Homemade Energy Snack Bar Recipe
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When I say simple, I mean simple! This Homemade Energy Snack Bar Recipe took about 2 minutes to make. For realz! If I had not had to dig the food processor out of the cabinet, it would have taken less time that!
See, I told my husband it was okay sitting on the countertop!
So, seriously these snack bars are simple, easy, nutritious, delicious and much cheaper than store-bought snack bars!
All you do is dump all the ingredients in a food processor and pulse until it’s the texture you like.
press them firmly into a pan and refrigerate!
So. Let me just tell you. I had no idea dates grow on palm trees until recently! Furthermore, I thought they grew on a bush like blueberries or a plant like strawberries. However, I just never really gave it much thought. Dates grow on palm trees like coconuts and bananas. Not the same palm trees, but a palm looking tree! Visit Wikipedia and see for yourself.
Homemade Energy Snack Bar Recipe
Dates are naturally sweet, which makes them perfect for a snack bar. They’re also sticky because of the natural sugars. This is good for a natural energy bar. You don’t need a binding agent, fewer ingredients equal fewer calories!
I’ve had dates sitting in my pantry for months intending to make some yummy and nutritious energy bars. However, for the last 2 months, ok, for forever, I’ve been making decadently and sinfully rich dessert treats like this Upside Down Maple and Pear Cake and this Apple Chess Pie.
Times are changing.
Ha, just kidding, I still will share those incredibly ooey, gooey desserts, I just wanted to make these bars and share!
Truth is. I love snack bars. I shared CopyKat Kashi Granola bars and 3 Ingredient Energy Bars. And both have been really popular.
My raw Homemade Energy Snack Bar Recipe is too simple, basically, you throw all the ingredients in a food processor or blender and blend it all together. The hardest part, the part that takes the longest is waiting for them to set in the refrigerator. If you’re not a patient person (I get that!) they’ll fall apart a bit, but they’ll still be fabulous eaten with a fork straight from the dish.
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Simple Homemade Energy Snack Bar Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup dates
- 1 cup dried cranberries
- 1 cup lightly salted almonds
- 1 Tablespoon chia seeds
- 1 Tablespoon flax seeds
- 2 Tablespoon agave syrup
Instructions
- Pulse dates and almonds in food processor until chopped medium fine. Add cranberries, chia seeds, flax seeds, and agave. Pulse 6 to 8 times or until ingredients are combined.
- Line a 8x8 dish with parchment paper.
- Dump ingredients into pan. Press down firmly to form a flat even top. I use a square of parchment paper to press down because the mixture is quiet sticky.
- Refrigerate a couple of hours before cutting. You'll get cleaner cuts if they're cold.
- Store in an airtight container up to 2 weeks.
Nutrition
Nutritional information given is an automatic calculation and can vary based on the exact products you use and changes you make to the recipe. If these numbers are important to you, I recommend calculating them yourself.
I have some ground flax. Think that would work okay in this?
These look yummy Paula!! I bought some dates a few months ago for a recipe and didn’t use them, I guess now I know what to do with them. 🙂
This looks great! I also need to return to check out all your other recipes – yum!n. I’m pinning this for later! We have a healthy living link up Monday nights called Tips and Tricks Tuesdays and everyone there would love recipes like these! Feel free to stop by sometime! Thanks!
Ok, seriously love this! Can’t wait to make these and then EAT them for a post workout snack! I can’t believe how easy these are! Pinning, thanks Paula.
They are so good and you can substitute the dried fruit and nuts and have different combos.
I have a whole bunch of dates in my pantry too and these energy bars sound perfect! Love that they make such a great healthy snack when you’re on the go. Pinning and can’t wait to try them 🙂
I did the same thing, so glad I made these bars though, I’m so loving them!
Happy New Year!! The bars look yummy! Do you think you could use apricots instead of dates for the recipe as a substitution?
I know you could sub the apricots for the cranberries. The dates really hold the bar together since they’re so sticky, but apricots may work. I’ll try that next time and let you know.
Dates and almonds are one of my favorite combinations. This looks yummy.
Thank you, Deanna!
Ooh Chia and flax. These are perfect! I have been looking for a recipe that doesn’t add sugar or any other fillers! I love this and I may be able to get my youngest to eat them based on the cranberries:)
oh great! I love cranberries too! Hope you (and your child) loves them! Happy New Year!
I love making raw bars like these – so simple and pretty much always tasty. 🙂 I haven’t done much with adding seeds or dried fruit to mine, so I guess that should be next; those deep red dried cranberries look tempting!
Thank you, I like the seeds, you can’t taste them, but they do offer a bonus nutritional value. Don’t you like making something yourself instead of always buying it? Thanks for stopping by.
These sound like the perfect healthy snack to help me kick back into my Fit By 50 routine, Paula!
I made a similar snack bar recipe, but it called for raisins instead of dates. I love your addition of chia seeds, too 🙂
Sneeking in a little extra nutrition with the seed. I could eat the whole pan…