As a busy family of five typically on the go, Larabars have been our go-to healthy snack for years. They’re convenient. They use real, whole-food ingredients and the whole family loves them.
There are a few cons. Price, for one. If they’re not on sale, they can be pricey. We’re also trying to be more mindful of single-use packaging.
Being in isolation seemed like a good excuse to try out some homemade copycat Larabar recipes.
We’re starting with probably the easiest recipe to replicate–cashew cookie. It’s two ingredients. 🙂 Dates and cashews. Easy enough.
Being the budget-conscious shoppers we are, Medjool dates are typically a splurge item. However, the regular pitted dates at Aldi are much more affordable. (Usually less than $3.00/bag.) Many recipes we came across online called for Medjool dates (which should be fine to use for this recipe as well). Since these are what we usually keep on hand, that’s what we’re using.
Cashew Cookie Larabar Bites Step-by-Step
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Simply add 8 ounces (about two cups, or 227 grams) of pitted dates to a food processor.
Add a cup of raw cashews.
Process for about 2-3 minutes. Add another half cup of cashews (and a teensy pinch of sea salt to balance out the sweetness of the dates, unless your cashews are already salted.) Pulse another minute or two.
They should be ready to roll when the mixture starts kind of turning in on itself.
Take out a small bit of mixture and give it a good smoosh together. Pretend like it’s Play-dough and you’re trying to smooth the cracks out to roll.
Now use a bit of elbow grease and roll into a ball.
Place on a sheet pan/ baking tray. Keep rolling.
You can do it. You’re getting in an arm and shoulder workout! Look at you multi-tasking.
You should get about 18-20 one-inch balls. (If your kids don’t dip into them before you store.)
Put it in the blast chiller (aka the fridge) for about a half an hour. Try not to sneak a bite. Probably fail.
Chewy Cashew Cookie Date Bite Storage
Once they are firm enough, transfer to a container for storage.
I like a glass storage bowl or mason jar. (Budget tip: Reuse your old glass pasta sauce jars for pantry/fridge storage!)
They should keep at least a week in the fridge and are freezer-friendly. If you are freezing, you may want to freeze in a single layer and then transfer to a container so they don’t stick together.
These are so good! They taste just like our favorite Larabar. They are perfectly chewy and give you a punch of sweetness that can help curb those sugar cravings. What’s your favorite Larabar flavor? We may have to try out peanut butter chocolate next :)!
YOU MAY ALSO LIKE: Trail Mix Oat Bites
Chewy Cashew Cookie Date Balls
Equipment
- Food processor
Ingredients
- 2 cups pitted dates I used Deglet Noor
- 1.5 cups raw cashews
- optional: pinch of sea salt
Instructions
- Add dates and one cup of cashews to food processor and process about 2-3 minutes.
- Scrape down the bowl if necessary. Add the rest of the cashews and salt, if using, and process another minute or two. The mixture will start to fold in toward the middle when it's ready to roll.
- Pinch one-inch pieces of mixture out into the palm of your hand and firmly squish it together. Roll into a ball and place on baking tray.
- Place balls in fridge for about a half hour and then transfer to a storage container.
