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    Bless This Mess > Recipes > Snacks > Healthy Snacks

    Healthy Homemade Snack Bars Recipe

    Published: Jul 27, 2022 · Modified: Jul 27, 2022 by Melissa · 38 Comments

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    pin that reads "healthy date & nut snack bars" with an image of the ingredients and one baking dish with some of the processed mixture tamped over parchment
    pin that reads "date + nut snack bars" with an image of he finished product in a coco colored square that is peppered with chunks of nuts and coconut that a chef knife has sectioned into tiny squares
    pin that reads "date & nut snack bars" top image is the ingredients in a food processor and the bottom image is the finished product in a coco colored square that is peppered with chunks of nuts and coconut that a chef knife has sectioned into tiny squares
    pin reads "healthy snack bars" and squares cut into the finished product of chunky nut coco bars and one POV of a hand holding to examine it

    I have an easy Healthy Snack Bar that is healthy to eat, tastes delicious and travels great too!

    These healthy snack bars are vegan, raw, gluten-free, dairy free, egg free, Paleo and Whole30 compliant, and just pretty dang good for you. Don't let all the health labels scare you, they taste great! 

    cutting squares out of the healthy date and nut snack bars on parchment

    Healthy Snack Bars

    I love a snack that is filling and fuels your body. Healthy snack bars are full of fiber, protein, healthy fats and natural sugars. A guilt free snack that people of all ages devour. 

    My favorite way to eat these bars is right out of the fridge or freezer. They taste a whole lot like a candy bar without the guilt. I might eat one or two small pieces for breakfast with a big glass of water when I'm in a hurry and I'll be fine until morning snacks.

    Don’t let the dates scare you. They are kind of an odd ingredient but very easy to find (I get Medjool dates at Costco) and are a great natural sugar. I promise you’ll never know that you are eating dates once they are all mixed in with the rest of the ingredients.

    dates peanut butter coconut and nuts in a food processor ready to make the healthy snack bars

    Ingredients:

    • Pitted dates: these are the star of the show. New to dates? They are amazing! They don't have a lot of flavor besides sweetness and their texture helps everything to stick together.
    • Raw nuts: you can use whatever nuts you'd like here. I often use raw almonds as I often have those on hand
    • Nut butter: use what you like or have on hand, I normally use natural peanut butter. I like to use the drippy kind, it helps everything in this recipe come together
    • Unsweetened shredded coconut: this adds texture and flavor to this recipe, you can skip it if you don't love coconut
    • Cocoa powder: a little touch of chocolate flavor, my favorite
    • Salt: just a bit helps to balance the flavors of these snack bars

    How to make snack bars:

    1. They are so easy! Toss everything in the food processor and let it blend.
    2. Once the mixture comes together remove it from the food processor and pat it into a parchment lined pan.
    3. Chill then slice and store in the fridge or freezer.
    cutting squares out of the healthy date and nut snack bars on parchment

    How to store snack bars:

    Keep these in the fridge or the freezer in an air-tight container. You can use the parchment paper that you lined the pan with in-between the layers of your cut bars in your container so that they don't stick together.

    ingredients for the date and nut snack bars

    Frequently Asked Questions:

    Do you take the pits out of the date?

    The first time I used dates I forgot to take out the pit and almost ruined my food processor! Date pits are hard as rocks. Oops. So don't forget to take them out.

    Should dates be refrigerated?

    Dates are preserved best when stored in the fridge. They will last for about 6 weeks when stored in an airtight container. 

    Can you freeze these snack bars?

    Yes! I highly recommend making them and keeping them in the freezer. It's so nice to have healthy snack bars ready when you need them.

    Basically a homemade Lara Bar!

    holding out date and nut snack cubes POV in hand

    More recipes you'll love:

    • Pumpkin Date Balls 3 Ways
    • 9 Date Energy Balls Recipes
    • Extra Protein Oatmeal Bites
    • 8 No-Bake Oatmeal Energy Balls

    If you’ve tried this healthy snack bar recipe or any other recipe on Bless this Mess, then don’t forget to rate the recipe and leave me a comment below! I would love to hear about your experience making it. And if you snapped some pictures of it, share it with me on Instagram so I can repost on my stories.

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    cutting squares out of the healthy date and nut snack bars on parchment

    Healthy No-Bake Snack Bars


    ★★★★★

    5 from 2 reviews

    • Author: Melissa Griffiths - Bless This Mess
    • Total Time: 40 minutes
    • Yield: 20 1x
    Print Recipe
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    Description

    These Easy Homemade Snack Bars are healthy and taste amazing! They taste like Almond Joy bars and are perfect for school lunches or afternoon snacking.


    Ingredients

    Scale
    • 2 cups pitted dates
    • ¾ cup raw cashews or almonds
    • ¼ cup nut butter (I used natural peanut butter)
    • ½ cup unsweetened shredded coconut
    • 2 tablespoons cocoa powder
    • 1 pinch salt

    Instructions

    1. Toss everything into a food processor and process until the mixture starts to go smooth and clump into a ball. The dates will be all chopped up but you'll still have bits of nut.
    2. Turn the mixture out into an 8 or 9 inch square dish lined with parchment paper. Use your hands to firmly press the mixture into the bottom of the dish. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
    3. Remove the bars from the pan and cut into pieces using a sharp knife.
    4. Store in an air-tight container in the fridge or freezer.
    5. Enjoy these bars cold or frozen.

    Notes

    • I think a high power blender could be used to make these, but I haven't tried it myself.
    • If your dates are very dry or starting to turn a little white (happens when they dry out) let them soak in warm water for 10 minutes before using, strain well and then use.
    • Prep Time: 40 minutes
    • Cook Time: 0 minutes
    • Category: Snacks
    • Method: Food Processor
    • Cuisine: American

    Keywords: homemade snack bars, healthy snack bars recipe, lara bars recipe, healthy school snacks, after school snacks, healthy snack ideas

    Did you make this recipe?

    Tag @blessthismessblog on Instagram and hashtag it #blessthismess

    pin that reads "date + nut snack bars" with an image of he finished product in a coco colored square that is peppered with chunks of nuts and coconut that a chef knife has sectioned into tiny squares

    Healthy Snack Bars are chuck full of fiber, healthy fats and make the perfect treat that are incredibly simple to make. They taste great, freeze fabulously and are easy to pack for the road. Whip up a batch or two today!

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    About Melissa

    Melissa is dedicated to helping parents figure out the nightly questions, "What's for Dinner?!" with her no-fuss approach to cooking. Read more...

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    Comments

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      Recipe Rating




    1. Sandy Curran

      April 12, 2020 at 5:17 pm

      Hello,

      I do roast dates in 1 table spoon pure ghee for 4 to 5 minutes on law flame and than add rest of ingredients. It gives better taste ( we love it)

      ★★★★★

      Reply
    2. Amy

      January 27, 2019 at 12:27 pm

      Love, love, love this recipe! Dates + cashews are a perfect combo and no bake is my favorite thing ever! I need to try these for sure.

      Reply
      • Melissa

        January 28, 2019 at 9:19 am

        ENJOY!!! Happy snacks bars to you friend, they are so good!

    3. Stacy Davis

      June 25, 2018 at 4:26 pm

      I made this today and they are very good. I used shelled pistachios and added chia seeds. Amazingly easy and delicious!

      Reply
      • Melissa

        June 26, 2018 at 7:04 am

        Sounds delicious! Thanks for sharing your fun variation!

    4. Mayada

      August 27, 2017 at 3:31 am

      Its very yummy but my bars are very oily do you know why?

      Reply
      • Melissa

        August 28, 2017 at 3:12 pm

        Sometimes if you over process the nuts they start to turn into nut butter instead of just the chopped nuts. I bet that's what happened in your case!

    5. Anne

      August 13, 2017 at 11:42 am

      Hi, has anyone tried these without the cashews, or have you substituted the cashews for something else? My daughter is very allergic and I wouldn't want to keep these in the house. I would love any ideas on how I could make these work. Thanks! 🙂

      Reply
      • Melissa

        August 14, 2017 at 6:55 am

        You can just just about any nut for the cashews, it all works great!

      • Lisa B

        June 15, 2020 at 1:25 pm

        Sometimes I get headaches from nuts, esp peanuts. I looked up replacements for nuts and found coconut butter. That might be an option.

        ★★★★★

    6. Joan Harris

      August 10, 2017 at 11:33 am

      Delicious! Mine weren't quite holding together, so I added a generous tablespoon of coconut oil. Next time I would consider adding ground flax seed, chia, anything yummy such as pumpkin or sunflower seeds

      Reply
      • Melissa

        August 10, 2017 at 4:06 pm

        Both the chia and flax seed help them stay together better too. You'll love the additions!

    7. Laura

      October 09, 2016 at 12:53 pm

      Yummy! loved them

      Reply
    8. Christina Aleman

      September 15, 2016 at 11:54 am

      WOW! These looks so yumme.

      Reply
    9. jamiemiester

      March 04, 2016 at 4:05 pm

      I was so excited to make these, they sound like just what I need for a quick substantial snack while taking care of my 9 month old...but they burned out my Cuisinart! 🙁

      Reply
      • Melissa

        March 05, 2016 at 6:49 am

        Ahhhh! What size was your food processor?! That's so sad. I'm going to send you an email...

    10. Laura

      September 24, 2015 at 6:51 pm

      I will admit my initial skepticism, but I was determined to make a healthy snack bar so I made these anyway. Can I tell you how much I LOVE them? I've been converted. I am a believer. Oh my heavens they are delicious. I eat a little piece in place of dessert sometimes and it fills the craving perfectly. I'm also a college student (I believe they call me a "mature" college student but I don't fee terribly mature *snicker*) and so I wanted to find a healthy option that I could eat on the go. I do not want to succumb to the vending machines or other fast food options when I am hungry, so these are a perfect addition to my healthy portable snack options. I'm also a distance runner and I was thinking these will be perfect after a long run. Thank you for sharing this recipe. I love it and I will be making it for years to come.

      Reply
      • Melissa

        September 25, 2015 at 10:37 am

        Love this!! Thank you for taking the time to write a great comment, totally made my day!

    11. Heather

      September 22, 2015 at 2:35 pm

      Are you supposed to use dry dates or fresh?

      Reply
      • Melissa

        September 23, 2015 at 1:59 pm

        Are the dates they sell at Costco dried? I assume that's what they are, they are all dark and raisin like. I'm not sure I've ever even seen a fresh date!

      • Heather

        September 27, 2015 at 12:56 pm

        Ended up making them with dried. You can get fresh some places.
        These are amazing! I loved them. Will for sure be making them again. Thanks!

    12. Fiona

      June 24, 2015 at 7:23 am

      Hi there, these look yummy! I am hoping you can help me, when you say 2 cups, can you tell me how much that weighs? I'm in Europe so not familiar with cups 🙂

      Reply
    13. AmandaM

      February 26, 2015 at 12:34 pm

      I would love to make something like this to throw in my daughter's lunch kit for snack time....but our school has a no nut policy! Any ideas on how to make something like this that is nut-free?

      Reply
      • Melissa

        February 27, 2015 at 9:03 am

        Ugh. I've heard about that kind of things and it sounds hard! I live in a tiny town and we are still allowed to bring homemade treats for brithdays 🙂 It helps when the grades have about 20 kids in each, total! That being said, I'm no help. It's so nut heavy.... You could just try chocolate and dates but it would be really stick and I think the taste would be too much of one thing. I'm going to ponder this. What about coconut? Maybe you could go really heave on coconut?

      • Milena

        July 14, 2015 at 4:10 am

        Are you allowed seeds? You may want to add sesame, flax seed, chia, sunflowe seeds, pumpkin seeds.... all of the kind, and the bars will be yummie and healthy

      • andrea

        January 13, 2016 at 3:02 pm

        I made something similar to these for my daughters lunch using raisins and shredded coconut and sunflower seeds. I rolled them into balls instead of cutting into squares but they were a hit! I like the date/nut combo more personally but as a nut free version the raisin was great.

    14. Jenn

      January 20, 2015 at 7:37 pm

      Can I use dried figs instead of dates? (Just wondering because I have figs on hand.)

      Reply
      • Jenn

        January 26, 2015 at 1:38 pm

        I tried the figs. I think they are a little dryer than dates but I love the flavour. (Sometimes dates can be just too much.) I will maybe add more peanut butter next time.

    15. Jana Sorensen

      January 06, 2015 at 1:01 pm

      I am for sure going to try these. Getting back on the eating healthy bandwagon! Thanks for all your great ideas and recipes! Now...what to make for dinner??? 🙂

      Reply
      • Melissa

        January 06, 2015 at 1:21 pm

        Steak Fajitas!!! They are always on the menu 🙂

    16. Stephanie C.

      January 03, 2015 at 10:27 am

      I've done dates, 1 cup almonds and 1 cup pecans. They taste like pecan pie! So yummy!

      Reply
    17. Jennifer

      September 30, 2014 at 10:12 am

      Mine didnt get hard... even in the freezer. Any tips?

      Reply
      • Melissa

        September 30, 2014 at 1:31 pm

        Hmmm. What kind of dates did you use? Those are kind of the "glue". I'd add more PB personally until it was sticky!

    18. Megan

      September 18, 2014 at 4:00 pm

      These were delicious ! They were like a cross between Almond Joys and Reese's cups: my two favorites!! Thank you!!

      Reply
      • elizabeth

        April 20, 2015 at 8:28 pm

        Does anyone have the nutrition facts by chance?

    19. Kristine @ Kristine's Kitchen

      September 16, 2014 at 2:30 pm

      These look wonderful! Larabars are my favorite, and I love making homemade versions of store-bought items. I bet they are so good with the cocoa powder!

      Reply
      • Maria A RIZZELLI

        February 26, 2019 at 2:24 pm

        I love Larabars always looking for new recipes. Thank you! Love your stuff!
        ??

      • Melissa

        February 27, 2019 at 10:45 am

        Than you friend! So glad to connect!

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