Copycat Cashew Cookie Bars

We love having a naturally sweet snack on hand, especially something that feels like a treat but is made with simple, wholesome ingredients. Fruit and nut bars are one of our favourites, but buying them regularly can get expensive, especially when they’re this easy to make at home!

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These homemade fruit and nut bars are our take on the classic Larabar or Nakd Cashew Cookie Bar. They’re made with just two ingredients, dates and cashews, and take just minutes to throw together. There’s no baking, no added sugar and no complicated ingredients, just fruit and nuts blended into a deliciously chewy snack.

The best part is how easy they are to customise. Keep the basic 50:50 ratio of dates to nuts, then swap the nuts for almonds, peanuts, walnuts or a combination of your favourites. You can also add extras like cacao powder, cinnamon, vanilla or a pinch of salt to create different flavours from the same simple base.

We’ve used soft, fresh dates here, but dried dates work perfectly too. Simply soak them in hot water for around 10 minutes to soften them before blending. It’s a handy option if you only have dried dates in the pantry, and means you can make these whenever the snack cupboard is looking a little bare.

They’re perfect for lunchboxes, afternoon snacks or a quick little sweet treat when you’re craving something chewy and delicious. Make a batch, pop them in the fridge and you’ll have an easy homemade snack ready to grab whenever you need one.

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Copycat Cashew Cookie Bars

5 from 1 vote

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Setting 1 hour hour

Total Time 1 hour hour 5 minutes minutes

Servings 22

Suitable For 18+ months

Metric - US Customary Units

Ingredients

• 350 g raw cashews
• 350 g medjool dates (pitted)
• Pinch sea salt (optional)

Instructions 

• Add the raw cashews to a food processor and blend until a fine crumb to remove chunks.
• Add the dates and then blend until a sticky ball comes together (you may need to stop and scrape over a few minutes).
• Press the mixture into a lined dish (we used a 10”x10” size but you can make this bigger and have thinner bars) either using a spatula or place a piece of cling film over the top to press flat with your hands (leave on), then place in the fridge to cool/set for 1-2 hours before slicing into whatever sized bars or bites you like.
• Enjoy!

Storage

Store bars in the fridge for up to 1 week or freeze for up to 2 months.

Notes

If your dough feels too sticky, simply add 50g (1/4 cup) of cashews and blend again. If it is too dry and won’t come together, add 1/2 a tsp of water at a time until it comes together.

Did you make this recipe?

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