Cranberry Nut Cacao Bars

Cranberry Nut Cacao Bars

Recipe by The Happy Food Chef Robin Joy

Ingredients

  • Cranberry Filling
  • 1 bag organic cranberries

  • ¼ cup date sugar to taste

  • ¼ cup raisins optional

  • Crust Top And Bottom
  • ¼ – ½ cup coconut butter

  • 16-20 Medjool dates soaked in warm water and then pitted, keep the soaking water from the dates for liquid when needed

  • ¼ – ½ cup raw cacao powder to taste

  • 1 teaspoon almond extract or vanilla extract

  • ¾ – 1 cup hazelnut flour or other nut flour

  • ¾ – 1 cup almond flour

  • 1 teaspoon non-aluminum baking powder

  • ¼ teaspoon salt

Directions

  • Place cranberries in a pot with â…› cup of water and bring to a boil. Cook for 3 minutes, once cranberries start popping, stir! Cook until the cranberries break down a bit but are still a bit chunky. Drain if there is too much liquid.
  • Add date sugar and stir until blended. Should be thick, not thin and runny. You should be able to spread it on top of the bottom crust and it will stay put where you apply it. Add raisins and stir in. Set aside.
  • Pre=heat oven to 350 degrees F.
  • In a food processor, pulse coconut butter until smooth.
  • Add soaked dates, vanilla or almond extract, and a few tablespoons of the water the dates soaked in. Process until smooth and fluffy, add water as needed to get a nice consistency.
  • Add cacao powder, salt, and a bit more water and blend until smooth enough to fold in almost two cups of nut flour and end up with a thickish dough that can be spread out.
  • Place in a bowl and fold in the nut flour and baker powder until well combined. If you need extra moisture, add a touch of the date water.
  • Start with the bottom crust by spreading half the dough on the parchment paper in a glass baking dish.
  • Spread the cranberry mixture on top and then spread the remaining dough on top of the cranberry. If the dough is too dry, crumble it, if not spread and cover completely.
  • Bake for 30 minutes and serve hot or let cool then chill to serve cold.
  • Garnish with chopped fresh mint leaves.

Recipe Video

Notes

  • When serving hot, try adding whipped cream, ice cream, or a touch of maple syrup drizzled over it! Scrumptious!

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