Homemade Larabars... Yum!

In my quest to find homemade versions of some of our favorite snacks, I found lots of good recipe ideas for homemade Larabars.  I really like them for a quick breakfast or snack on the go.  In fact I took several with me on my trip this past weekend.  Even though they are healthy and with few ingredients in themselves, they can be expensive to buy.  I wanted to try making them myself.  They were so easy!  Better yet, they tasted just like the real thing!!  I found 4 different recipes to try.  I made 2 of them to start with.  Chocolate Coconut from Roxana's Home Baking and Cashew Cookie from Edible Sound Bites.  If you like Larabars at all, you gotta try these!  What are some of your favorite snacks or snack bars?

My bars pressed into pans

Homemade Chocolate Coconut Larabars

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 cups (410 grams) pitted dates
• 1/4 cup (35 grams) whole almonds (I used about 1/2 cup since I didn't use walnuts)
• 1/4 cup (25 grams) walnut pieces (I didn't use these and they turned out great still)
• 1/4 cup (20 grams) unsweetened cocoa powder
• 3/4 cup shredded coconut

Instructions

1. In a food processor add the dates and pulse until finely chopped and they start to form a ball.
2. Add the almond and nuts and pulse few more times until the nuts are chopped.
3. Add the cocoa powder and coconut and pulse until the mixture comes together in a ball.
4. Take the date-nut mixture out and spread it evenly in a 7X7 baking pan lined with plastic foil.
5. Cover with foil and refrigerate for few hours before cutting into bars.
6. Enjoy

Cut into yummy bars and put into snack bags

Homemade Cashew Cookie Larabars

Ingredients:

• 1 cup raw unsalted cashews
• 10 medjool dates, pitted (or 1 cup of regular dates)
• pinch of sea salt (optional)

Directions:

1. Pulse cashews in your food processor until finely chopped. Empty the nuts into a bowl.
2. Place the dates into the food processor and grind until roughly chopped into small pieces.
3. Now add the cashew nuts back to the food processor with the dates, add a pinch of sea salt if using, and pulse until well combined.
4. Form into bars. (I tried a 8x8, but they were really thin.  I'd recommend a bread pan or just forming them into a good shape with your hands in plastic wrap.)
5. Store in an air tight container or wrap individually in plastic wrap (Or snack size zip lock bags)  for convenience and refrigerate.

{Note}
*If you are using regular dates instead of medjool and the mix is not holding together, add 1-2 tablespoon of warm water.
*It is best to use medjool dates because they're much softer.
*If you are allergic to nuts, swap the cashews out for sunflower seeds