Gluten-Free Gooey Maple Chocolate Chip Bars
Once upon a time (in 2020), when it was nearing autumn and a chill was beginning to ripple through the evening air, I made these gluten-free gooey maple chocolate chip bars. And they were everything.
Namely: soft. gooey. chewy. rich. dense. tender. flavor-packed. nutty. chocolatey. hearty. wholesome. filling. comforting. AND SO DAMN QUICK AND EASY TO WHIP (or in this case, blend) UP.
So anyway. It’s technically the start of the school season. Although. Many schools won’t actually be physically opening just yet. But either way. Snacks. For the kids. These gluten-free maple bars can fill that role. Even if it’s just over Zoom.
Or. These gooey chocolate chip bars can become: on-the-go-breakfast bars. Or midday-slump-need-energy-stat bars. Or post-dinner-sweet-cravings bars. Or late-night-snacking-shenanigans bars.
My point is. These gooey maple bars can fill many roles. Because they are manyfold delicious.
Here’s part of why these gluten-free maple bars are so rich: nut butter.
But not nut butter from a jar. Nut butter that you make all on your own. By toasting any combo of raw nuts you desire until the nuts are golden brown and emitting an irresistible aroma and then blending up those toasty nuts in your food processor until creamy and dreamy.
Also: coconut oil. Helps make these nut butter bars extra rich.
And: maple syrup. Is used to partly sweeten these gluten-free bars. Along with coconut sugar, which I actually find to have more depth of flavor than brown sugar. And coconut sugar is less refined as well, so it helps keep our bars on the more wholesome side.
And then we’ve got oat flour. Gluten-free oat flour, if you wanna keep your maple chocolate chip bars gluten-free. Oat flour is rich and earthy and hearty and adds that tasty oaty flavor to the bars.
And finally (aside from the egg, vanilla extract, baking soda, and salt), chocolate chips!! Or rather, chocolate chunks. If you’re after those gooey, melty rivers of chocolate cascading through the crackly tops and rich cookie dough.
One last thing: these gooey maple chocolate chip bars are made in a food processor. After you toast the nuts, you blend them in the food processor before adding the rest of the bar ingredients straight into the machine and mixing everything together. Hassle-free, I tell you.
Soft and tender. Chewy and gooey. Rich and dense. Hearty and wholesome. Quick and easy. Gluten-free and dairy-free. Comforting and filling.
Gluten-free gooey maple chocolate chip bars — I’ll manage with Septmeber if I’ve got you along for the ride.
Gluten-Free Gooey Maple Chocolate Chip Bars
Yield: about 18 bars
1 cup raw nuts (pecans, cashews, walnuts, almonds, or a combo)
1/3 cup coconut oil*
3/4 cup coconut sugar (or 2/3 cup packed brown sugar)
1/4 cup maple syrup
1 large egg
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup packed (gluten-free) oat flour
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup chocolate chips/chunks
1. Preheat oven to 350 F. Line an 8” square baking pan with parchment paper, leaving some excess hanging over the rim for easy removal later.
2. Spread nuts onto a baking sheet in single layer and toast for 7-10 minutes, until golden brown. Let cool.
3. In a food processor, blend the toasted nuts until smooth. Add in the coconut oil, coconut sugar, maple syrup, egg, and vanilla extract and blend until smooth. Add in the oat flour, baking soda, and salt and blend until just combined. Stir in chocolate chips by hand last.
4. Spread batter evenly into prepared baking pan. Bake for 20-25 minutes, until golden brown all over but center is still slightly under baked. Let cool before lifting out of pan and slicing into bars of desired size.
*Note: use refined coconut oil if you don’t want any coconut flavor in your bars.
