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This recipe was developed after I stumbled across a recipe on Elana’s Pantry. I was looking for something different to make as a mid-afternoon pick-me-up and these hit the spot! They are really soft, so make sure you keep them refrigerated or frozen until you want to eat them. They are similar to the LaraBars that you can find at the grocery store.
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Gluten-Free Chocolate Energy Bars (copycat Lara Bars)
When you need a mid-afternoon pick-me-up, these hit the spot! They are really soft, so make sure you keep them refrigerated or frozen until you want to eat them.
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup walnuts
- 3/4 cup cashews
- 3/4 cup almonds
- 1 tablespoon instant ground coffee (optional)
- 1/3 cup high-quality, organic cocoa powder
- 1/2 cup shredded coconut
- 16 Medjool dates (pitted)
- 2 tablespoons coconut oil
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon of sweetener of your choice (coconut sugar, maple syrup, raw honey)
- 10 drops [Stevia}
- 1 tablespoon water
- Coconut oil for pan
Instructions
- In a food processor, blend the nuts, coconut, cocoa, and coffee together until a coarse flour forms.
- Add the dates (do not forget to remove the pits!), vanilla, coconut sugar, stevia, and water, and blend together until combined. It will be sticky.
- Grease a glass dish (I used a 9×9) with the butter and then dump the mixture in there.
- Using a spatula (or your fingers), press the dough into the dish until it is packed firmly.
- Chill in the freezer for a couple of hours before cutting. I like to portion these up individually so that I can just grab one on the way out the door.
Notes
Inspired by Elana’s Pantry’s ”Chocolate Espresso Power Bars.“
Recommended Products
As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I may earn a small commission from qualifying purchases.
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SweetLeaf Sweet Drops Liquid Stevia Sweetener
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Wholesome Sweeteners Organic Raw Honey
-
Certified Organic Pure Vanilla Extract
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Nutiva Organic, Cold-Pressed, Unrefined, Virgin Coconut Oil
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Terrasoul Superfoods Organic Medjool Dates, 2 Lbs - Soft Chewy Texture | Sweet Caramel Flavor | Farm Fresh
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Anthony's Organic Shredded Coconut
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Anthony's Organic Cocoa Powder, 2lbs, Batch Tested and Verified Gluten Free & Non GMO
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Mount Hagen Organic Fair Trade Freeze Dried Instant Coffee
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Terrasoul Superfoods Raw Unpasteurized Organic Almonds (Sproutable), 2 lbs
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NOW Foods, Certified Organic Cashews, Whole, Raw and Unsalted, Rich Buttery Flavor, Source of Fiber, Protein and Iron, Certified Non-GMO, 10 oz.
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NOW Foods Raw, Organic Walnuts
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Ummm, sooo yummy! Thanks for sharing it at Fresh Bites Friday 🙂 I’m going to give these a try very soon! See ya next Friday!
Hi Amy! It’s great to hear from you! Thanks for hosting the Fresh Bites Friday – it’s awesome to check out what everyone’s making and find new blogs to read. I love how this blogging experience has brought me in contact with so many wonderful people! People I would have otherwise never met! Hope you have a wonderful week and I look froward to “seeing” you on Friday! 🙂
I would love to make these, but can’t have stevia. Any recommendations?
Hi there! So sorry for the delayed response. You could just omit the stevia. You could add a little extra honey or maple syrup, or just leave the sugar out completely if you wanted a lower carb snack. The dates are pretty sweet as they are, so I don’t think you’d miss it too much!
Is that a TBS each coconut sugar, maple syrup, rice syrup, raw honey or are you saying use TBS of whichever one you choose?
Hi Peggy – That is 1 tbsp of sweetener of your choice. I will go update the post so that it’s a little more clear! 🙂
What would be my option if I have to omit walnuts due to a severe allergy?
Hi Heather – I think any nut or seed would work, but if you’re strictly nut/seed free, you could try adding some coconut butter in the recipe in place of the nuts. The texture may be a tad different, but it would still be delicious! 🙂
Hi! I’m allergic to cashews (they’re related to poison ivy). Is there a good substitute for them in this recipe? I used to make homemade larabars in the past before I became allergic to cashews and they were delicious. Would love to make these for my kids…I just don’t want to touch cashews! Thank you!
Michelle – You could use all walnuts and it should work just fine! Enjoy! 🙂
I hate dates. Any chance I can substitute prunes?
Hi Brooke – I’ve never tried it, but I think prunes would work just fine. The taste will definitely be different than the dates, but they should still be good. Enjoy!
Hello, sounds wonderful, expensive & rich, How big would your portion size be?
Hi Roxanne – It really depends. I cut them into about 2″ by 2″ squares. I just roughly guess. 🙂