Larabar mini brownie bites are a great way to satisfy your sweet cravings while nourishing your body with wholesome ingredients! Only 6 simple ingredients and ready in 10 minutes.
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It's no secret that I love Larabars. They're healthy, vegan, gluten-free, and ridiculously tasty. The only thing I don't love is the price tag, so I've started to make my own Larabars at home!
I have a small army of copycat Larabar recipes on the blog, but if you only try one, it should probably be these mini brownie bites.
My Larabar mini brownie bites taste just like a brownie, but are actually made from a handful of very simple (and healthy!) ingredients: nuts for texture and protein, dates for natural sweetness, and cocoa powder for that rich chocolate flavor. They are so chocolatey and so fudgy it's hard to believe they're actually good for you.
These little energy bites make an easy breakfast or healthy grab-and-go snack any time of day. They're especially great for kids, so I suggest making a double batch so you can share them with the whole family!
Ingredients
- Raw almonds
- Raw cashews
- Medjool dates
- Vanilla extract
- Cocoa powder
- Salt
How to make larabar mini brownie bites
- Place all ingredients in a food processor and process until a sticky dough forms and comes together in a ball.
- If the dough seems dry, add water a teaspoon at a time and process until it pinches together between two fingers.
- Dump dough out onto a piece of parchment or wax paper and use the paper to press it into an even square.
- Chill the square for 1-2 hours to make it easier to cut, otherwise cut and store in an airtight container.
Top tips
How to remove the pit from dates
I recommend buying pitted dates to make this recipe more convenient. However, pitting your own dates will give you the stickiest, sweetest treat. It's easy to remove the pits from dates by cutting a slit down the center of one and pushing the pit out.
You could also remove it without a knife by breaking the date open with your fingers and pushing the pit out. You will know if you missed any pits when the food processor is running because it will be very loud as it hits against the sides. If this happens, stop the food processor, find the pit, and remove it.
Getting the right consistency
The brownie bite dough should press together between your finger and your thumb. If it seems too dry and crumbly, let the food processor run for a few minutes to make sure everything is combined. If it still seems dry, add water one teaspoon at a time and process until it reaches the right consistency.
How to store homemade larabars
Brownie bites keep best in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week, or in the freezer for up to 3 months. It's ok to keep them at room temperature, but they will get sticky.
Tips for customizing mini brownie bites
- Use whatever mix of nuts you have on hand, keeping the quantities the same
- Fold in a handful of mini chocolate chips at the end
- Add ¼ cup shredded coconut (sweetened or unsweetened)
- Drizzle brownie bites with date caramel, nut butter, or melted chocolate
- Add 1 tablespoon of chia seeds
FAQ
Yes! This recipe is naturally vegan and gluten-free because it is free from gluten and animal products.
This combination of ingredients will give you the best taste and texture. However, I know people have different preferences and dietary needs or restrictions and may want to make substitutions. Keep in mind that when making substitutions, you may need to adjust quantities.
You could replace the almonds and cashews with a different type of nuts or nut butter. You could also try swapping the dates for another dried fruit (preferably a sticky one, I think dried cherries would be great!). Finally, the cocoa powder could be swapped for carob powder.
A food processor will make this recipe nice and easy, but if you only have a high power blender you could make it in that. You may need to scrape down the sides more in a blender than you would in a food processor.
More snack recipes
- Peanut Butter Larabars
- Cashew Cookie Larabars
- Pecan Pie Larabars
- Larabar Chocolate Brownie Bites
- Peanut Butter Cookie Dough Bites
- Lemon Poppyseed Protein Balls
- Gingerbread Energy Balls
- Cardamom Rose Energy Balls
- Chocolate Peanut Butter Protein Balls
- Healthy Peanut Butter Breakfast Bars
- Cashew Butter Granola Bars
- Peanut Butter Oatmeal Energy Bites
If you make this recipe, be sure to rate it, leave a comment, or tag #theliveinkitchen on Instagram!
Recipe
Larabar Mini Brownie Bites
Ingredients
- ½ cup raw almonds
- ½ cup raw cashews
- 1 ½ cups pitted dates
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 3 tablespoons cocoa powder
- Salt
Instructions
- Place all ingredients in the bowl of a food processor and process until a sticky dough forms. If it seems dry add water a teaspoon at a time until it pinches together nicely between your fingers.
- Dump dough onto a sheet of wax or parchment paper and form into an even layer.
- Cut into bite size squares and store in an air tight container in the refrigerator for up to a week.
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