Homemade larabars are a chewy, delicious, all-natural snack or dessert made from just nuts and dates.

This recipe has FOUR variations by changing up the type of nuts: almond and hazelnut, walnut (or pecan), cashew and macadamia, and pistachio. I don't want to overwhelm you with endless possibilities, but every variation in this post is AMAZING.

Homemade Larabars

My first date bar was a store-bought packaged Larabar. Once I moved abroad, these bars were nowhere to be found. Turns out, homemade ones are laughably easy. Mine win: caramel-packed dates + a salty kiss of sea salt. Sorry, Larabar, it's not me, it's you.

Dates + Nuts

different nut variations for homemade larabars. The nuts include walnuts, cashews, macadamia nuts, hazelnuts, almonds, and pistachios.

Medjool and Sukkari dates are my favorites to use for these bars. Medjool dates will yield a darker bar color, whereas Sukari dates will yield a more caramel color bar. My favorite nuts and nut combinations are: almond and hazelnut, walnut, cashew and macadamia, and pistachio.

How to Make Homemade Larabars

cashew and macadamia larabar in a food processor

Add the nuts and pitted dates to a food processor.

blended walnuts and dates in a food processor

Blend until fully combined (about 30 seconds).

Scoop the date and nut mixture into a parchment paper lined dish.

Place another parchment paper on top and press firmly and evenly down until flat.

larabar mixture pressed flat on a parchment paper

Remove the parchment paper.

Cut the homemade Larabars into any shape.

Date Bar Variations

The ratio is ⅓ cup of nuts to 8 ounces of dried pitted dates (about 1 and ⅓ cup) for a serving size of 6 bars.

Pistachio + Dates: Pistachio date bars turned out the stickiest of the four variations. So, I also made these into pistachio date balls and rolled them in crushed pistachios.
Walnut + Dates: These were the most robust. You can play with the nut ratio a little more to make these bars thicker.
Cashews and Macadamia Nuts + Dates: Cashews have a milder taste than the macadamia nuts, so they complement each other really well. This variation came second in softness (behind the pistachio date nut bars).
Blanched Almonds and Hazelnut Nut + Dates: These tasted excellent! You can add some dark chocolate for something more decadent.

Recipe Tips

If the dates are hard to pit, the dates might be too dry. Soak in hot water for 5 minutes. Remove and pat dry.
Don't forget to remove the pits. Dried dates have a pit in the middle that needs to be removed before making this recipe.
Use a food processor. You can't make these in a blender (unfortunately), so you will need a food processor.
Use parchment paper. These date nut bars can get a little sticky (like cookie dough), so parchment paper really helps when forming these into bars.
Use flaked sea salt (if possible). I highly recommend flaked sea salt because of its texture. If you don't have flaked sea salt on hand, you can use any other salt.

📋 Recipe

Homemade Larabars (4 Variations)

Author: Lily Guidry

Course: Snack

Cuisine: Mediterranean

Prep: 5

Total: 5

5 from 4 votes

Print Pin Rate

Servings 6

These homemade Larabars are quick, delicious, and made with whole ingredients: dates and nuts.

Ingredients

US Customary - Metric

Walnut Larabar

8 ounces dried Medjool dates
⅓ cup walnuts or pecans
pinch flaked sea salt

Pistachio Larabar

8 ounces dried Medjool dates
⅓ cup shelled pistachios
pinch flaked sea salt

Cashew and Macadamia Larabar

8 ounces dried Medjool dates
⅙ cup raw cashews
⅙ cup macadamia nuts
pinch flaked sea salt

Almond and Hazelnut Larabar

8 ounces dried Medjool dates
⅙ cup blanched almonds
⅙ cup hazelnuts
pinch flaked sea salt

Instructions

Remove the pits from the dried dates.
In a food processor, add the dates, nuts, and flaked sea salt.
Blend on high until the mixture is fully blended together. It might form a ball.
Lay a piece of parchment paper in a small glass container or on the countertop. Place the date-nut mixture onto the parchment paper. Lay another piece of parchment paper on top. Press evenly to flatten out the date-nut mixture.
Cut into any shape desired. Store with parchment paper so they don't stick to each other.

Notes

The ratio for homemade larabars is ⅓ cup of nuts to 8 ounces of dried dates for a serving size of 6. Quadruple the recipe by making all four variations at the same time. Use 32 ounces of dried dates (split into batches for each variation).
The nutrition facts below are for the walnut date nut bars.
Storage: Store these homemade Larabars in an airtight container in the fridge or at room temperature for up to 2 weeks. Use parchment paper to prevent sticking to one another.