Another chocolate recipe?
My goodness, you’d think this was some sort of chocolate-covered blog.
Oh wait; that’s right. It is.
The first time I tried a Larabar, I didn’t really like it. My mistake was in choosing a cherry-flavored bar. Someone should’ve shaken me and said, Hello! Of course you didn’t like it, Katie. It has no chocolate!”
When I tried a Jocalat chocolate Larabar, it was love at first bite. As a busy college student with no time to bake brownies, these bars offered a quick cure for my chocolate cravings (or a stopgap anyway. I doubt I will ever find a cure for my chocoholism… but that’s perfectly ok with me!)
Recently, I’ve been having trouble locating Jocalats. Thank goodness I know how to make my own chocolate Larabars.
Plus, they’re cheaper than store-bought and save packaging too.
Hot Fudge Brownie Larabars
Based on the recipe for Fudge Babies.
- 1 cup walnuts (120 g)
- 1 and 1/3 cups pitted dates (220 g) (I love SunMaid dates, as they’re much softer.)
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 3-4 tbsp cocoa powder (or even Dutch cocoa)
- optional: 1/8 plus 1/16 tsp salt (I always add it)
- optional: chocolate chips or even a piece of a chocolate bar or baking chocolate
Blend all the ingredients, using a food processor or Magic Bullet. No need to blend the dates first; I just blend everything all at once in my MB. If you use drier dates than SunMaid, you might have to add up to 1 tbsp water. Form into bars. It might help to put dough in a plastic bag and close the bag, then shape into a bar. (Feel free to experiment with different nut combinations. I often sub almonds or cashews for some of the walnuts.)
Click for more flavors: Homemade Larabar Recipes.
What are your favorite Larabar flavors?
One of my favorite homemade larabar flavors: Homemade Oatmeal Cookie Larabars.
As for the real Larabars, my favorite flavors are the plain chocolate Jocalats and the cookie dough Larabars. I love making up my own flavors and am thinking chocolate-raspberry might have to be next! Any other flavor suggestions for homemade Larabar recipes you’d like to see?
I have never tried a Larabar because when I read the ingredients I think, “hey, I can do that myself”, and then put it back. Plus, I’ve had these in the form of fudge babies and really don’t think a packaged bar could get any better than these homemade treats.
How do your larabars compare nutritionally to regular larabars? They look so delicious, I’m adding these to my list of things to make from your blog (which I have become an avid follower of the past months!)
The ones I’ve calculated are actually a little bit less than regular larabars… but pretty comparable, gram for gram. (I.e. maybe like 180-190c instead of 220, but pretty close!)
I love these healthy treats and so do my friends. When I form the tasty morsels, I place the mixture between waxed paper and then I use a rolling pin to flatten out the bar. It compresses the ingredients so nicely and makes it very easy to form. I also refrigerate the flattened out shape until it is firm and then I cut it into pieces. What a great pick-me-up!
I do like Larabars!! I think there a bit small and calorie dense for me to eat all the time, but some are quite tasty. I really like the cookie dough one, I think its my favorite 🙂 especially slightly warm, so the chocolate chips are gooey!! mmm!
Your homemade Larabar recipes are dead-on, and sooooo much more affordable!
I love larabars! They are a great snack or dessert. My favorite is the cherry pie or chocolate chip one. I know they are so simple to make at home. I should do it more often
huh.. I think I actually made these yesterday on my own! I took your fudge baby recipe and did my own thing.. dates, cashews, walnuts, cacao powder, salt, vanilla, a little coconut oil and chocolate chips and they look just like these only I made truffle size. Too funny! They are delicious.
Shelly
http://www.lavoro.etsy.com
http://www.planthungry.blogspot.com
Awesome! Great minds think (eat?) alike!
they even look like larabars but BIGGER.
NOM!
When I first tried a Larabar, I didn’t like it. I guess it was because of the texture and after taste of the dates.
Call me crazy, but I don’t really enjoy dates. One is okay, I guess, but I find their taste a little overwhelming.
So, when I make your recipes for homemade Larabars, I replace half of the dates with raisins or dried figs, and I love them! 😀
If it wasn’t for you, I’d be Larabar-less. D:
I love your half-and-half idea… I want to try it now!
Cherry Larabars are actually my least favorite – they just don’t taste good! I like them, but I’m not quite in love. When I buy I tend to stick to things that are heavy on the chocolate, coconut, or cinnamon. I LOVE the chocolate chip cookie dough flavor.
Maybe it has to do with our blog names? I am glad to have a chocolate-covered sister in crime!! 🙂
Awesome! Thank you.
Just so you know, you are the sole reason I was inspired to try the Chocolate Larabar when I went to the grocery store yesterday, and it was DELICIOUS! I usually go for the mixed fruit & nut flavor, the coconut, and on occasion the peanut butter and jelly, but now i’ll have to add chocolate to my list of Larabar flavors!
I will have to try making these as soon as I finish my giant stash of larabars!
Have you ever tried BumbleBars by the way? They have a lot of seeds and nuts in them, but they are really delicious and 100% vegan! I really like them because they taste like honey & nuts even though they are actually made with brown rice syrup and ZERO honey so they’re vegan but still satisfy my honey craving.
It’s so weird… I see them sometimes and yet I haven’t bought one! I don’t know why not! Next time I see one, I will definitely buy it!
I make these all the time! I love adding a dash of coconut extract, and using PECANS as the nuts make them ultra decadant!
Mmmm sounds like German chocolate cake!
I have never had a store bought Larabar BUT I have made my own from other peoples recipes…. LOVE them! I just love how I can mix and match, do my own thing when I make my own! ….Thanks for sharing the recipe! Can’t wait to try it!!!!! 🙂
I love the tropical and carrot cake. I actually haven’t had any in while. I want to try the blueberry muffin and pecan pie.
I have only tried a few of the flavors, but the PB & J Larabar is pretty delicious! Once i tried this flavor, I tend to gravitate toward it each time I’m buying one. No chocolate…but it tastes like a pb & j sandwich! so good.
I love the Carrot Cake flavor!!! and usually I prefer chocolate.. but I just love the carrot cake Larabar and would have NO idea how to recreate that haha. I can at least get my chocolate fix some other way right at home now – thanks for the recipe!