This is a nuttier, gluten-free version of what my husband and myself call “crack cookies”. My mother-in-law makes afore mentioned “crack cookies” every christmas holiday that are of a graham cracker crust, topped with a few pecans, loads of sugar, shredded coconut and chocolate chips. They’re addicting, like what I imagine how people get addicted to… crack. We can’t stop ourselves from having another, then one more, and just one more than the one we told ourselves we were going to just have, every christmas gathering! Here is a photo from Martha’s Stewarts page Chocolate-Coconut Bars, exactly what they are.
So in an attempt to make a more nutritious version of those, and surprisingly just as addicting, here are my gluten-free grain-free nutty bars! There is still some chocolate in there, totally optional. They are loaded with Omega-3 thanks to the Walnuts, Almonds, Pecans as well as the hulled pepitas and of course we gotta include the shredded coconut! The familiar sweetness is coming from coconut milk and maple syrup!
In my example pic, I should have put the flaked coconut more on top, so keep that in mind as the coconut flakes get nice and toasted when you bake it. Toasted coconut really adds to the flavor!
I added some hulled pepitas for an additional healthy crunch, and the chocolate chips are a great addition for a sweet treat! Dark chocolate semi-sweet chips.
Seriously going nutty with all the good nuts!
Loads of health benefits too! Providing antioxidants such as the polyphenols allowing to combat oxidative stress and neutralizing free radicals. Walnuts as well as almonds are great for this, along with pecans helping to reduce bad cholesterol. Nuts also help with weight loss, and this can seem so deceiving when people learn of the calorie content of nuts. Research has shown that our body doesn’t absorb all the calories as a portion of fat stays trapped within the nut’s fibrous wall during digestion. Almonds have consistently been shown to promote weight loss rather than weight gain in controlled studies. In a study of overweight women, those eating almonds lost nearly three times as much weight and experienced a significantly greater decrease in waist size compared to the control group (15Trusted Source). Info graphics below found via pinterest.
Along with all the great Well-Fed nuts, we also will need a can of coconut milk, unsweetened. We’ll be adding pure maple syrup to get that yummy natural sweetness.
For the crust you can try almond flour or use a paleo flour. I’ve used both when making pie crusts and both work well. I’ve also used amaranth flour or a mix of coconut flour and almond flour when creating a pie crust. All good.
You’ll also need some coconut oil. Mix the flour with the coconut oil and tbsp of maple syrup. Mix the coconut oil and syrup first then add the flour, making for a sticky dough that you can press into the pan to create your crust.
You can use parchment paper or rub the dish with coconut oil.
Bake the crust for about 10 minutes to a light golden brown. Next, line the crust with pecans, almonds, walnuts, pepitas, chocolate chips then topped with coconut flakes.
Once the coconut milk and syrup mixture has cooked and cooled slightly, pour it over the nuts evenly so it eventually fills the gaps perfectly.
Bake for about 20-25 minutes then let cool. You can place them in the fridge for a quicker cool-down.
Again, I should have put more shredded coconut on top which I have done before and it gets toasted nicely. I’ve even finished them off under the broiler for a few minutes with some shredded coconut added at towards the end to get that toasted coconut on top! Delish!
You’re ready for an Omega-3 packed dessert for your Well-Fed self!
| Prep Time | 10 mins |
| Cook Time | 15-30 mis |
| Servings |
bars
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- 1 13.5 oz coconut milk unsweetened
- 1/3 cup pure maple syrup
- 1/2 c almonds
- 1/2 c pecans
- 1/2 c walnuts
- 1/4 c hulled pepitas
- 1/2 c shredded coconut flakes
- 1/2 c dark chocolate semi sweet chips
- 1/8 tsp pink himalayan salt
- 1 c almond flour or paleo flour
- 1 tbsp pure maple syrup
- 1/3 c coconut oil melted
Ingredients
Filling
Paleo Crust
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- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and line a square pan with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, mix the 2 tablespoon. of pure maple syrup with coconut oil until it is smooth. Add the almond or paleo flour and mix to create a dough that holds together when pressed. You can add a touch of water if it seems too dry.
- Press the dough evenly into the bottom of the pan using the palms of your hands. This is your crust.
- Bake the crust just until lightly golden brown, about 10-12 minutes.
- Once the crust is lightly golden, layer the chopped almonds over top and lightly press them into the crust. Over the almond layer, add the dark chocolate chips, followed by the unsweetened coconut flakes.
- Mix together the can of coconut milk and 1/3 cup of pure maple syrup in a medium pot over med/high heat. Bring the mixture to a low boil and allow to boil for about 1 minute, stirring constantly.
- After about 1 min of a nice boil, turn down the heat so to allow the coconut milk and syrup to simmer for ~15 minutes, stirring often.
- Remove the sauce from the heat and allow to cool.
- Pour the slightly cooled coconut milk mixture over the top and then gently move the pan around until the coconut milk mixture begins to sink between the layers.
- Move to oven and bake until the sides are a nice light golden brown, about 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool to room temperature. Then, chill overnight in the refrigerator.
- Slice into squares when ready to serve and enjoy.