RecipeCookie Dough Bars

- Calories: 290
- Protein: 7 g
- Total Fat: 19 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 14.5 g
- Saturated Fat: 4.5 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
- Total Carbohydrate: 25 g
- Dietary Fiber: 3 g
- Total Sugar: 15 g
- Natural Sugar: 2 g
- Added Sugar: 13 g
- Sodium: 90 mg
Dough my goodness, these Cookie Dough Bars are heavenly. If you’re like me and love to sneak spoonfuls of raw cookie dough while baking (#guilty!), this is the perfect dessert for you. It provides a similar addictive flavor and texture, plus the bars are gluten-free and easily made vegan with dairy-free chocolate chips. I’m telling you… every bite is 100% safe and 100% delish. A definite win-WIN. While cashews provide the most cookie-dough-like flavor, you can easily swap in peanut butter for a PB-forward experience (never a bad thing). No crumb will be left behind!
- Prep time
- Total Time
- • 2 ¼ cups almond flour (or blanched almond meal)
- • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- • 1 cup cashew butter or almond butter*
- • 1/3 cup maple syrup
- • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- • ½ cup semi-sweet or dark chocolate sweets
*If oil is separated on top of your nut butter jar, be sure to stir it back in before measuring. Cashew butter is mild and creates a more cookie dough flavor. However, you can swap in peanut butter.
Chocolate top
- • 1 cup semi-sweet or dark chocolate chips
- • 1 Tablespoon nut butter
Line 8×8 pan with parchment paper, with extra overhang for easy removal. Set aside.
In a mixing bowl, combine the almond flour and salt.
In a separate mixing bowl, combine the nut butter, maple syrup, and vanilla extract. Stir until it’s a thick smooth batter. Add the dry ingredients into the nut butter mixture and stir until it’s fully combined. It’ll be thick, moist, and crumbly. Mix in 2 teaspoons warm water if it feels too dry. Fold in 1/2 cup of chocolate chips.
Transfer mixture to prepared baking pan and press firmly to compress it evenly.
To make the chocolate topping, add 1 cup chips and 1 Tbsp nut butter to microwave-safe bowl and heat in 20-second intervals, stopping and stirring until it’s velvety smooth (alternatively, you can melt using a double boiler). Pour over the cookie dough base and spread evenly using the back of a spoon or spatula. Place in fridge to firm for at least 2 hours. Remove the parchment paper, place on a cutting board, and slice into 16 squares. Serve immediately or store in the fridge for up to a week. You can also freeze for up to 3 months.
Note: If your nut butter is stiff, you can soften it up in the microwave for 30 seconds before mixing in the vanilla and maple syrup.
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Try this Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough!