If Larabars had a matcha flavour, this is what they would taste like. These WFPB (whole-food, plant-based) Matcha Date Bars are made with only three ingredients. Such an easy snack!
Why You’ll Love This Healthy Snack
This plant-based recipe for matcha date energy bars are my latest go-to snack bar recipe:
- Haven’t you ever wished that Larabars or Clif Bars came out with a matcha flavour? As someone who’s a matcha obsessive, I’m addicted to these homemade bars.
- These date bars are naturally gluten free and can even be made nut-free for those with allergies.
- Matcha date bars are easy to transport to school or the office. (Fun fact: the original Larabar was designed to be a sturdy hiking snack, and this recipe is no different!)
- My recipe is refined sugar-free and uses dried dates for sweetness. Dates add plenty of fibre and natural sweetness while keeping these matcha bars low on the glycemic index.
- Make matcha date bars using your favourite nuts or nut and seed mixtures. This recipe is truly adaptable to what you have in your pantry already.
- Homemade date bars are way cheaper than buying them from the store. Plus, you’ll know exactly what’s going into your homemade snack bars. They’re made with only three basic and easy-to-find ingredients.
What You’ll Need
Some important notes on the ingredients used in this Matcha Date Bar recipe:
Matcha powder: Choose culinary grade matcha powder for this recipe. This type of matcha usually has a stronger flavour that will stand out in the finished bars. Make sure the matcha is vibrant and green in colour, is made with 100% matcha powder, and that it smells fresh.
Dates: The sweetness in this recipe comes all from pitted dried dates. They provide the sweetness and act as the sticky binder to keep these bars together. Some swear that unpitted dates have a superior flavour, but I’ve never noticed a difference (plus, you’ll save a ton of time putting this together if you don’t have to worry about removing pits). I recommend Deglet Noor or Medjool dates.
Nuts: When I make this recipe, I typically use a mix of unsalted almonds and cashews. But you can alternate any type of nuts or mixture of nuts (including pecans, walnuts, macadamia nuts, and hazelnuts—or try a nut-free version with sunflower seeds or pumpkin seeds). But note that if using skin-on nuts such as almonds or hazelnuts, the resulting bars will be drier and crumblier, so I would recommend adding more dates or using a smaller proportion of those skin-on nuts.
For a full list of ingredients and quantities, refer to the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Flavour Variations
- Toasted coconut: Mix in a scant ½ cup of toasted coconut to the blended date and nut paste (add more or less based on your preference for coconut).
- Chocolate chips: Stir in a generous handful of vegan white chocolate baking morsels, dark chocolate cacao nibs or rice milk chocolate chips into the blitzed ingredients before pressing into the pan.
- Nut butter or seed paste: Swirl a dollop of your favourite nut butter or seed paste into the blended date, nut, and matcha mixture.
Step-by-Step Process
Step 1: Add the matcha powder, dates, and mixed nuts to a food processor.
Step 2: Blitz until the ingredients are finely chopped and begin to clump together into a thick green dough.
Note: These matcha-flavoured energy bars can also be made in a Vitamix blender with the tamper but only if the recipe is doubled or tripled, otherwise there won’t be enough date paste “dough” for the blades to catch onto.
Step 3: Remove the dough from the food processor bowl. Transfer the mixture into a rectangular mold (I like to use a loaf pan or lunchbox). Press the dough into the mold, packing it in as tightly and as evenly as possible.
Step 4: Cut the matcha dough into six evenly-sized bars using a bench scraper or a plastic knife. (I’m doubling the recipe in these process photos, so I’m slicing the dough into a dozen bars.)
Tip: One batch of this recipe will fit perfectly into a loaf pan. If you’ve doubled the recipe, it will fit perfectly into an 8”×8” pan.
The matcha date bars are ready to be eaten right away or they can be stored at room temperature for a couple of weeks!
Meal Prep & Storage Tips
On the counter: Matcha date bars can be kept at room temperature for up to 2 weeks in an airtight container.
Freezer: These energy bars freeze well and can be kept in the freezer for long term storage, but definitely taste best if you enjoy them before they’ve hit the 3-month freezing mark.
Recipe FAQs
Yes! The mild earthiness of matcha powder is a good pairing with sweet, chewy dates and creamy nuts.
Choose culinary-grade matcha powder for this recipe as it has a stronger flavour that’s well-suited for cooking and baking projects.
Yes! Both pumpkin seeds and sunflower seeds work well (you could also try mixing hemp seeds or sesame seeds in with nuts or larger seeds).
More Grab and Go Snack Recipes
Try these healthy snack ideas for when you’re in need of energy on the go:
Recipe Card
Did you make this recipe? Please consider leaving a rating below to let me know how you liked it. You can also take a picture and tag me on Instagram @earthtoveg, I will shout you out in my Stories!
Matcha Date Bars
Equipment
- Loaf pan or rectangular lunchbox (to serve as the mold for your matcha bars; if doubling this recipe, an 8×8 square baking tin works well)
Toggle Volume vs Weight Measurements
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp matcha powder
- 1 ¼ cup dates
- 1 cup cashews see Note 1 for alternatives
Instructions
- Add all the ingredients to a food processor. (You can also use a Vitamix blender with the tamper, only if you scale this recipe up to 2× or 3× so there is enough dough to catch onto the blades).
- Blitz until the dates and nuts are chopped up and starting to clump together into a dough.
- Tip the mixture out into a rectangular mold like a loaf pan or lunchbox. (If you are doubling up the recipe, an 8×8 pan is the perfect size.) Press the dough in evenly and firmly. Really pack it in as tight as you can so the bars will stay together once you cut them.
- Take a bench scraper or plastic knife and cut the dough into evenly-sized rectangular bars.
Notes
- Nuts: You can use a mixture of other nuts besides cashews—almonds, pecans, walnuts, macadamia nuts, and hazelnuts all work—or try a nut-free version with sunflower seeds or pumpkin seeds. But note that if using nuts with skins on (such as almonds or hazelnuts), the resulting bars will be drier and more crumbly, so I would recommend adding more dates or using a smaller proportion of those skin-on nuts.
- Storage: These matcha date bars are ready to eat right away, or can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to two weeks.
You’re right, these are ADDICTIVE. I used a tupperware lunchbox as the mold which worked perfectly. This is the perfect way to use p my aging matcha powder – I’m planning to make these as work snacks for the next few weeks.
I’m so happy to hear from another matcha fan 🙂 Even though they’re healthy, these bars are dangerously addictive!