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–+ servings

Cookie Dough Bars

These no-bake treats taste like cookie dough heaven! Rich, chewy, chocolatey, and made with simple feel-good ingredients... perfect to stash in your fridge or freezer for whenever a craving hits.
Yield: 16 squares
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 2 hours 10 minutes

Ingredients
 

  • 2 ¼ cups blanched almond flour, make sure it's made from peeled almonds, with no skins
  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 cup cashew butter, peanut butter, or almond butter*
  • ⅓ cup maple syrup
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ½ cup semi-sweet or dark chocolate chips

Chocolate top

  • 1 cup semi-sweet or dark chocolate chips
  • 1 tablespoon nut butter
Ingredient Details to Know
*If the oil has separated, stir it back into the nut butter for an even consistency before measuring. 

Instructions
 

  • Prep the pan: Line an 8x8-inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving extra overhang on the sides for easy removal.
  • Mix the dry ingredients: In a medium bowl, stir together the almond flour and salt.
  • Make the dough: In a separate bowl, stir together the nut butter, maple syrup, and vanilla extract until smooth and thick. Add the almond flour mixture and stir until fully combined. The mixture will be thick, moist, and slightly crumbly. If it feels too dry, mix in 2 teaspoons warm water. Fold in the chocolate chips.
  • Press into the pan: Transfer the cookie dough mixture to the prepared baking pan and press it down firmly and evenly. Really pack it in so the bars hold together nicely.

To make the chocolate topping:

  • Add the chocolate chips and 1 Tbsp nut butter to a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave in 20-second intervals, stirring between each, until melted and velvety smooth. You can also use a double boiler.
  • Top and chill: Pour the melted chocolate over the cookie dough base and spread it evenly with the back of a spoon or spatula. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or until firm. Lift the bars out using the parchment overhang, place on a cutting board, and slice into 16 squares. Enjoy chilled!

Notes

Recipe Notes:
• Almond flour tip: Use blanched almond flour, not almond meal. Blanched almond flour is made from peeled almonds, so there are no skins, giving the bars a softer, smoother cookie-dough texture.
• Nut butter tip: If the oil has separated, stir it back into the nut butter before measuring so the texture is smooth and consistent.
• If your nut butter is stiff: Microwave it for about 20 to 30 seconds to soften before mixing with the maple syrup and vanilla. This will make stirring much easier!
• Flavor differences: Cashew butter gives the most classic cookie-dough-like taste, but peanut butter and almond butter are both delish and work perfectly.
• Storage: Store bars in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week.
• Freezer-friendly: Freeze for up to 3 months. Let thaw slightly before enjoying.
• Gluten-free: These are naturally gluten-free as long as all packaged ingredients are certified gluten-free.
• Vegan: Use dairy-free chocolate chips.
 
Author: Joy Bauer, MS, RDN, CDN

Nutrition Information per serving

Serving Size: 1 BarCalories: 290Carbohydrates: 25gProtein: 7gTotal Fat: 19g— Unsaturated Fat: 14.5g— Saturated Fat: 4.5gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 90mgPotassium: 266mgFiber: 3gTotal Sugar: 15g— Natural Sugar: 2g— Added Sugar: 13gIron: 2.5mg
Nutrition information is calculated using a leading industry software. That being said, brands can vary, and there may be slight fluctuations in the numbers.