch for my husband's health lectures he does at the clinic. I just flattened mini cupcake liners and dropped them in! Sadly, we had no leftovers. Not surprising, though. These really do taste like cookie dough!
Homemade Larabar variations
Larabar copycat treats are super versatile. It's easy to make gluten free bars (that are also dairy free!). Just add different freeze dried fruits, nuts, and spices. Try these other homemade Larabar recipes on my site!
More Homemade Energy Bite Recipes
Homemade Blueberry Muffin Larabars - The secret to these is a drop of lemon essential oil. It gives them a tasty, mysterious flavor and you'll get asked what you put in them.
Paleo Brownie Protein Bites are extra protein packed and taste like brownie batter!
Peanut Butter Protein Bites are made with PB powder -- one of my favorite supplement proteins for fun flavor!
I also wrote a post over at The Pioneer Woman: Food & Friends all about making Homemade Fruit and Nut Energy Bites! Go check it out and get the recipes for FOUR more flavors.
If KIND bars are your jam, check out these Gluten Free Vegan Homemade KIND Nut Bars from Demeter over at Beaming Baker!
Or if you're wanting NUT-FREE and allergy-free chocolate chip energy bites, check out these Chocolate Chip Protein Bites from Vegetarian Mama.
Homemade Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Larabars
I love this homemade version Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Larabars even better than the store-bought!
Ingredients
- 2 cups raw cashew pieces
- 12 pitted medjool dates
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- pinch of salt
- ¼ cup mini dark chocolate chips
Instructions
- Line a small rimmed baking sheet with plastic wrap. Set aside.
- Grind the cashews in the food processor until it resembles coarse sand. Transfer cashews to a medium mixing bowl.
- Tear the dates in half and add them to the food processor. Pulse until dates are mostly chopped. Add in the ground cashews and pulse until mostly combined.
- Dump the mixture back into the bowl and add the vanilla and salt. Mix with your hands for about a minute until the mixture is well-combined and it clumps together when you pinch it.
- Mix in the chocolate chips and spread the "dough" out on the prepared baking sheet. Use a rolling pin, a can, or a bottle to smooth out the top. Roll until you reach the desired thickness, then cut them up using a pizza or pastry cutter.
- Break into squares and store in an airtight container at room temperature.
