Homemade Clif Bars (Vegan and Gluten Free)

Melissa King Recipes, Snack Bars

Homemade Clif Bar recipe.  When I made my Healthy Cookie Dough Bites the other day, I thought the flavors would be a great base for Homemade Clif Bars.

So, I set out to create them.  A lot of readers lately have been asking if Clif bars are okay to eat.  I used to but them by the case as well.  I would take them to work in the days when I waited tables on the Las Vegas strip.

Here are the ingredients to the Chocolate Chip Peanut bar that I got off their website:

Chocolate Chip Peanut Crunch:

Organic Brown Rice Syrup, ClifPro® (Soy Rice Crisps [Soy Protein Isolate, Rice Flour, Barley Malt Extract], Organic Soy Flour, Organic Roasted Soybeans), Organic Rolled Oats, Organic Toasted Oats (Organic Oats, Organic Dried Cane Syrup, Ascorbic Acid, Natural Vitamin E [Antioxidant]), Organic Cane Syrup, Organic Peanut Butter (Organic Peanuts, Salt), Chocolate Chips (Dried Cane Syrup, Unsweetened Chocolate, Cocoa Butter, Soy Lecithin, Vanilla Extract), Peanut Flour, Peanuts, ClifCrunch® (Organic Oat Fiber, Apple Fiber, Inulin [Chicory Extract], Psyllium, Organic Milled Flaxseed), Organic Date Paste, Natural Flavors, Sea Salt.

Wow!  That’s a lot of ingredients!  Soy protein isolate is a hidden form of MSG.  There are also “natural flavors” in these.  Those two things alone would make me put these back on the shelf nowadays.  So, moving on to my homemade clif bars.

My homemade clif bar recipe is great because it serves as a good base for you to add whatever kind of flavors you like.

 

Homemade Clif Bars

 

These would go great with a glass of Homemade Almond Milk.

Homemade Clif Bars

Homemade Clif Bars

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Prep Time 10 min Cook Time 20 min

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 325.
  2. Grind up the oats and almonds in the food processor .
  3. When they have a crumbly consistency, add the dates and coconut.
  4. Lastly add the water slowly as you pulse the ingredients together until a batter forms. It will be thick and sticky.
  5. Line an 8X8 pan with parchment paper leaving enough paper sticking out on each side so you will be able to lift the whole thing out when done.
  6. Working carefully, spread batter evenly out to all the sides.
  7. Press mixture down with a spatula to get it firm.
  8. Bake in the oven for about 20 minutes.
  9. Let cool completely before removing intact.
  10. Cut bars with a pizza cutter .

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194 thoughts to “Homemade Clif Bars (Vegan and Gluten Free)”

  2. My first batch is in the oven. I only had 10 dates so I hope that they turn out okay. The batter tasted fine though! Thanks for all of your hard work in creating these recipes. I am making the nutrigrain bars next!
    Reply
  3. Awesome!!!! My son loves Clif Bars and I love to find recipes and make things myself! Out of curiosity, do you happen to know how much protein is in one of these bars? He's big on getting protein, and since my kids are vegetarian/vegans, I like to make sure they're getting enough of what they need. Either way, cannot wait to try these!!
    Reply
    1. I don't know, but I imagine it's a pretty decent amount with the oats and the nuts. Oats are loaded with protein. You could also add a little protein powder or chia seeds for an extra protein boost.
      Reply
      1. Good point! Thanks! I always forget about adding protein because I can't have so many of them (no dairy, including whey protein :( )
        Reply
  4. This is great. I def want to try it but I don't have a food processor. Is there another method of "grinding" the ingredients that would work, you think? Like maybe the blender?! :D
    Reply
    1. You can try in a blender, but I would advise you soak the dates prior to using them. Also, depending on the blender you have, it could possible burn out the motor.
      Reply
    2. That's exactly what I was going to ask, as I don't have a food processor, either.. hate to go out and buy another kitchen gadget for one recipe..
      Reply
      1. Hey, I just made the cliff bars, they were great, I don't have a food processor so I used my magic bullet. I just ground up each ingredient separately and mixed them all together by hand. It works great.
        Reply
  5. Pingback: Superfood Chia Green Smoothie Recipe | iFOODreal
  7. For anyone wondering how to make these without a food processor, I have a method that works pretty well. I ground up the almonds and oats in my blender, and then added the shredded coconut to that. Then I chopped up the dates by hand. It takes a few minutes, but eventually they turn into one big mushy lump. Then I mixed the oats/almonds/coconut in with the dates by hand... I usually press the lump of dates down into the ground up ingredients, fold them in, and then repeat. I added a little water along the way and eventually ended up with a nice gooey lump.
    Reply
  8. I just made these and they I so yummy! I can't believe how easy and delicious they are! Thanks for the great recipes :)
    Reply
  9. So, I don't have a food processor. Can I achieve the desired results using a blender? Thanks for posting this recipe!
    Reply
    1. You can try, but it might burn out your blender. If you soak the dates in water for 10 minutes, it might make them easier to blend.
      Reply
  10. These look great! I'm thinking about making some of these bars for my up coming camping trip. Would you happen to know how long these last without refrigeration? Thanks!
    Reply
  11. Hi Melissa - my daughter is a health conscious 14 who stays slim for ballet, so we cut out sugar and fats from our diet years ago - I've always fed my kids home made, baked from scratch food but your recipes have totally re-invented the way we cook! Allegra (14 year old) gets home from school to try out a new recipe every day...I admit our favourites are your larabars and clif bars! They don't last long in our house. Thanks for all your hard work and beautifully healthy recipes. So far the recipes have been fool-proof and so easy to follow - Allegra made her own Nutella over the weekend, and some other delicious morsels. So from Australia..THANKS AGAIN! :)
    Reply
  12. Just wondering if you know how many calories, how many grams of protein, etc. each bar has. I know there is a way to figure it out but just wondered if you may already know. I can't wait to try these.
    Reply
      1. I do a lot of nutrition calculating because I watch what I eat. The best site I've found for that is nutritiondata.self.com. When I compare that site's analysis with caloriecount, nutrition data comes bout making more sense. Input is not as easy as for calorie count, but you get more accurate results.
        Reply
  13. Soy is not a source of MSG, rather it contains glutamic acid - an amino acid that is a constituent of all proteins in your body. You are confusing two things here. If you're really concerned about your health you might want to think twice before getting your next tattoo. You are considered high-risk for blood-borne disease, such as hepatitis C.
    Reply
      1. That is a most interesting article. I was thinking that MSG in soy was strange, but I now understand. I avoid MGS but am undecided about soy, because I don't use it that often. I'll have to study that article more, since it mentions that balsamic vinegar can trigger MSG reactions. Balsamic vinegar is something I love and use all the time.
        Reply
          1. I didn't read the whole thing carefully, but balsamic vinegar is in the far right column. I've been thinking about the MSG issue ever since looking at that article, and my thought is that if glutamic acid is part of all proteins, then maybe the problem with MSG lies in that specific chemical combination, perhaps? I certainly don't have problems with things like balsamic vinegar, and I think the issues surrounding soy are about its effects on hormones, especially when related to certain cancers. I think the bottom line has to be moderation, unless we are certain that a particular food has a negative effect on us. I think that we are all smart to avoid MSG, though.
          2. Yes I agree that moderation is key. I don't eat processed soy anymore, but I do enjoy fermented soy products like tofu and tempeh on occasion. I do always make sure they are non GMO verified though.
    2. Soy is a hormone disruptor, and is highly unhealthy for you. https://suite101.com/a/soy-a27818 http://www.foodrenegade.com/dangers-of-soy/ Please research thoroughly before consuming ANYTHING soy.
      Reply
  14. I'm not supposed to eat oats, do you know something else that could be substituted for that ingredient in this recipe and others? I'm new to your site and love your recipe ideas - looking forward to making some of them!
    Reply
  15. Hello, I am a 16 year old Cross Country runner and I was thinking of making these as a substitute for cliff bars. However, I have had problems with cramping or an acid like feeling in my stomach. That could be due to when I am eating but I want to make sure I'm not eating anything that could hinder my performance. Do you have any suggestions for things I should add or remove to help me feel better on long runs?
    Reply
  18. I tried this out today, I don't have a food processer so I used my blender and it turned out good, taste is great. But the color didn't turn out as dark as yours, could it be that I haven't used as many dates as listed?
    Reply
    1. That could be it. Not sure. The color also could have depended on the lighting I had when I shot the photo. As long as they taste good, I wouldn't worry about it. :)
      Reply
  20. Looks awesome! Sort of like the home made Larabars but I like the oats addition. I too will have to sub a seed for the nuts (allergy house). But I will pin these for sure! Thanks for re-sharing them on FB!
    Reply

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