Finding a healthy, gluten-free, and dairy-free snack can be tricky — and often expensive. These chocolate peanut butter Lara Bars are neither. They’re simple to make, use minimal ingredients, and cost only about 25 cents per bar.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Homemade Lara Bar

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These homemade Lara Bars are one of my go-to snacks. The classic Lara Bar base is simply dates and nuts; this chocolate peanut butter version blends dates and peanuts with cocoa powder for a rich, satisfying bar.

They feel like candy but are made from whole-food ingredients. Because they’re naturally sweetened with dates, it’s easy to overindulge — so portion control helps — but when you want a healthier treat that still satisfies a chocolate craving, these fit the bill.

These bars are straightforward to prepare if you have a food processor. The process is quick: soften the dates, blend with peanuts, cocoa, vanilla, and salt, then press and chill. They keep well in the fridge and are convenient to grab between meals or pack in lunches.

Crunchy or smooth peanut butter?

If you prefer a crunchy texture, reserve ½ cup of the peanuts and add them near the end of processing so you get larger peanut pieces throughout the bars. For a smooth, uniform texture, add all the peanuts at the start of the blending step. Either way, the result is chocolatey, peanut-buttery, and delicious.

I make a batch most weeks so we always have a healthier snack option on hand. They’re a useful alternative to packaged chocolate or candy and travel well for busy days.

If you’re pregnant, dates are often recommended to help prepare the body for labor, so these bars offer a tasty way to include them in your diet — though you should follow any specific guidance from your healthcare provider.

Below are the streamlined ingredients and clear instructions so you can make these at home.

Homemade Chocolate Peanut Butter Lara Bars

Yield:
8-10 bars

Homemade bars made with clean, simple ingredients — no grains and no refined sugar. An affordable, homemade Lara Bar that’s quick to prepare.

Ingredients

1 cup dates, pitted and soaked in warm water for 5–10 minutes
1 ½ cups dry roasted peanuts
¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tsp vanilla extract
½ tsp salt (omit if using salted peanuts)

Instructions

Drain the softened dates well. (Reserve the soaking water if you want to use it to sweeten coffee or smoothies.)
In a food processor fitted with an S-blade, add the dates, most of the peanuts (reserve ½ cup if you prefer larger peanut pieces), cocoa, vanilla, and salt.
Process on low for about a minute until the mixture begins to break down, then scrape down the bowl.
Increase to high and process until the mixture is smooth and starts to form a ball around the blade. This can take a minute or two.
If you reserved peanuts for texture, add them now and pulse until they’re broken to your liking. Scrape the bowl and repeat as needed.
Press the mixture into a lightly greased or lined 6×4 glass dish or small loaf pan. Alternatively, roll into balls, dusting your hands with cocoa powder to prevent sticking.
Refrigerate for about 30 minutes to firm up.
Slice into bars (or store balls) and enjoy. Keep refrigerated for best texture and freshness.

Did you make this recipe?

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