Healthy Almond Butter Cookie Bars with Chocolate Frosting
These cookie bars remind me of Reese’s peanut butter cups — just with almond butter instead! They’re perfectly soft and chewy, and the rich chocolate flavor of the frosting pairs so well with the sweet nuttiness of the cookie bars. Leftovers will keep for at least 4 days (if not longer!) if stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Unfrosted cookie bars also freeze really well!
Ingredients
- 5 tbsp (80g) homemade creamy almond butter
- 1 ½ tsp vanilla extract
- ¼ tsp salt
- 1 tsp liquid stevia
- ¼ cup (60mL) pure maple syrup
- 6 tbsp (90mL) unsweetened vanilla almond milk
- 1 ½ cups (180g) oat flour (gluten-free if necessary and measured like this)
- ¼ tsp baking soda
- chocolate frosting, for serving (see Notes!)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325°F, and coat an 8”-square pan with nonstick cooking spray.
- To prepare the cookie bars, stir together the almond butter and vanilla in a medium bowl. Sprinkle the salt and liquid stevia over the top, and stir them in until completely incorporated. Stir in the pure maple syrup until completely incorporated. Stir in the almond milk. Pour in the oat flour, and sprinkle the baking soda over the oat flour. Stir them until until just incorporated.
- Using a spatula, gently press the cookie dough into the prepared pan in a thin, even layer. Bake at 325°F for 10-12 minutes or until the center feels firm to the touch. Cool completely to room temperature in the pan.
- While the cookie bars bake, prepare the frosting. Beat the Greek yogurt, instant pudding mix, cocoa powder, and vanilla stevia together using an electric or stand mixer for 2 minutes. Cover the bowl with foil, and chill for at least 2 hours.
- Once the cookie bars are completely cool, spread the frosting across the top. (I highly recommend an offset spatula like this to do so!) Slice them into 16 square bars.
Notes
IMPORTANT MEASURING NOTE – READ BEFORE BEGINNING: It's very important to measure the oat flour using this method or a kitchen scale. (← That’s the one I own!) Too much oat flour will make your cookie bars dry, cakey, or crumbly, rather than soft and chewy.
IMPORTANT MIXING NOTE – READ BEFORE BEGINNING: It’s really important to follow the instructions exactly as written! The order of ingredient additions, as well as when you stir them in, makes a big difference in the texture of your cookie bars.
IMPORTANT BAKING + RESTING NOTES – READ BEFORE BEGINNING: The cookie bars are actually done baking when the edges look firm but the center still looks glossy and underdone! The heat from the pan continues to cook the center while they cool. If the edges of the cookie bars pull away from the edges of your baking pan within 10 minutes of pulling them out of the oven, then you’ve baked them for long enough! (Do NOT overbake these cookie bars — they’ll turn out dry, cakey, or bready if you do!)
FOR SWEETER COOKIE BARS: Increase the liquid stevia by an additional ¼ teaspoon (for 1 ¼ teaspoons total), or substitute 2-4 tablespoons of additional pure maple syrup for an equal amount of unsweetened vanilla almond milk (ie use an extra 2 tablespoons of maple syrup and decrease the milk to 4 tablespoons to compensate).
ALMOND BUTTER NOTES + ALTERNATIVES: This is my homemade creamy almond butter recipe. You just need a blender to make it! If you prefer to use store-bought almond butter, then make sure the only ingredients are almonds and salt, and stir it really well before using in this recipe. Do not substitute crunchy almond butter.
If you prefer, homemade creamy peanut butter may be substituted for the almond butter. Alternatively, if you prefer to use store-bought peanut butter, then make sure the only ingredients are peanuts and salt, and stir it really well before using in this recipe. Do not substitute crunchy peanut butter.
MILK ALTERNATIVES: Any milk may be substituted for the unsweetened vanilla almond milk.
STEVIA NOTES + ALTERNATIVES: I highly recommend using the liquid stevia! I buy mine online here (it's the best price I've found), and you’ll also use it in all of these recipes of mine. For the best results, use the same liquid stevia that I do. Many stevia brands and products have different sweetness levels, so they're not necessarily 1-for-1 substitutes for one another.
You cannot substitute additional pure maple syrup for the liquid stevia because the cookies require a precise balance of wet and dry ingredients.
However, you may substitute ¾ cup (144g) coconut sugar (or brown sugar or granulated sugar, if you aren’t concerned about keeping these cookies clean eating friendly) for both the maple syrup AND stevia. If using coconut sugar, the cookie bars will appear “speckled” because it doesn’t dissolve as well.
PURE MAPLE SYRUP ALTERNATIVES: Honey or agave may be substituted for the pure maple syrup.
OAT FLOUR NOTES + ALTERNATIVES: This is my favorite store-bought oat flour (or this for a gluten free option!) because it’s so fine and powdery. If you prefer to make your own at home, I show you how here!
White whole wheat flour, whole wheat pastry flour, regular whole wheat flour, or all-purpose flour may be substituted for the oat flour. Many store-bought gluten free flour blends (I like this one from Bob's Red Mill) will also work, if measured like this.
CHOCOLATE FROSTING OPTION #1: In a medium bowl, beat together 1 cup (240g) plain nonfat Greek yogurt, 1 serving (11g) fat-free, sugar-free chocolate instant pudding mix, 2 tablespoons (10g) unsweetened cocoa powder {measured like this!}, and ⅜ teaspoon liquid stevia {or adjusted to taste!} with an electric or stand mixer for 2 minutes. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours before spreading on top of the fully cooled cookie bars.
If you prefer not to use the vanilla stevia in this Chocolate Frosting Option #1, then substitute 1 teaspoon of this powdered stevia OR 2-3 tablespoons of Truvia or powdered sugar.
You just need the dry instant pudding mix — don’t prepare it according to the package directions! You may omit it, but you’ll need to increase the cocoa powder and vanilla stevia (and just mix the ingredients together until incorporated — not for 2 full minutes!). Without the instant pudding mix, the frosting will be a bit runny and may slightly drip down the sides of your cookie bars.
CHOCOLATE FROSTING OPTION #2: In a medium bowl, stir together ¾ cup (60g) unsweetened cocoa powder {measured like this!}, ½ cup (120mL) unsweetened vanilla almond milk, 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract, and ½ teaspoon liquid stevia until thoroughly combined. Spread on top of the fully cooled cookie bars. (No chilling required. This option is clean eating and vegan too!)
Any milk may be substituted for the unsweetened vanilla almond milk in this frosting option 2.
If you prefer not to use the liquid stevia in this Chocolate Frosting Option #2, substitute 3 tablespoons (45mL) of pure maple syrup, honey, or agave AND decrease the milk to 5 tablespoons (75mL). You may also adjust the amount of pure maple syrup, honey, or agave to suit your tastes.
VEGAN, EGG-FREE + DAIRY-FREE OPTION: Use Chocolate Frosting Option #2.
HOW TO STORE: Store leftover cookie bars in an airtight container in the refrigerator. They should last at least four days (if not longer!). Once baked and fully cooled, the unfrosted cookie bars also freeze really well.
{gluten-free, egg-free, vegan option, dairy-free option, clean eating option, low fat, lower sugar}
DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE?I'd love to hear what you think of it in a comment below! If you take a picture, tag @amys.healthy.baking on Instagram or use the hashtag #amyshealthybaking.