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Date Bars Recipe

This Date Bars Recipe makes a deliciously healthy snack that tastes like the popular Lara Bars! The best part is you only need 3 ingredients to make these easy Whole30 and paleo-friendly bars.

Rectangular date bars topped with shredded coconut and nuts are arranged on a wooden board.
These Date Bars are similar to Lara Bars but are so easy to make, taste better, and are way more affordable!

In This Article

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Why This Recipe Stands Out

We’re always looking for convenient, healthy snacks to keep on hand, and this Date Bars Recipe is our new favorite. Here’s why we can’t get enough of it:

  • Super Easy: With only 3 simple, whole food ingredients, these bars are incredibly easy to make. Plus, they take only 10 minutes of prep work!
  • Whole Food Ingredients: Dates, raisins, and almonds – that’s it! These bars are made from real, whole foods, with no refined sugar like our Chocolate Avocado Energy Bars.
  • Affordable: These bars are way more budget-friendly than buying store-bought bars, just like our 5-Ingredient No Bake Protein Bars!
  • No Bake: No need to turn on the oven for these bars! Similar to our Chocolate Peanut Butter Oatmeal Bars.
  • Make-Ahead: These bars are the perfect make-ahead snack for the week. They keep well in the refrigerator or freezer.

Key Recipe Ingredients

  • Dates – Dates are the star of this recipe, providing a natural sweetness and a soft, chewy texture. Make sure to use pitted, dried dates for the best results.
  • Raisins – We love using raisins for their sweet, fruity flavor but feel free to experiment with other dried fruits with no added sugar.
  • Almonds – Almonds add a delicious nutty flavor and a crunchy texture. You can use any other nuts of your choice as well.
  • Shredded Coconut – This is an optional ingredient, but we highly recommend it for its sweet, tropical flavor and chewy texture.

Substitutions And Variations

Here are our favorite substitutions and variations for this recipe:

  • Nuts: The recipe calls for almonds, but feel free to substitute them with any other nut of your choice. Pecans, walnuts, or cashews would work beautifully in this recipe.
  • Dried Fruit: Instead of raisins, you can go with any other dried fruit with no added sugars, such as dried cherries or dried cranberries.
  • Chocolate: You can even add mini chocolate chips to these date bars, as we do in our Protein Granola Bars.

Step-By-Step Recipe Instructions

  1. Process the dates and dried fruit in a food processor until the mixture becomes sticky and forms a large ball.
  2. Add nuts and pulse until nuts are finely processed and well combined.
  3. Press the mixture into the bottom of a pan lined with cling wrap. Cover the top with cling wrap and chill for several hours.
  4. Once set, use the overhanging cling wrap to lift the entire bar mixture out of the pan. Cut into bars and store in an airtight container until ready to serve.

For full list of ingredients and instructions, see recipe card below.

How To Prep Ahead

Here are our favorite make-ahead strategies for this Date Bars recipe:

  • Entirely Make Ahead: You can make them entirely ahead of time and keep them at a moderate room temperature for up to 1 week when stored in an airtight container.
  • Make and Freeze: We also love making a big batch and freezing them to have them on hand all month long. Simply defrost in the fridge or on the counter. They can be frozen for up to 3 months.
Two homemade date bars on a white plate with shredded coconut on top.
The best thing about these Date Bars is that they’re Whole30 and Paleo-friendly, yet so easy to make!

Commonly Asked Questions

What type of dates are best for this recipe?

You can use any type of pitted, dried dates for this recipe. Medjool dates are a popular choice due to their natural sweetness and soft texture, but you can also use Deglet Noor or any other variety available to you.

I don’t have a food processor. Can I make this recipe using a blender?

While a food processor is the most efficient tool for making date bars, you can use a high-powered blender as an alternative. You may need to stop and scrape the sides more often, and the texture may be slightly different, but it will still work.

How long do these date bars keep?

Date bars can be stored in an airtight container for up to 1 week or chilled in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

Can I freeze these date bars?

Yes, you can freeze them for up to 3 months. Just make sure to wrap them tightly with plastic wrap and then place them in an airtight container before freezing.

Did you make this?

Please give us a rating and comment below. We love hearing from you!

3-Ingredient Date Bars Recipe

5 from 1 vote
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These 3-Ingredient date bars are simply homemade. They're easy, taste better than the boxed variety, and are way more affordable!
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 10 minutes
Servings: 8 -10
Author: Amy Dong

Ingredients  

  • 1 cup dates, pitted, dried
  • 1 cup raisins, or other dried fruit with no added sugar
  • 1 cup almonds, roasted, salted, or other nuts
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon, optional
  • shredded coconut, optional, with no sugar added

Instructions

  • In a food processor, add the dates and any other dried fruit. Process until the mixture becomes sticky and forms a large ball. Add nuts and pulse until nuts are finely processed and well combined. You can also process less time for chunkier bits of nuts.
  • Press a large sheet of cling wrap into the bottom/sides of an 8×8 square pan, with overhang on the sides. Press bar mixture evenly into the bottom of pan. Place cling wrap directly over the bars for an airtight seal and chill several hours or overnight.
  • To slice, remove entire bar mixture using the cling wrap overhang. Place on a cutting board and use a sharp (or serrated) knife to cut into bars. Keep chilled in airtight container until ready to serve. Also keeps well at moderate room temperatures.

Notes

  • Feel free to use any combination of dried fruits and nuts that you like. This recipe is very forgiving and versatile.
  • Make sure to press the bar mixture firmly and evenly into the pan. This will help the bars hold together better and give them a nice, uniform texture.
  • Chilling the bars for several hours or overnight is important. It allows the ingredients to bind together and makes the bars easier to slice.
  • This recipe is part of our Healthy Snack Recipes Collection.
 
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Nutrition (per serving)

Serving: 1g | Calories: 190kcal | Carbohydrates: 32g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 0.003g | Sodium: 6mg | Potassium: 401mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 12g | Vitamin A: 2IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 60mg | Iron: 1mg
Course: appetizers, Snack
Cuisine: Amerian
Diet: Gluten Free, Kosher, Low Calorie, Low Fat, Low Lactose, Vegan
Method: Mixing

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