MoJo Vegan & Gluten Free Cookie Bars

If you know me, you know that, 1, I have a horrible, intolerant stomach that turns into knots when I eat a variety of basic ingredients, and 2, I love any dessert that involves coconut. This week I woke up feeling less motivated than the past few weeks, which is probably a combination of the gross weather and natural ebbs and flows of creativity. When I’m not feeling creative with the projects that take up most of my time, I love turning to the kitchen to try new recipes -- baking being my favorite form. I will also preface this by saying that I made an alternative banana cookie recipe yesterday for Easter that I was underwhelmed by, and felt the need to try something else to redeem myself in the kitchen. 

During the week I try to avoid grains, processed sugars, and dairy simply to reset my gut, so this recipe was perfect for a rainy Monday morning to satisfy my sweet tooth, without feeling weighed down by ingredients that my stomach rejects. These bars are perfect to make while we are all stuck at home, as the instructions are broken up into three different sections taking more time than your average recipe, but easy enough to do in between work calls. Your quaran-team will thank you.

I love this recipe because you can use whatever you have in your pantry for the toppings. While I used white chocolate chips in mine, if you want a fully vegan recipe, you can opt for vegan chocolate chips or anything else that tickles your fancy. I also think crumbled graham crackers would be delicious as a topping. I listed the topping options below that I think would be amazing, including the granola and white chocolate chips that I used, and I encourage you to pick and choose whichever ones you like most. Unlike many baking recipes, you can get creative with the toppings as long as they add up to the right quantity (two cups total). Additionally, if you are not vegan, you can opt for honey instead of maple syrup throughout the recipe. 


INGREDIENTS

Cookie Base

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  • 2 cups almond flour

  • 2 tablespoons coconut flour

  • ⅓ cup melted coconut oil 

  • ⅓ cup maple syrup

  • ½ teaspoon salt

Topping Options (mix & match, equaling to 2 cups total)

  • Within/Without Chewy Maple Pecan Granola

  • Coconut flakes

  • Chocolate chips

  • White chocolate chips

  • Pecans

  • Walnuts

  • Almond slivers

  • Old fashioned oats

Condensed Milk

  • 1  can (13.5 oz) organic coconut milk

  • ⅓ cup maple syrup

  • ⅛ teaspoon salt


INSTRUCTIONS

  1. Preheat your oven to 350°F and line an 8x8 pan with parchment paper or coconut oil spray. Set aside.

  2. In a separate bowl, combine all ingredients of the cookie base layer (almond flour, coconut flour, melted coconut oil, maple syrup, and salt) and mix together until it creates a dough-like consistency. There should be no dry parts in this mixture. Place into your pan and press to evenly disperse as your bottom layer. Place in the oven for 15-17 minutes until the edges of this layer are golden-brown.

  3. While the cookie layer bakes, mix together your toppings of choice into a small bowl, ensuring that they equal 2 cups when combined. Spread evenly on top of the cookie layer in the pan.

  4. In a saucepan or pot, combine the ingredients of the condensed milk on medium heat. Once it reaches a boil, reduce heat to low until it thickens - anywhere from 25-45 minutes. 

  5. Once the condensed milk is thickened, pour evenly on the toppings in the pan, making sure that all of the toppings are covered. 

  6. Bake for 25 minutes in the oven, and let it cool in the fridge for at least an hour before serving.

foodMorgan JonesComment