One of the things that Jeromy and I love about our new house is the neighborhood. Not just the area but our neighbors. There are so many other young {can I still call us young?} families and we have truly enjoyed getting to know all of them. We end up having dinner with our neighbors almost once a week. Sometimes, like this past weekend, we have dinner with our neighbors three nights in a row. Like I said, we love our neighbors.
For one of our neighborhood cookouts I made tabbouleh and I wanted to bring a dessert. Given that it was rather hot, I didn’t want to turn on the oven, so I looked for a no bake option. After I asked Twitter, Cassie suggested this recipe. Naturally, I had to put my own spin on it!
Almond Butter, Chocolate and Strawberry Bars
Prep Time: 15 minutes {60 minutes inactive
Cook Time: n/a
Keywords: raw dessert almond butter oats chocolate bar
Ingredients (1 9×13 pan)
- 1 stick of butter
- 2 cups almond butter {I used creamy, but if you prefer crunchy, go for it}
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 2 cups rolled oats
- 1 bag chocolate chips
- 1/2-3/4 cup dried strawberries, chopped
- 1/4-1/2 cup unsweetened coconut flakes
Instructions
Put the almond butter and butter in a microwave safe bowl. Microwave on high for 45 seconds to one minute, until the butters are melted. Stir them together to combine well.
Add the vanilla and powdered sugar. Stir to combine.
Add in the oats and stir until the mixture forms into a dough. It should pull away from the sides.
Spray a 9×13 glass baking dish with cooking spray and line it with parchment paper {I did not use the parchment paper. Trust me when I tell you it’s a good idea.}
Spread the almond butter mixture in the baking dish and press evenly.
Put the dish in the freezer for 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, microwave the chocolate chips for 1 minute. Stir, then continue to microwave in 30 second increments, stirring in between, until the chocolate is almost completely melted. Stir until the chocolate is smooth. Set aside to cook slightly.
Once slightly cooled, stir in the chopped dried strawberries.
Remove the baking dish from the freezer and pour the chocolate and strawberries onto the almond butter layer. Spread evenly, then sprinkle the coconut flakes on top. Place in the freezer for at least 30 minutes to an hour.
Using the parchment paper, remove the whole bar from the baking dish. Carefully slice into 1 inch squares. Store in the refrigerator
Let me assure you, what these bars lack in looks, they make up in taste.
Trust me on the parchment paper. You don’t want your bars to look like mine!
After one bite, you won’t care what they look like. Your biggest concern will be how to keep all of the bars for yourself.
These are very rich—a small piece goes a long way. Especially if you eat several small pieces just to make sure they’re okay.
Enjoy!
Recipe inspired by Bake Your Day.
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