As much as I love to bake with butter, I also love healthy baking. Sure I’m not the one to compromise on butter while making my pineapple-upside down cake or cut down on cream cheese for oreo cream cheese frosting but there are things that I bake to eat as a snack or post workout meal and I want those things to be healthy.
These almond flour bars are made using almond flour, almond butter, applesauce, flax seeds and honey – wow that’s a long list of healthy ingredients. They are high on energy making them ideal as post workout snack. You can use any nut butter of your choice- almond, peanut, cashew whatever floats your boat. I used unsalted almond butter in this recipe.
Here’s a little video to show you guys how I made these bars!
These almond flour bars are quite soft initially but will harden over time. In fact they tasted better 24 hours after I baked them. Once they are out of the oven, let them cool completely and then pop them into the refrigerator for couple of hours before cutting them. The quantity of honey can be adjusted to taste and one can also use maple syrup in place of honey. Also in case you don’t have applesauce replace it with 1 egg.
I used a 8 X 8 square pan but didn’t cover it entirely with the mixture. I poured it on one side of the baking pan because I wanted thicker bars.
* In case you can’t find almond flour at your grocery store, you can make it at home. Soak the almonds overnight and then remove their skin or you can get blanched almonds in that case you can skip this step. Put the blanched almonds in food processor and pulse till it forms a coarse powder. Sift the flour to get rid of any large particles.
* Do not try to cut the bars immediately, they will be too soft. Let them cool completely and pop them into refrigerator for couple of hours before cutting into bars.
* You can use any nut of your choice – walnuts, pistachios, pecans.
* This recipe doubles up easily.
* Chia, Sesame seeds would be great addition to these bars.
Almond Flour Bars - Gluten Free Bars
Ingredients
Bars
- 1 cup almond flour
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 cup applesauce unsweetened
- 1/2 cup nut butter almond or peanut
- 1/4 cup + 1 tablespoon honey
- 1/2 cup pecans or walnuts chopped
- 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips
- 2 tablespoons flax seeds
To Sprinkle
- mini chocolate chips
- sweetened shredded coconut
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 F degrees.
- Line a 8X8 square pan with parchment paper or spray it with a non-stick cooking spray. Set aside.
- Mix almond/peanut butter, honey, applesauce and salt in a bowl.
- Add flour, baking powder, chopped pecans, flax seeds and mini chocolate chips to the wet ingredients and mix.
- Pour the mixture into the prepared baking pan.
- Sprinkle with mini chocolate chips and sweetened shredded coconut. Press them lightly with a spoon or use your hands.
- Bake at 350 F degrees for 20-25 minutes, till edges are golden brown in color.
- Cool completely before cutting into bars.
- Bars will be very soft initially but will harden over time.
Nutrition
Almond Flour Bars
Any substitutes for the chocolate chips? (Hubby doesn’t want them)
dried cranberries? you can also skip!
With almond flour which anther flour we have to take that is not mentioned.
So please instruct .
?
it’s only almond flour
Can you use ground flax seed instead of straight flax seeds?
yes should work
These were absolutely divine! Thanks so so much!
Welcome! Glad you liked them!
I’ve baked these and they are gooey but the chocolate chips did not melt (they still have their shape). I also used raw nuts and these are still raw. I was very hopeful for a sugarless bar.
hmm I am not sure what went wrong, It should have baked in that time, I have made these bars so many times. Maybe check your oven temperature setting? Also choc-chips are supposed to retain their shape when baked, like in choc chip cookies!
I made these with flax meal rather than seeds, added 1/4 c unsweetened coconut to the batter and just baked them as cookies. I had to flatten the dough slightly and added no toppings. Took around 9-10 minutes to bake and turned out great! My toddler loves them!
I am glad you and your toddler enjoyed them Hava.
What other fruit can be used in place of the applesauce? we have an apple allergy in the house. :/
banana puree?
Can you freeze these bars?
I have never tried freezing them Barbara, but they should freeze well!
I made these this weekend and baked them in a loaf pan so they were thicker. I also added the egg as the mixture looked a little dry, also didn’t have any flax seed so I used chia. Oh my goodness these were so delicious!! They were more like brownies instead of bars but were they ever good. Thanks for the recipe!
welcome! I am glad you liked them 🙂
Would I be able to use oat flour instead of almond?
Hi Bethany, I have never tried oat flour so I am not sure about it’s taste and texture in this recipe.
Hmmm, maybe I’ll just have to make 2 batches and report back to you on how the oat flour goes! Ya know, haha in case you ever get that question again
Haha! I would love to know the results for sure! 😀