Homemade Laräbar: Peanut Butter Cookie

After reading about Laräbars on various food blogs I went and bought one about a month ago. The cringe worth $2 price tag for the little tiny bar was worth it, and I was especially excited to see ingredients list! (Or lack there of!) I tried the Peanut Butter Cookie flavor, which only has Dates, Peanuts and Salt. I had seen a few Larabar recipes on some of my favorite healthy food blogs, like Chocolate Covered Katie, and set out to make some for myself. I am going on vacation in just over a week, and have been making healthy snacks for the trip.

I kept it super simple and stuck with the original ingredients: Dates and Peanuts! My mom ordered Date Paste from our co-op, which is perfect for this because it’s already ground up. If you don’t have date paste, just use the same weight of regular dates. I did a 1:1 weight ratio of dates to peanuts, and didn’t add any salt, because: a) It didn’t taste like it needed salt, the peanuts were already a little salty, and b) I forgot to!

Homemade Laräbar: Peanut Butter Cookie 

• 11 oz Salted Peanuts
• 11 oz Date Paste

The measurements are irrelevant as long as you have a weight ratio of 1:1. Process the paste and peanuts in your food processor until they are the consistency of coarse sand. Line a shallow pan with tin foil and firmly press the dough into it. Refrigerate until firm, then cut into bars with a sharp knife. Wrap them in foil and store in the fridge or freezer.

Yield: 14 (~1.5) ounce bars with the pan I used, I had enough dough left on the edges to make #15 but that was a taste-test =)

Date Paste.

Peanuts.

Not fine enough yet…

Perfect!

Press dough into a foil-lined pan.

Smooth top and fold foil over, refrigerate until firm.

Wrap them in foil.

Creative labeling. Oh yes.