These delicious and healthy apricot cashew energy bars are made with only whole food ingredients, packed with energy, fibre, protein, and healthy fats, and they are dairy free, gluten free and plant-based!
Apricot Cashew Energy Bars
One of my favourite snacks to make at home is energy bars, balls, or bites. They are super easy to whip up, convenient for on-the-go, and really simple when it comes to ingredients.
These tasty apricot cashew energy bars are filled with whole-food healthy ingredients including dried apricots, raw cashews, hemp seed, unsweetened coconut, and rolled oats. While many packaged energy bars or snack bars can contain artificial flavors, colors, and added sugars, these are a great alternative and super easy to make!
They taste wonderfully sweet with a lovely apricot flavour and a subtle hint of coconut. The combination is really delicious and the touch of sea salt brings everything together.
Do Energy Bars Actually Give You Energy?
Yes! While energy bars can vary greatly in ingredients they almost always contain a specific ingredient (or a few) that contribute specifically to energy production. Energy bars almost always contain a source of simple carbohydrates such as dried fruit or honey, which break down quickly during digestion and are used for immediate energy.
Energy bars often also contain nuts and/or seeds which contain a mix of proteins, fats, and carbohydrates and help boost energy levels.
One important thing to consider when consuming energy bars is to enjoy them when you need them, such as before a workout, in the middle of a busy day, or first thing in the morning rather than later in the evening when you are about to go to bed (our bodies don’t typically need a boost of energy then….unless maybe you have a toddler or baby, ha!).
Energizing Ingredients in Apricot Cashew Energy Bars
These delicious and easy energy bars contain only seven main ingredients, all whole-foods, and many you likely already have in your kitchen! Here’s what you need and a little explanation of the energy-boosting effects of these foods:
- Dried apricots (a source of simple carbohydrates for immediate energy boosting)
- Raw cashews (a balanced mix of healthy fats, protein, and carbohydrates for energy production)
- Shredded or flaked unsweetened coconut (a great source of healthy fats which helps balance out the carbohydrates in the bar)
- Hemp seeds (a balanced mix of healthy fats, protein, and carbohydrates for energy production)
- Coconut oil (a great source of healthy fats which helps balance out the carbohydrates in the bar)
- Raw honey or pure maple syrup (unrefined simple carbohydrates for immediate energy boosting)
- Sea salt (to amplify the flavours in the bar)
How To Make Energy Bars in a Food Processor
To make these energy bars it’s best to use a good quality food processor. I love the Cuisinart 14-Cup Food Processor (affiliate link) as it’s super sturdy and makes processing a breeze! All you need is a little patience and a sturdy processor for awesome bars. Here’s what you’ll do to make these apricot cashew energy bars:
- Add cashews (or other nuts such as almonds or walnuts) to the food processor and process on high until crumbly, about 10 seconds.
- Add in dried apricots (or other dried fruits such as pitted dates) along with other dry ingredients (seeds, oats, spices, etc.).
- Add in wet ingredients such as coconut oil liquid sweetener (honey, maple syrup, etc.), or non-dairy milk.
- Process on high for 30-seconds to 1-minute, stopping every 20-seconds to scrape the sides with a spatula.
- A crumbly and sticky mixture will be achieved, or everything may begin to clump together into a ball in the processor (this is fine).
- Transfer energy bar “batter” to a baking pan and press firmly and evenly into the pan.
- Chill for at least an hour, then cut evenly into bars or squares.
How Do You Store Energy Bars At Home?
Homemade energy bars like these apricot cashew energy bars are super simple to store. I recommend putting them in a Tupperware container and storing in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. You can also store them on the counter in an airtight container for up to 1 week, or you can freeze them for up to 3 months.
These bars are great for on-the-go and can be placed in a ziplock or reusable bag and taken along with you, I just recommend avoiding storing them or keeping them in hot temperatures as they will get sticky and overly soft, and may not maintain their shape as well.
Do you make your own homemade energy bars? I’d love to hear about the mix of ingredients you use in the comments. Be sure to pin the photo below the recipe to save this one for later!
Apricot Cashew Energy Bars
These delicious apricot energy bars are gluten free, dairy free, vegan or plant-based and wonderfully healthy for energy boosting any time of day!
Ingredients
- 1 cup raw cashews
- 1/4 cup hemp seeds
- 1 1/2 cups shredded or flaked unsweetened coconut
- 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
- 2 cups dried apricots (see notes)
- 2-3 tablespoons raw honey or pure maple syrup (see notes)
- 2 tablespoons coconut oil
- 1-2 tablespoons water (if needed, see notes)
Instructions
- Line the bottom of an 8-inch baking pan with parchment paper.
- Add cashews, hemp seeds, sea salt, and coconut to the food processor and pulse on high for about 10 seconds until crumbly.
- Add in the dried apricots along with the honey or maple syrup, and coconut oil and process again on high for 30 seconds to 1 minute, stopping intermittently 2-3 times to scrape the sides of the processor with a spatula, until a crumbly, sticky mixture is achieved.
- The mixture should start to clump together in the food processor. Next, transfer the nixture to a baking pan lined with parchment.
- Firmly press the energy bar mixture into the baking pan using a spatula to make an even, smooth layer.
- Place pan in the freezer for one hour, then remove and cut into 8-10 bars or squares.
- Place bars in an airtight container and store for up to 1 week on the countertop, 2 weeks in the fridge, or 3 months in the freezer.
Notes
- If your apricots are on the harder side, rather than a soft and squishy texture (they usually harden if exposed to air for longer periods), soak them in hot water for 10 minutes and drain before adding to the food processor. This will ensure the apricots process nicely with the other ingredients.
- If the mixture isn't getting sticky enough or seems too dry or crumbly, add in an extra tablespoon of honey/maple syrup OR 1-2 tablespoons of water WHILE the mixture is processing through the top opening of the food processor. This will make the batter stickier and clump together in a ball, then transfer to the pan with a spatula to avoid sticky hands!
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Hey! These look so good!! Do you think I could use a blender instead of a food processor?
You definitely could you’ll just have to process the batter in 2 or 3 batches 🙂
Beautiful! Do you think I could use another dried fruit such as dates? ps. I love your podcast with Joy
Hi Billy – you could use dates for sure! Also – what podcast?! 🙂
This recipe sounds great. How could I increase the protein content of these bars without using a protein powder?
Hi Barbara, while protein powder would be the easiest option you could add in more hemp seeds, while they also contain fats and carbohydrates they would increase the protein content slightly!
Can you add a protein powder to these?
For sure! I would add a scoop of protein powder to the mixture and then add an extra tablespoon or two of almond milk or water!
These look so yummy AND easy :-O
Thanks Emilie!
I love this recipe except for the agave…maybe I’ll try honey!
You could totally make an easy swap! 🙂
Hi thanks for the recipe looks great! I was wondering if it’s also possible to substitute with any fresh fruit? Thanks!
Hey Vicky! I’m sure you could add some fresh fruit to the bars but it might change the consistency a bit to be a bit softer, so you’d have to add a little at a time to maintain the right consistency!