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Cherry Pie Larabars

by 42 Comments

This is the easiest recipe you will ever make. Five minutes flat. Get your almonds out.

Cherry Pie Larabars

Well, let’s back up one hot second. This all started with my New Year’s resolution. I didn’t make a New Years’ resolution this year until I was sitting in a chair at the dentist’s office. My dentist asked me if I had made a resolution and when I said no, I felt really lame. So I made a goal: to not eat refined sugar for a week.

That might sound a little stupid, but truth: I eat way too much sugar for my own good. And truth: I’ve been meaning to cut down on my sugar intake for a long time.* And truth: I’m hoping if I can make it one week, I can make it two. Or three. Or three months. (I hear that resets your tastebuds. So really, my goal fits into the larger picture of things.)

Cherry Pie Larabars

Cherry Pie Larabars

So my goal didn’t include cutting out ALL sugar completely and forever. I had my emergency parachute ready and waiting: Larabars and PB&Js (I’m obsessed with peanut butter in case you couldn’t tell).

I had my first Larabar while shopping for Christmas presents—I was wandering around REI trying to guess what size shoe my dad wears, and with the bad judgment of a famished person, snagged a $1.68 bar off of a rack of snack bars that I would never normally touch. It was Cherry Pie flavored, natch. So. Good.

Cherry Pie Larabars

Cherry Pie Larabars

All the hype about Larabars and how there’s only natural ingredients blah blah OMG. It’s so true. They’re so naturally sweet and delicious with a great chewy texture from the dates and crunch from the nuts and yum. A perfect natural kick to trump my obsessive sweet tooth (sweet teeth?). Eating these feel like doing something good for your body. And they’re so cheap to make at home if you buy your almonds and dates from somewhere like Costco! Economical health = I like.

Now get your cherries and dates out and let’s get Larabar-eating!

Cherry Pie Larabars

Notes

*What does that mean for the blog? It means I’ll be shifting my focus to more whole foods and natural sweeteners. This year, I may not post about pancakes EVERY Friday, but you can bet Pancake Fridays will still be a thing.

More variations: These are so easy, and there are so many recipes out there for Larabar knockoffs that I hesitated about posting these, but I figured might as well spread the love. The more people eating these delicious things, the better!

For more flavor ideas, including but not limited to carrot cake, chocolate chip cookie dough and lemon bar, Maggie @ Rawified has the most complete collection of Larabar flavor ideas I’ve seen. It’s completely awesome. I want to be her friend.

Nutrition: I calculated these to be about 165 calories per bar.

1/2 cup pitted dates (small ones from Costco) = about 9 dates = ~180 calories
1/2 cup almonds = 320 calories
1/2 cup dried cherries = 160 calories

660 calories/4 = 165 yummy calories. They’re small, but the flavor is intense. And with all the dried fruit and nuts? Totally filling.

Cherry Pie Larabars
Inspired by Rawified

Yield: 4 bars

1/2 cup pitted dates
1/2 cup almonds
1/2 cup dried cherries
1/2 – 1 tablespoon warm water

In a food processor, process the dates and almonds until finely ground (I used the “grind” button on my machine). Add the cherries and process until the mixture is in uniform chunks, about the size of…oh, I don’t know. Small gravel? If the mixture seems too dry to easily stick together, add warm water 1/4 tablespoon at a time until the mixture starts to clump together. Err on the side of adding less water, because you can’t take it back!

To make nice square bars, I squished the mixture into a rough square with my  hands, wrapped it in wax paper, then used a cutting board to press the top flat. I used a random assortment of flat-edged items in my kitchen to press the sides flat.

Reader Interactions

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  1. savannah

    I made these and they were great! They were going so quickly,so I added about one half cup of rolled oats to create more bulk and fill hungry tummies. Thanks for sharing.

    Reply

  3. angela

    This recipe is awesome, I will have to try. If you have a sweet tooth like mine but are trying to cut out refined sugars check out a website called “chocolate covered katie”. It is an amazing site with hundreds of recipes that you may want to try!

    Reply

  5. myhealthyohana

    I love those cherry pie larabars! It’s so awesome that you were able to recreate these at home 🙂 I think I’m going to join you in no refined sugar for a week…maybe starting next week Monday since it’s my daughter’s third birthday tomorrow and I know it will be impossible to avoid eating cake and frosting and ice cream with her 🙂

    Reply

  6. neonstaples

    Hello! These look great! However, I am allergic to almonds… any suggestions on what nut I could substitute to have it become the same texture and the closest flavor? Thanks a bunch!

    Reply

    • erika

      Hi there! For the closest flavor and texture, I might suggest walnuts. Cashews would also give a similar texture, but different flavor (I think cashews, dates and blueberries or chocolate chips or would be delicious!). You could also try pecans, peanuts, hazelnuts or pistachios and different mix ins (dried fruit, coconut, peanut butter, etc.) Hope that helps and thanks for stopping by!

      Reply

  7. vic@cakebook

    nice one – will be giving these a go – have been (bar the festive season) trying to eat more ‘clean’ myself and I feel great! definitely a step in the right direction although it does bring in to question our blogging existence!!
    ps> laughed.out.loud when i read ‘1 week’ lol – but I get it – baby steps! 🙂

    Reply

    • erika

      VIC you understand me!!! I feel so much less bloated (ha!) after eating “clean” (umm…I don’t know if my version counts) for just a week. And it is totally making me question my blogging identity/existence. Also, I think I made it the one week. WOOHOO!!!!

      Reply

    • erika

      Hahaha well at least sweetener is probably not as fattening as the stuff I’ve been eating. Omg. Holiday season was bad. I am a whale. Hope school is going well!!

      Reply

    • erika

      Well, Skinny Muffin, I’m guessing you have much better self-control around refined sugar! (It would be hard to be worse than me!) But good news: I (sort of, mostly) made it!!! Also: what is your favorite larabar flavor? I want to make every kind, but can’t decide what kind to try next!!

      Reply

  12. jmcvl

    Phew- so glad your pancake Fridays will still be around! Was getting worried reading down the post then.

    Your photo work is incredible btw. Do you mind me asking what camera you use?

    Reply

    • erika

      Thanks so much Hannah 🙂 It was actually great that I wrapped them up for the photoshoot because I could just stick them in the fridge after…if I hadn’t taken pictures, I probably would have just thrown them in a container together in a giant lump lol

      Reply

  17. gottagetbaked

    I never make resolutions but I have been wanting to cut down on my sugar intake for a loooooong time. As you can see from my blog, I’m obsessed with sweets. I crave something sweet after every meal and then I stress eat or snack from boredom between those meals (usually something full of carbs or sugar). Very very bad for my health! To wean me off the sweet stuff, I should start with these super simple bars. I can just imagine how tasty they are! And thanks for introducing me to Rawified. I need to incorporate some of her recipes into my diet.

    Reply

  18. Sally

    i’ve been meaning to make a homemade larabar for weeks now. Now, I must try them – I have no excuse. and cherry pie is my favorite variety of them. these are so easy and much cheaper than buying, too.

    Reply

  19. The Healthy Flavor

    Yum! You know I’ve never had a Larabar! Now, I really don’t need to…I can just make yours!! I LOVE how simple they are. I agree on the less sugar…most of my recipes are refined sugar-free but I’m making them even more with really natural sugars like fruit, as well, lots of experimenting going on but so much fun. I’m also pretty much trying to make all my recipes going forward oil-free and so far has been sucess! I love it! I need to make these…I love dried cherries…mmmmmm!

    Reply

    • erika

      That’s funny, I’d been curious about Larabars for the longest time before I finally tried one! They really are super simple and delicious!

      I know, I love your recipes!! I will definitely be trying more of them out as I embark on my healthy eating journey…

      Also, I am obsessed with dried cherries. I would gladly welcome any recipes with dried cherries you come up with in the future! 🙂

      Reply

  21. Leah

    Awesome! And your post is Paleo-friendly!! I look forward to seeing more sugar-free recipes (not that I don’t love ALL of your creations though). I don’t need any more temptations while on Paleo haha. Good luck with your resolution!

    Reply

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