What, another chocolate recipe?!
My goodness, you’d think this was some sort of chocolate-covered blog.
Oh wait; that’s right. It is.
I’ll be honest with you:
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!)
They’re hiding from me…
As I wrote in Tuesday’s post, I’ve recently been having trouble finding Jocalats. Thank goodness I know how to make my own chocolate Larabars.
These are really quick and simple to make! Plus, they’re cheaper than store-bought and save packaging too.
Hot Fudge Brownie Larabars
Based on this popular recipe.
- 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 T 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, Magic Bullet, etc. (No need to blend the dates first; I just blend everything all at once in my MB. 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 to see all of my Homemade Larabar Recipes.
These homemade chocolate Larabars actually taste even better than the packaged ones. Homemade always tastes better, right?
Questions of the Day:
What are your favorite Larabar flavors?
One of my favorite homemade flavors: Oatmeal-Raisin 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?
{ 260 comments… read them below or add one }
I want to eat these right now! And I kind of want to cover them in peanut butter!
My favorite Larabar flavor is actually YOUR cashew cookie recipe!
Seriuosly! It’s 10 times better than the packaged cashew cookie flavor. Anyone reading this, GO MAKE Katie’s cashew cookie larabars RIGHT AWAY!!!!
** seriously
Aw lol thanks, Sarah! I love that flavor too! Haven’t made it in a while!!
Its my favorite too…and my husbands!
Gonna have to agree 110%
Wow, I LOVE y’all!!! You’re all too sweet!!
I can’t find that recipe… the cashew cookie larabar! I have been scouring your blog, bc I would LOVE to try it, but can’t find it
Sorry for the trouble!
http://chocolatecoveredkatie.com/2009/11/08/homemade-cashew-cookie-larabars/
Oh no trouble!! THANK YOU!
These look delicious!
What brand of cocoa powder do you normally use?
I either use Dagoba or plain ole Hersheys
I love larabars! I used to love Clif bars, but larabars are definitely better in my opinion. I love coconut cream pie and I just tried cherry jocolat for the first time. I found some at a clothing store (?) for 33 cents each! I bought 10!
LOL don’t get attached to those! They’ve discontinued the chocolate-cherry Jocalats!
These look delicious!
I’ve never tried a larabar before! But they sound so delicious! They’re not sold here
Same here!
My favorite Larabar is Peanut Butter Cookie, but THAT one is now my new favorite just by looking at it
And my favorite Larabar is the chocolate chip peanut butter cookie. BIG SURPRISE, I know!
Mmm cashew cookie
I didn’t like larabars at first either! I think I tried an apple one and it just tasted like mush to me. I fell in love with them after apprehensively trying the peanut butter cookie one. Now I have a whole range of favourite flavours!
And my favourite is now the mint chocolate jocalat!
How about a snicker doodle larabar?
I, too, love Larabars! My first one ever was the apple one, and that’s actually still my favourite one, even after trying most of the rest (excluding the coconut ones). I love warming them up a little bit… They taste like fresh-from-the-oven cookies that way, in my opinion. I’ll eat dairy-free vanilla ice cream with a warmed apple-flavoured Larabar as a special treat, sometimes. It’s like eating apple pie, I swear.
I’ve started to make my own, though, using your recipes! The ‘packaged’ ones are awesome, but admittedly a bit pricey. The ones I make from your recipes are just as good, if not – as you’ve pointed out – better because they taste even fresher! And, of course, you can customize them.
Mint chocolate or cinnamon roll!
Stock up on the cinnamon roll if you see them, they are discontinuing that flavor!
I am dreading the day when they discontinue the chocolate Jocalats. Larabar, if you’re reading this: Don’t do it!!!
I’ve never been a big fan of packaged bars of any kind, because they are…well in a package. Thanks for providing a different option. I haven’t made any of these yet but I plan to. Just as soon as I get some dates. =)
Making your own Larabars–SUCH a good idea! I can only imagine it would save a ton of money, which I’m all about these days. I actually saw on Barefoot Contessa the other day that she makes her own vanilla extract, a giant jar at a time, and apparently it keeps indefinitely. I’m definitely going to start doing that too!
Also, the Ginger Snap Larabars are one of my faves. I bet they’d be easy to make!
I love Larabars! Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip and Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough are two of my favorite flavors, but I also love the standard Cashew Cookie. The PB & J flavor is good too!
I think they (or you!) should make a flavor with pumpkin. Or a flavor with a different dried fruit mixed in…like figs or goji berries! A carob flavor would also be awesome.
Yummy
My favorite larabars are definately either the chocolate chip cookie dough or the coconut cream pie 
Darn I saw Jocolats when I was in the US but didn’t buy any because I remember a blogger (haha I thought it was you!
) saying they didn’t like them much!! Never mind, cos now i can make YOUR version!! Just need to get some walnuts and I will be making these SOON, you’ll see! 
P.S. I ordered a mold so I can make your fudgsicles yaaaay!!!
I don’t like any of the Jocalat flavors EXCEPT plain chocolate, which is awesome-sauce
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Also, your tweet was the SWEETEST! I will answer soon!!!
I can’t wait to try this! I like the Ginger Snap and Apple Pie Larabars.
Yum! Those look really good!!! Is there anything that I could use instead of the dates, though…..no one sells them here!
Some people have used raisins… I can’t personally vouch for that, though. But it could be fun to experiment. Or maybe prunes?
I love Larabars soo much, but wish the Jocalat flavours were available in Canada! They’re also a bit more expensive, and don’t keep me as full, as Clif bars, so I’ve been buying more Clif bars lately! These homemade ones look awesome though – I prefer the non-chocolate Larabars, like apple pie and peanut butter cookie, but the peanut butter chocolate chip is pretty yummy too!
Haha, OMG you did get a ton of comments on that post – but for real, it IS the best giveaway ever!
I like the peanut butter cookie Larabars.
These would be great to make a batch of with the school year starting soon, something to grab on those days where you need to run out the door. Do you know how long they keep for, or if they can be frozen?
They keep for at least a week… or they CAN be frozen for months!
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 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!
Another CCK recipe I have to try! Woo hoo!
Hey Katie! How do you store these, and how long do they last? Thanks girl!
You can leave them unfridged in a plastic bag for a few days. Or fridge for a week. Or freeze for months!
never mind, read all your comments and question answered
Oh lol
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!
Looks great, Katie!! I love the chocolate peanut butter ones. Because–what is there not to love? My favorite, though, is still ginger snap. An oldie but a goodie
The first Larabar flavor I ever tried was the banana bread flavor and I fell in LOVE! I love banana bread and the banana bread flavored Larabar tasted exactly like it! My other favorites? Coconut cream pie, carrot cake, peanut butter chocoalte chip, and cinnamon roll!
PS – I just realized I never tried the Jocalat Larabars that you rave about all the time. I must get on that ASAP!
Try the plain-jane chocolate Jocalats. They’re the best
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u shud send them your recipe!!!!>. I LOVEEE ginger snap, banana bread, choc cookie dough.. basically ALL THE FLAVAS!
Haha I keep tweeting Larabar, dropping hints about a chocolate-raspberry bar. As much as I love making my own, sometimes I like to save time and just grab one at the store. Chocolate raspberry would be the most awesome-licious thing ever!
I love the peanut butter cookie larabars. I actually can’t try a lot of their flavors though because I can’t tolerate almonds, and they add almonds to almost all of them!
I like the taste of my homemade bars better, but I have to admit, I VERY much prefer the Larabar’s texture. I wish mine stuck together that well. They always turn out more crumbly than I’d like. Even if I add more dates, they still don’t seem to hold well.
Have you tried putting an individual serving in a plastic bag, closing the bag, and then smushing it? I can get them VERY tightly-packed this way.
Have you ever tried any other “sticky ingredient” besides dates? I always see dates but wondered for variety if there is anything else that can be used.
I haven’t, personally. But others have said they like using raisins or prunes. Oh, I think I tried figs once and didn’t like it. But, once again, others have tried figs and DID like it!
One of my most well received raw treats uses dried apricots as the “sticky binder.” I made a ton of raw desserts for my brother’s rehearsal dinner (about 80 people, all non vegan in attendance), and I swear those were the favorite. You can use all dried apricots or a 50/50 mix with dates.
Oh wow, I never thought to use apricots! That opens up a whole new set of opportunities with which to experiment!
Oh wow, great ideas Teresa and Katie! Thank you so much for your suggestions. I will be giving both figs and apricots a try! Yum!!!! Happy eating!
Let me know how your experiments go. I’m interested to know how they taste as well!
I so wish I had a food processor right now. Those look delish.
I love Lara bars!!! My current favorite is the peanut butter chocolate chip one and I also like the peanut butter and jelly one. The Jocalat chocolate mint one tastes amazing too! By the way, I am pretty sure I saw Jocalat bars at the Whole Foods on Park, but I am not positive. They have had them at the Drug Emporium in Denton too. As for a new flavor…what about Snickerdoodle? Or mixed berries and make it with dried cherries, blueberries, and cranberries?
Ooh good to know! I couldn’t find them at Plano or any of my other local shops. Might have to make a trip out to Northpark!
P.S. Snickerdoodles: http://chocolatecoveredkatie.com/2010/08/25/raw-snickerdoodle-cookies/
Fabulous! I should’ve looked first…oops!
Oh lol no worries! It’s hard enough to keep one’s own recipes sorted out, let alone someone else’s!
Those look awesome!!
I’ve actually never tried a Larabar..but I’d much rather make these anyway!
Oh how funny- I just saw this and we were just tweeting about Lara bars! I will definitely have to make this recipe asap because it looks delicious! I’ve never actually had the jocolats but I’m going to look for them now! My favorites are the ones that have chocolate in them too! I love the choc pb, the choc coconut, the chocolate cookie dough… haha clearly a theme here
Haha you are a smart (chocolate chip) cookie!
First of all, yes you’re absolutely right that homemade is better, and not to mention much cheaper and super easy to make! Interestingly, even though I LOVE chocolate, I’m not a huge fan of the Jocolats. And, while I abhor cherry or lemon desserts, (lemon meringue, cherry pie, etc.) my favorite Lara bar flavors are cherry pie and both the lemon and key lime flavors. Coconut follows close behind. I’m fairly certain tho, that it all comes down to the ingredients used. Lara bars use actual real dried cherries, and real lemon and lime juice, while I really don’t even want to know what kind of scary faux additives and ingredients are used to make those traditional cherry and lemon flavored desserts (that I’ve stayed away from since I was a kid).
I made your healthy starbucks frappucino! I was a little skeptical at first because I tried the chocolate cake batter ice cream and it was kinda icey, but this was really good and tasted lke the real thing. It might have helped that I added in some chocolate chips and a dollop of chocolate syrup! Yum! Thanks for taking time to create such amazing recipes
I’m so excited you liked it! Haha yes chocolate makes everything better!!
and peanut butter! Seriously, I think I have it at least twice a day even if it’s just a little bite. I think I’m going to make those chocolate pb cup babies today, but with peanut butter instead of peanuts and I’m hoping that upping the proportion to 1 cup of dates will work! My favorite larabar is peanut butter chocolate chip cookie dough
Mmmm agreed. PB makes everything better. I can’t think of a single food it doesn’t go with!
I tried a bite of one once ad it was waaaaay too sweet for me. The date:nut ratio was too heavy on the dates! I like making my own much better!
Chocolate chip cookie dough is my FAVORITE! I have one for dessert 3-4 nights a week. Cashew cookie and coconut cream pie are next in line. My husband loves the chocolate brownie so I think I’ll have to give this recipe a whirl. Looks delish!
I tried 4 and appelpie! Was my favorit – no chocolate. Chocolat chip cookie was sadly a disapointment.
I make “brownies” like your larabar and love them.
Have a Nice weekend
Katie,
This sounds so good! I will make these and use carob for my chocolate! Healthy, easy, and no baking involved!
I love Larabars. I loved everyone I have tried thus far!
Have a great day!
Oh yes I have!
I enjoy peanut butter and chocolate chip…but I would take any!
Happy Friday!
Haha thats funny you don’t like the cherry flavor…..its my fave!!!!
You know I have turned into a photography weirdo when the first thing I do is
scan the post for pictures
then read your text
then go back and re read the recipe
And your pictures are awesome. The way the light is hitting the bars in the opening shot. And also the middle shot on the plate/top down (I like the grates or table or whatever that is underneath) and the closeup…all stunning.
And Im impressed you can narrow down your pics to just three! I take like 100. And swear I can’t edit under like 15-20. I need to streamline like you
Yup, I do that too! Photos are always first for me now. I honestly don’t even bother looking at others’ recipes anymore, since I always come up with my own (and since many of the photo blogs I like aren’t vegan). It’s all about the photos now. Actually, my favorite foodie site is probably foodgawker lol! I’m so busy looking at the presentation and place setting, color scheme, and background that I often don’t even notice what food I’m looking at!
Haha you should’ve seen my first attempt… I had to re-do it, because the first shoot looked like… well, certainly not chocolate bars, if you know what I mean
I just recently purchased a food processor, and have been experimenting with homemade larabars ever since! My favorite flavor so far is pb&j. The part I try to stray away from is having the bars turn out to taste only like nuts and raisins; there has to be other prominent flavors in order for it to taste good! I will definitely be trying this recipe in the near future!
It’s so funny you would post this, because I just found your site through the giveaway you’re hosting, and as soon as I read about your homemade Larabars I went out and tried them for myself.
No, of course they didn’t have the texture of the samoas, but I actually liked the larabar form of the cookie even better. It was soft and chewy and yet tasted like a samoa. Win!!!
It was a hard decision, but I finally went with the Samoas Larabars because those were my favorite girl scout cookies. Oh dear, were they ever good! So good that I think the next time those girl scouts come to my door I will tell them “No thanks, I can make my own!”
I didnt like LARA at first either. Now I am in LOVE! I am actually doing a giveaway for LARA. But these look amazing. I defs do not mind another chocolate recipe! Keep em coming
Katie, I love that many of your recipes can be made 1. without turning on the oven and 2. using ingredients I already have. I made a variation of these today (low on dates and no walnuts, subbed almonds and coconut oil/agave to make it stick together) and the result was amazingness. THANK you for your creativity!!
Thank YOU for trying them! That always makes me so happy!!
YUM!!!!!! those look amazing!
CHOCOLATE LARABARS?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?! Katie, you are the BEST!!!! Oh my gosh. Girl, you are so amazing.
I’m not sure, but I THINK I saw the Jocolats at the store yesterday. If you need a fix, I may be able to make it happen! If I’m wrong, I’m sure this recipe will suffice
Oh my goodness, you are the SWEETEST!!! No, seriously.
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I could never ask you to do that, but if you do find them, eat an extra one for me!!! Or maybe an extra three… more chocolate is always better
I love the recipes on your blog! And this is especially wonderful since I’ve been looking for “work snack” ideas that I can make at home that save money. This is totally perfect!
I’m determined to make these! They look amazing!!
these look so good! i’ve never had a Larabar
Oddly enough, I had the same experience–I tried the cherry pie first and wasn’t all that wild about it. Eventually I tried the chocolate coconut chew and I was hooked!
Mmm I’ve actually only tried a few larabaras, but I’ve liked every one.
I’ve never tried a Jocolat, but that may change soon
Which do you like better, homemade or Jocolat?
Homemade, taste-wise… but Jocalat earns points for convenience. I love them both!!!
I have tried a few Larabars but usually only buy them when I find them on sale
There is something about dates that makes me nervous but these look so delicious that I might finally face my fears!
I absolutely HATED larabars the first time I tried them. The weird thing is, the first flavor I tried was chocolate. I was on a road trip and got really sick right after I ate it, so for a long time I connected that feeling to chocolate larabars. Then I fell in love with them when I tried the cashew cookie a few years later. They’re one of my favorite snacks! I even like the chocolate now.
I didn’t like the cookie dough one when I first tried it! I don’t even remember what made me give it a second chance… but I’m so glad I did, because the taste grew so much on me that now it’s one of my favorite snacks!
This is great! I got my mom hooked on Larabars when I came home from college and we both love them now! But we’re always searching for which supermarket has the best flavors and SALES… I’ll have to just make her some homemade ones!
And I loveee all of the chocolate ones! The Jocalats and the brownie ones are awesome… but my nutritionist thinks I’m a disordered nut for liking them. Too bad for her… and more for me!
Haha you should see me at Whole Foods, cutting out the coupons like a crazy girl whenever they have coupons for Larabars!
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I wonder if your nutritionist has actually TRIED the bars… in my experience, the people who think I’m nuts for liking something (such as pb-banana sandwiches in high school) haven’t actually tried it, themselves. Then when they do, they understand my love and leave me alone
My favorite Larabars are Cherry Pie, Banana Bread, and Peanut Butter and Jelly. I am allergic to walnuts though so I haven’t been able to try a number of the flavors they offer!
I don’t really like the Jocalats, but I think I might like these because they’re more customizable. My favorite larabar flavor is probably the lemon or anything with peanut butter in it!
I love cashew cookie and cookie dough! Well, I love most of them all, but if I had to choose favorites, those would be them.
I’ve never like Jocolats because they’ve never tasted truly chocolate-y to me. Why didn’t I ever think of making my own and adding more coco, particularly considering how many other larabar-esque treats I’ve made?!
I’m not really a fan of any of the fruity larabars. My faves include the coconut cream pie, cashew cookie, peanut butter cookie, peanut butter & jelly, peanut butter chocolate chip, and chocolate chocolate chip. Everything else I can do without. I have a blueberry larabar I have yet to try though, so we’ll see if it finally changes my mind on the fruity larabar flavours.
Yummii! These sounds good! The recipe is so close to the one I use for raw brownies, and they are insane! So I know I would love these too
Dates in bars are the best!
I’ve never had a Larabar! They haven’t made it across the pond
I just, for the first time, tried a Larabar yesterday. I have been making your chocolate cookie dough ones for a few months and have to say I like them better. Homemade is always better because they were made with love! My girls like yours better too
Awww that made me smile
I tried to make clif bars a couple days ago and utterly failed. I don’t enjoy lara bars that much, but I’ll try your recipe!
I tried to make clif bars a couple days ago and utterly failed. I don’t enjoy lara bars that much, but I’ll try your recipe!
I haven’t tried making my own Clif bars yet, but it’s on my to-do list!
Homemade is definitely better!
I’ve only ever tried a cashew cookie Larabar, and it was good (I would possibly buy it again), but it wasn’t great. I really want try a cookie dough Larabar, and I recently bought a peanut butter chocolate trip to try! 
And then if I don’t like any of those, I’ll make your chocolate ones instead! Actually, I’ll probably make yours even if I DO like the others ones!
Gorgeous pictures by the way – as ALWAYS
You somehow make your food look like fun… like it would be fun to eat and fun to make, and it always is!
Have a wonderful weekend, Katie!
<3 <3
Thank you! As I told Averie, I had to do this photoshoot twice because the first bars did NOT look appealing at all! lol
yummmm!! these look so good…stop it!
Is Jocolat a type of Larabar, or a whole different product? I LOVE PB chocolate chip Larabars the most…I also like the chocolate brownie, coconut, lemon & tropical. I tried some others like banana bread, gingersnap (LOVE gingersnaps!) & cinnamon bun, but I didn’t really care for them. I think I’ll try making your recipe
It’s made by the Larabar company, and it *looks* like a Larabar (i.e. shape and size). And it’s also just dates, cocoa, and other natural ingredients like a Larabar. I think the only difference is they’re probably targeting a more upscale market with the Jocalats, which seem fancier. I like the chocolate Jocalat best; it tastes like a darker-chocolate version of the chocolate-brownie Larabar.
I recently tried my own variation of a larabar and they came out wonderful!
http://ohshineon.wordpress.com/2011/08/09/im-lazy/
but this recipe also looks great, and so simple. i’ll be sure to test these ones out
I like the coconut pie, peanut butter cookie, and of course all the Jocolat’s.
I just made these and I really like them a lot! But I must say that I made a few changes: because I didn’t have enough dates, I subbed most of them with dried apricots and I used a mix of nuts (mostly almonds) instead of walnuts only. The apricot and chocolate go really well together
Have you ever tried subbing apricots (or other fruit) for the dates? I gives the bars another flavour (all the new possibilities!) and I think the taste was softer too.
Btw: For breakfast I had your double chocolate brownie batter pancakes, my favourite flavour until now. Again, the chocolate worked very well with the apricot jam I put on top.
I haven’t tried other fruits (except a bad experience with figs once), but I know a lot of others have tried raisins… I’ve been meaning to try apricots! Your version sounds so good!
You are a genius. I love these and I haven’t even made them yet!
I made these this afternoon and they rock! I’m a Larabar fanatic and can’t wait to try new flavors. Thanks Katie!
Thank YOU for trying them! It always makes me so happy when someone tries one of my recipes
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What are your thoughts on adding a scoop of either vanilla or chocolate flavor whey protein? Have you experimented with any protein bar options/flavors?
I’m a vegan, so I’ve never used whey protein. But I do know that a lot of readers have had success adding protein powder to some of my homemade Larabar flavors
I have now made this recipe three times, and it’s awesome everytime! I made some substitutes the first time around with almond slivers and almond meal (had on hand). I’m bringing the second two batches to a potluck, one set made with dried cherries and dates (aaand almonds) and the other with a mix of almonds/coconut which I then rolled in crushed up dehydrated strawberries and toasted coconut.
Oh my goodness, your strawberry ones sound SO good!!
I don’t like ANY of the fruit flavored Larabars, but my favorites are the chocolate chip cookie dough, chocolate brownie nut, and peanut butter chocolate chip ones! I also like the plain chocolate and coffee chocolate Jocalat bars… mmmmmm!
These sound delicious, I am making some tonight!!! I think I’m going to add some peanut butter to the mix too!
I don’t like ANY of the fruit flavored Larabars, but my favorites are the chocolate chip cookie dough, chocolate brownie nut, and peanut butter chocolate chip ones! I also like the plain chocolate and coffee chocolate Jocalat bars… mmmmmm!
These sound delicious, I am making some tonight!!! I think I’m going to add some peanut butter to the mix too!
You sound just like me! I don’t want fruity desserts… I want chocolate desserts!
Although I love the Larabars that include chocolate (pb and chocolate/double chocolate), I crave the regular peanut butter one (it somehow satisfies my craving for a reese peanut butter cup even without the chocolate…sorry Katie!). I also just became a fan of peanut butter and jelly and the coconut Larabars. What’s funny is that in Canada (where I am from), we don’t have names like cashew or peanut butter cookie, but just “cashew”…same ingredients!
I love how different products have different names in other countries. And lol it’s the same thing with books too… and sometimes even movies!
Oh, my favorite: In Japan, they had to change the Ben&Jerry’s flavor “Chunky Monkey” because that literally translated to: Monkey Chunks!
I tweeted!
I’m sorry to say that I only just started experimenting with these larabar/fudge baby recipes, but OH MY GOODNESS! thank you! I used almonds instead of walnuts and it was absolutely delicious
I look forward to eating them for every snack!
I’m so happy you liked them!!
I made these a few days ago for my boyfriend to take out on the boat with him. He loved them and said they were better than store-bought. They are a great snack to take when we are working and need something that is quick and easy to scarf down. Thanks for the recipe!
Thank you so much for trying them!
I’ve never had a Larabar, but I love CCK and I have been meaning to find something snack-ish that I could make to take on the go (I’m a busy lady and I need lots of brain food). Wish me luck with this recipe, I’m adding more nuts, and some protein powder to amp it up a bit.
Ooh good luck!
These really do taste like fudge~
I still have 2 bars left, I’ll probably just eat it all tomorrow ^^
http://milk-and-tea.blogspot.com
how many do these make (larabar size?)
Eight? It makes around 370g, and if a Larabar is 45g, I’m guessing a little over 8 bars.
This was too easy and soooo good! Had some spare almonds and macadamia nuts so I threw them in too. May have tasted more like your Raw Mounds Bars – I’ll let you know soon!
BTW, After tasting these, I will never again buy another store brand. Why would I?
Mmmm macadamia nuts are amazing! If they weren’t so expensive, I think I’d throw them in EVERYthing!
These look absolutely amazing – I can’t wait to run home and make them tonight!
Oddly enough, the only Larabars I’ve ever had were the ones you hated – the Cherry Pie variety. I actually really liked them (but then, I was in a tart mood, not a chocolate one).
Cashew Cookie!!!!
omg! i just made the girl scout cookie larabar and it is amazing. i never knew dates could taste so good. i have a feeling i will be making this bar many, many, many more times.
I’m so excited you liked them!!
i was definitely right about making these bars many more times. i made some more of the girl scout larabars and then i started feeling creative so i made another batch with some ground up coffee (sort of a spin off the tiramusi bar), i made another batch with almond extract, and another batch with some creme de menthe extract. i have a whole drawer in the refrigerator that is just larabars lol
All of those ideas sound fantastic – coffee, mint, these are a few of my favourite things! Thanks for the suggestions, Kirsten!
Hi, on the hot fudge brownie larabar recipe. How many should one recipe make?
Eight? It makes around 370g, and if a Larabar is 45g, I’m guessing a little over 8 bars
I tried making the hot fudge brownie Larabars, but my blender wouldn’t blend the dates! I even tried soaking them in water, cooking them, etc. and nothing would work!:( Do you use the Magic Bullet for these? I’m wondering if it works well to make some of your recipes (like the cookie dough dip, that doesn’t blend well in my blender either!) or if I should just not consider getting one? I know you’ve mentioned it several times, so I was just curious:D
Hi Chloe,
I do use a Magic Bullet for my smaller recipes… I think this recipe would be too large to fit in a Bullet. What dates are you using? I highly recommend the SunMaid ones, because they are VERY soft.
I did use the SunMaid ones, actually! Maybe I just got a hard batch lol. They seemed really hard on the outside, but soft on the inside to me! There could just be something wrong with my blender haha:)
Just had to give you feedback for these! Made them with almonds because I didn’t have any walnuts. At first, they were too dry to form, so I followed advice from the commenters and added some sultanas (raisins) and then they were perfect! The base recipe plus the extra sultanas made 13 small bars and a taste – DELICIOUS! While they’re a bit too energy-dense for every day snacks, they will be absolutely perfect for sticking in the back of my cycling jersey for endurance rides. So much cheaper than store-bought energy bars and without the ‘partially hydrogenated’ trans fats nasties that I’m not allowed to eat. Thank you so much, Katie – incredible!
Just made these, with a 1/3 cup of chocolate chips and some sea salt and they are the best thing I’ve EVER made. Dang.
Okay, I burned out the motor on my little tiny Cuisinart trying to make these, but I saved the not-quite-blended mixture and used it all as an excuse to buy a big Cuisinart and finish the job. And I got it on an amazing sale. Nice! But now, although it tastes INCREDIBLE, I can’t get the mixture to stick together long enough to pick up any sizable piece up to put it in my mouth. I think it’s probably because I used dates that were already chopped up and consequently too dry already. Can you offer a solution at this point? Can I add something to increase the stickiness while keeping the taste the same? Should I just add a little water?
Oh, and I actually used pecans instead of walnuts because of walnut sensitivities. Delicious!
Hmmm… maybe some peanut butter? Or coconut butter if you have it!
Just made these with dried banana instead of dates, and added a little cinnamon. Very nice!
So, so, so, heavenly! These bars are every bit as chocolatey and fudgy as the name suggests! I will be making numerous batches of them!
OH MY GOODNESS! These are divine! I could almost swear I was just eating an undercooked brownie (which, really, they are the best kind!). Thank-you, thank-you! Finally, some desert for my poor deprived Paleo tummy
OMG KATIE. BROWNIE LARABARS AND SAMOA LARABARS HAVE REPRODUCED IN MY KITCHEN. See it all started when I had this wonderful fresh coconut sitting on my countertop. I couldn’t decide which flavor larabar to make so I thought “why not both?” so I subbed half the walnuts with shredded fresh coconut, added a pinch of cinnamon (it really brings out the chocolate!) and followed the rest of the brownie larabar recipe. Oh. My. GOD. They are orgasmic (is that even a word?). Fabulous!
Katie, I was wondering if you have ever had Kind Fruit and Nut bars? They are so good, but too expensive and high in sugar. Have you ever tried making anything close to this? (I know they don’t have chocolate in them!) If you haven’t tried them you should, my favorite is the Apricot!
I don’t think I’ve ever had one! My sister likes them, but the only vegan ones I’ve seen are non-chocolate ones, so I never was interested lol. I will have to keep my eyes peeled for a vegan one with chocolate!
Oh Katie! I just made these and they are divine! Much better and taster than the three musketeers bars I used to eat when I had a chocolate craving! I can’t wait to try the rest of the recipes!
Could I use a blender instead of a food processor or magic bullet?
I tried it once, and it got really sticky in my Vita… but it did eventually all blend. It wasn’t as good of a texture, but it does work if you absolutely have to use it.
I just finished making these with the blender. It actually worked fairly well. I pulsed it and kept scraping the sides and it worked fine. Clean-up wasn’t too bad either. They’re delicious! I like them way better than the original jocolats.
OMG…I think I love you! I just found your blog. THANK YOU soooo much for all these healthy options! I can’t wait to make these yummy bars along with a ton of your other recipes.
I could die eating these! Mind you, I wound up making Hot Chocolate Fudge Babies. I was concerned about getting everything to fuse together.
Still, this is a brilliant recipe. I just made some this afternoon. A part of me doubts they’ll last ’til tomorrow!
Hi Katie!
You’ve got a fantastic wealth of recipes here! I’ve linked to this post on my blog after I made a very similar Larabar yesterday – http://teachcooklove.blogspot.com/2012/02/im-baaaackwith-middle-eastern-recipes.html
I’m glad to see that you’re doing this full time now and I look forward to seeing lots more awesome recipes!!
Aww thanks! And the Middle Eastern food looks great!
I love larabars, but I love cliff bars even more! I have a request for a cliff bar recipe!!!! It would be so cool if you did this! I am a long distance runner and cliff bars are usually my Pre workout fuel, so a homemade,healthier version would be amazing!!
I will definitely put it on my list of things to try!
I added coconut to this recipe and rolled it into balls to creat kind of fudge balls
Amazing!
I just found your blog and HAD to make these as soon as I saw them.
I used almonds instead of walnuts and added in dried cranberries and coconut. These are to die for!
I broke my blender attatchment making these tonight
On the good side, it gives me an excuse to buy a bigger, better blender!
Oh! I can’t decide between these or the Chocolate PB kind. I’m a thinkin’ I have to try both. (Did I miss where you put the recipe yield in your posts? And is there a print button or no?) Forgive me.. .my vison is impaired.
I made these as soon as I discovered them on your site. They are amazing. I took them to a vegan potluck and we all voted on best recipe. Of course these won.Thanks! I’m so happy to have found your site and look forward to making some more goodies:)
Wow, I can’t even tell you how much that made me smile!
So, you have me making all kinds of lara bars. I have wiped out my dried fruit, and chocolate stock and almost my whole nut stock. Today, inspired by this recipe I made a chocolate covered cherry lara bar w/ cashews…So yum! Thanks again for the inspiration, I have seen other lara bar recipes on other blogs, but they all seemed blah to me…but you added the missing ingredient…Chocolate! Thanks!
LOL those are the only real Larabar flavors I like… the ones with chocolate!!
I made these last night and they are seriously amazing. I’ll be sharing this recipe with everyone. Instead of walnuts, I made a batch with only cashews. I also made another batch with 3/4 cashews and 1/4 peanuts. Using a little bit of chocolate chips, it tastes like a chocolate chip peanut butter cup
Even my hard to please husband loves them! Looking forward to making more soon!
Hi Katie. My 4yr and 2yr old girls cannot get enough of these! I have to make sure the fridge is stocked with them on a lower shelf so they can “sneak” them out every morning right when they wake up! It’s fun for them to make them into the babies balls too! Thank you so much!
Hi! I have a nut allergy, and I was wondering if you have any suggestions for a nut substitution. I also just wanted to let you know that I read your reason for not having a “nut free” section, and I appreciate your sensitivity to the difficulty in finding nut free products
Thanks!!
Try the Samoas Larabars!
http://chocolatecoveredkatie.com/2011/08/18/girl-scout-cookie-larabars/
Thank you so much!
Katie I just made these and your Girl Scout cookie Larabars and they are SO AMAZING. You are seriously the best. Can’t wait to make them for my mom, we love Clif bars and Larabars but they’re so expensive! So glad we have a cheaper, easy to make alternative now. You are a wizard, Katie. Keep up the amazing work.
PS this week I’m on spring break so guess who is going to be making a lot of these recipes? Thank goodness I have a wonderful church youth group and college and career group to give away the results to. I’ll let you know what they think and I won’t tell anyone that they’re healthy or vegan up front, just to see what they say. So excited. =)
Aw you’re too sweet!!
LOL good luck… I hope they like the recipes!
I made your delicious HFB Larabars! One problem I had was with forming the bars. Mine fell apart easily. When I blended them they seemed to dry to be able to form so I added a bit more vanilla. They still aren’t a firm bar. Any ideas?
They taste incredible btw. My own little healthy candy bar!
I highly recommend sunmaid dates, because they’re much softer and tend to be stickier!
i made these last nite! deelish!!! BUT throwing everything into my MB was ‘interesting’!! lol i had to break it down into batches and mix dates with already mixed mess. still worth every little bit of trouble. i rolled them into balls and i’m eating one right now!! yummm
Just made this recipe last night and they were a hit. I love your recipes!
We just call these date-nut bars here, and I make a huge roll to cut into bite-sized pieces every major holiday. They are delicious!
so yummy
I just made these with 1/2 walnuts, 1/2 hazelnuts…hello, nutella larabars!! Sooo good!
i would love to see you make a larabar that instead of sticking it together with dates you stick it together with the melted chocolate
yum yum yum. i LOVE these! made them over the weekend and i just ate a bite of one right now! a brownie, you ask, at 9 in the morning? yes! because it’s all good stuff! thanks!!
I just made these, eating them now. My 3 kids (ages 2,3 and 7) LOVE LOVE LOVE them. I shaped them into balls to make myself think I was eating truffles. Very good! I will try the peanut butter ones next and I will probably triple the batch bc this one is already almost gone, didn’t last 10 minutes with my kids. I will have to hide some in the freezer next time to have on hand for snacks. My daughter said she wants them every week. I used ghiradelli (sp?) cocoa and added chocolate chips.
I just made these a few days ago and they are gone. All eaten by me! And I LOVE THEM! Thank you so much! I’m so excited to try more of your recipes!
i have to admit larabars arent my favorite theyre OK but man these are really freaking good! definately hits the spot when i have a sweets/chocolate craving!
Do you taste the dates? Or are they mainly there to provide the chewy texture? I was just wondering because I don’t like dried fruit but this looks like a really cool recipe!
I don’t think they taste like dates at all!
Can you freeze the Larabars???
Yes!
I just found your site recently, and have already told tons of people about it! I made the oatmeal raisin Lara bars yesterday and took them to class with me and they were gone instantly, along with the recipe. Today I had to make another batch of them and I made a batch of these to take to work tomorrow to share they are sooooo awesome.
I didn’t have any dates on hand so I did like someone else did and used half raisins an half prunes instead. Made for a really moist and almost sticky bar. To fix that was easy. I just tossed some oatmeal in the processor with about a teaspoon of cocoa powder, pulsed it a few times to break down the oats and patted the bars with it. Gave the bars a nice coating, and now easy to handle and my fingers aren’t sticky.
Thank you sooo much for your recipes, can’t wait to try them all!!!!
i just made these with dried cherries in place of the dates and some added espresso powder to make them black forest cakey. thanks for such an easily adaptable recipe!
The fav Larabar in our house is the chocolate coffee Jocalat. I just may take your recipe and add some espresso powder, I’d think it’d work out, don’t you?
Definitely!
Hye Katie..!! i found your website a few moths back and i told myself i should have found your website a loooooonnnnggg time ago..i am a chocolate lover plus health-concious kind a person, so while eating chocolate, i don’t want to be covered with guilty..if u know what i mean..hahahaah..and thank god i found your website and it such a joy trying all of your recipe..love it..
Hi Katie! I just made a batch of these little nuggets of deliciousness. Formed them into balls and rolled them in toasted coconut. So easy to make and so deeply satisfying
Thanks for sharing this recipe.
I just whipped up a batch of these. This is the first recipe I’ve made from your blog. Very easy to throw together and it tasted great! This coming from a totally non-healthy trying to do better eater. If the rest of your recipes are as good as this then I can do it! I have your Key Lime Pie tarts in the fridge right now. Hubby will be the judge of that one. Not telling him it has tofu in it.
How many servings do you make from this recipe?
Thanks!
I usually make balls or mismatched-sized bars or cookies, but it makes around 360 grams total, which is the size of 8 Larabars (Larabars are 45g each).
Yummy!! I love making your treats! These are becoming my fav. Today when I made them I added crasins to them. and a tiny bit of augave too. I like that thigs on your blog are so easy to expermient with!
This is the first recipe I tried from your site and OMG it is delicious!!! My two year old daughter loves them and I don’t think twice about giving her a “cookie” if she asks for one:)
I stumbled on your blog through Pinterest! I’m SO glad I did! I just made these Hot Fudge Brownie Larabars and they are A-Mazing! Thank you! Now I don’t feel guilty indulging in my love of chocolate!
In case I missed it somewhere… and not that I expect them to last long,
but what is the shelf life of these??
a few weeks fridged, a few months frozen! A few days at least, unfridged.
For all your recipes that call for dates, can I sub raisins and still get similar results?
Sorry, I haven’t tried so I can’t personally vouch for the taste! But texture-wise, it should be fine.
I made these as fudge babies last night (amazing) Luckily I only made a half batch because I ate all of them. I was wondering if anyone has attempted to add protein powder to them? I just got some hemp protein powder and was thinking about giving it a shot, didn’t know if anyone had already been there and had any recomendations on if it’s a “do!” or a “don’t!”
I haven’t, but I think a few of the commenters on the fudge baby page have done it and liked the results! Maybe use less cocoa powder?
Less? hmm.. I was just in Honduras (on a cruise, not doing something noble like mission work) and I purchased some organic chocolate and cacoa bars… maybe I’ll melt a little in to combat the dryness I’m assuming the hemp powder will bring to it. This way I don’t have to sacrifice any of the delicious chocolate taste. Side note- my friends always tell me I should start a blog, to talk about clean eating and share recipes. My response is: what’s the point I would simply just have a page with links to chocolate covered Katie (with clean substitutions when necessary) this one didn’t need any at all. Needless to say 5 of my facebook friends got a link to the fudge babies on their wall at 8am this morning with the caption “MAKE THESE! (if you don’t like them, I’ll eat them)” Spreading the CCK love around the East Coast!
Aw lol Suzi, that really means a lot to me.
Katie! thank you so much for this recipe! I tried it over the weekend and they were a hit to even people who are not “healthy”- they are all gone! haha! I will have to make another batch soon and also try a few more flavors! great job!
Hi Katie–I just had to say thanks. I made the Hot Fudge Lara Bars, substituting almonds because I didn’t have pecans. I also used drier dates, so I added a little almond butter. I tasted them while they were still in the food processor, and promptly doubled the recipe! They were still a bit dry, so I just added a tich of water. (Next time I’m going to try a little orange zest). Anyway, these were fantastic and believe me, will be a repeat performer in this household! Thanks again!
Is this recipe vegan??
they all are.
I made these tonight, very tasty! But maybe I pulverized/blended it a bit too much because I could practically ring them out and squeeze liquid out as I was forming them. Maybe oil from chopping the walnuts too much? I’d love to give these another try if you have any suggestions… I have them in the fridge now hoping that will help solidify them
Let me say I don’t have much luck in the kitchen but after drooling over your pictures for weeks I finally decided to give this a shot. Oh, Katie I really wanted these to work out but sadly they do not look anything like your pictures. I realised I needed to add water once I saw the smoke coming from my Magic Bullet but then I ended up with more of a cake batter (which does taste yummy but is not the grab-and-go treat I was looking for!) I guess it was because we don’t have the sun maid brand of dates here or I just need a more powerful Magic Bullet. :/
I love the lara bar recipes!! The cashew cookie bars!! So easy!! Just put both ground up dates & cashews in a plastic bag, close it, knead it together, and flatten it!!
Now, for the entry to win the Vit-A-Mix, where do we leave our comment? Here on this post? Or do we just have to put 3 comments on Facebook?
Would it be easier to make this in a food processor or Vit-A-Mix. I have a food processor and love it, bit is a Vit-A-Mix the same?? Just more??
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