Homemade energy bars are easily made by blending ingredients in a food processor. Spread the blended mixture into an even layer, score the layer into bars, and refrigerate or freeze until firm. Not only do they taste better than most store bought healthy bars, but they are also free of added sugars and preservatives. If you want them to stay fresh for longer, keep them in an airtight container in the freezer. Pop them out whenever you want to enjoy a guilt-free, energizing snack.

Why will you like these bars? First off, they are very easy to make. It does help to have a food processor because blending these ingredient in a blender can be very difficult. They are 100% raw vegan, gluten-free, and dairy-free, making them great for almost any diet. Even thought they contain dates, they are not overly sweet because the cacao powder and nuts balance the sweetness.

A trick for making your date nut bars easier to eat is to first pulse the nuts into a coarse, crumbly consistency. You don’t want to grind them into a powder because that won’t yield great texture for the bars. Empty the coarsely ground nuts into a bowl and then add the dates and coconut oil to the processor and blend into a smooth paste. Once you do that, you can add the ground nuts, desiccated coconut, and cacao powder back to the processor. After that, you spread the mixture onto a baking sheet or baking dish lined with parchment paper, score the layer into bars, and refrigerate. What’s the next step? Enjoy eating the bars!