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Peanut Butter Spelt Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars

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These soft-baked Peanut Butter Cookie Bars are loaded with chocolate chips and just the right amount of deliciously nutty peanut butter! Say “Goodbye!” to peanut butter cookies that leave your mouth dry, because these irresistibly moist cookie bars will keep you coming back for more!

Peanut Butter Spelt Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars

I think we can all agree that peanut butter and chocolate are one of the world’s best dessert combinations. I know I personally can’t resist a good peanut butter cookie, especially when there are chocolate chips involved! These cookie bars are quick to put together, and even easier than a traditional peanut butter cookie – no scooping or rolling!

The best part? These bars won’t leave your mouth begging for a glass of milk. They’re chewy, soft, and moist. And the extra chocolate chips and sprinkling of flakey sea salt compliment the nutty, sweet spelt flour and peanut butter.

What is spelt flour?

Spelt flour is an ancient grain related to wheat (kinda cool, right?). It’s easier to digest than traditional wheat flour and has a nutty, sweet flavor. It creates a light, soft texture in baked goods, so I paired it with the standard unbleached all-purpose flour in these cookie bars. I love the soft texture of these cookie bars, and if you’re a peanut butter + chocolate lover like me, then I know you will love these!

Some of the ingredients + possible substitutes for these cookie bars:

  • Peanut butter is a crucial ingredient here (duh!). I like to use the kind made of only peanuts. You can also use a salted peanut butter. I haven’t tried this recipe with the kind of peanut butters that contain added oils and sugars.
  • Brown sugar adds lots of a moisture thanks to the molasses in it. I used light brown sugar for my bars, but you can also use dark brown sugar.
  • Coconut sugar is my favorite low GI sweetener! It’s better for you than cane sugar, and it tastes nothing like coconut. If you don’t have any on hand, you can use any kind of granulated cane sugar in its place (but your cookie bars may taste extra sweet).
  • Egg + egg yolk add chewiness to these cookie bars! I haven’t tested out any egg replacements for this recipe, so I can only recommend using eggs (sorry, vegan friends).
  • All-purpose flour is the standard baking flour at your grocery store. I use it along with spelt flour in this recipe.
  • Spelt flour is an ancient grain with a nutty, sweet flavor. You can use AP flour in its place, but I recommend branching out and picking up some spelt flour!
  • Corn starch also adds chewiness to these cookie bars. You can use arrowroot starch in its place if you’re looking for something corn-free.
Yield: 8 Big Bars

Peanut Butter Spelt Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars

Peanut Butter Spelt Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars

Soft-baked Peanut Butter Cookie Bars loaded with chocolate chips and nutty, sweet spelt flour! These irresistibly moist cookie bars are naturally dairy-free and totally delicious!

Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 14 minutes
Additional Time 2 hours
Total Time 2 hours 44 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup natural peanut butter (made with just peanuts)
  • 1/2 cup light brown sugar, lightly packed
  • 1/2 cup coconut sugar
  • 1 large egg + 1 large egg yolk, room temp
  • 1/4 cup vegetable oil (I used olive oil)
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 3/4 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup spelt flour
  • 1 tsp corn starch
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 2/3 cup dairy-free chocolate chips
  • Flakey sea salt to sprinkle (optional)

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 325°F and spray an 8x8" baking dish with non-stick spray. Line the dish with parchment paper, folding the excess over two sides of the dish. Trim the paper so you have about 1/4" folded over the sides - this allows you to pull the bars out later before slicing.
  2. In a large bowl, combine the peanut butter, sugars, egg, egg yolk, oil, and vanilla until everything is well incorporated; set aside.
  3. In another medium bowl, whisk together the flours, corn starch, baking soda, and salt. Add these dry ingredients to the wet and use a large spoon or spatula to gently mix everything together.
  4. Stir in 1/2 cup of the chocolate chips, reserving the rest to top the bars.
  5. Press the dough into your prepared baking dish, creating an even layer. Press the remaining chocolate chips into the dough.
  6. Bake the cookie bars at 325°F for 12-14 minutes. Allow bars to cool completely before removing from the baking dish to slice - use the parchment paper "handles" to lift the entire dessert up and out of the baking dish and onto a cutting board. Slice into 8 rectangles, 9 squares, or 16 squares. Sprinkle with flakey sea salt before serving!
  7. Store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature.

Notes

  • You can bring your eggs to room temperature by placing them in a glass of warm water for around 10 minutes
  • For smaller portions, slice into 16 squares

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

8

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 421Total Fat: 22gSaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 15gCholesterol: 70mgSodium: 308mgCarbohydrates: 52gFiber: 4gSugar: 33gProtein: 9g

calculated nutrition information may not always be accurate

© Rachael | Sugared & Stirred
Cuisine: American / Category: Bars

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Keto Strawberry Protein Mini Muffins

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When one of my Instagram followers messaged me about high-protein, ketogenic desserts, I knew I wanted to really branch out (y’all know I love my carbs!) and attempt something that was keto-friendly and made with protein powder! I came up with these Strawberry Protein Mini Muffins after doing a bit of Googling on what kind of foods are keto-friendly. I was looking for ingredients that were low-carb and higher in fat, so I chose to use almond flour as the base and added three large eggs, protein powder, olive oil, and a sprinkling of coconut flakes – these get nice and toasty in the oven.

I’ve had a big bag of Stevia in the Raw sitting around for a while now, so I took this opportunity to finally put it to use! Yes! I’m so excited to offer you guys a yummy, keto-friendly treat in portions that are small enough for you to decide how many carbs you want to add to your daily diet. My husband and mom (who is a major sweets lover!) both love these! Happy baking!

Keto Strawberry Protein Mini Muffins
Makes ~40 mini muffins

2 cups almond flour
1/2 cup protein powder
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp fine sea salt or table salt
3 large eggs, room temp
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
3/4 cup unsweetened almond milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup Stevia in the Raw
1 cup chopped strawberries
1/2-1 cup flaked coconut for topping (optional)

1.) Bring your eggs to room temperature by placing them in a glass of warm water for ~10 minutes. In the meantime, preheat your oven to 350° and line your mini muffin pan with paper liners*

2.) In a large bowl, whisk together the almond flour, protein powder, baking powder, and salt; set aside.

3.) In a medium bowl, whisk the eggs. Whisk in the olive oil, almond milk, and vanilla extract until combined. Add the Stevia and stir until combined.

4.) Add liquid ingredients to dry and stir until just combined. Fold in the chopped strawberries until no flour pockets remain.

5.) Fill mini muffin pan 3/4 of the way full (I used a 1 Tbsp cookie scoop of batter for each muffin). Top with desired toppings – I chose coconut flakes! – and bake at 350° for 15-20 minutes or until toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean**

6.) Allow muffins to cool in the pan on top of a cooling rack for 10 minutes before removing to totally cool on a cooling rack until ready to eat. We actually liked these better the next day, and I recommend storing them in the refrigerator. Enjoy!

*I highly recommend using liners when baking muffins with almond flour. I’ve found that this kind of flour tends to make quick breads stick to the pan, no matter how much oil spray I’ve used
**before using a toothpick, I like to lightly tap one muffin to see if it bounces back. If it does, I know there’s a good chance the muffins are done

 

Cherry Galette with Walnut Cacao Crust

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An easy and dairy-free cherry galette with a nutty, chocolatey crust to redeem any ill-will toward chocolate + cherry. Oh. Is that just me? As a kid I hated those bright red, chocolate-covered cherries with the white goo. You know, the ones popular with our parents or grandparents around Christmas time? Well, we alway had a couple of boxes laying around for the holidays, because my dad loves them. For the longest time, I wouldn’t go near anything chocolate + cherry, because omg remember those boxed cherries?! It wasn’t until I was well into adulthood that I gave chocolate cherry ice cream a taste, and my heart freaking sang. That stuff is good.

When I saw chocolate cherry galettes trending a bit on Instagram, I knew I wanted to take my galette recipe and turn it into a warm, chocolatey dessert bursting with one of my favorite summer fruits. The filling is very simple, and I promise that the hardest part is pitting the cherries. If you don’t have walnuts on hand, you can simply use another 1/3 cup of all-purpose flour, and, as always, regular cocoa powder will work just fine if you don’t have cacao powder. The chocolate drizzle is optional but will take your galette to a whole nother level of chocolate cherry goodness, and who doesn’t want that?! (it’s okay if you don’t want that)

Galettes are meant to look rustic, so don’t stress about rolling out a perfect circle or getting the edges tidy and clean. Your folds can be a bit hasty, too, but if the crust begins to split, be sure to pinch it back together – use a little water if you need to – so your filling stays put. Happy baking!

Cherry Galette with Walnut Cacao Crust

Crust
1/3 cup walnuts
1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
3 Tbsp cacao powder
2 Tbsp coconut sugar
3/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup coconut oil, solid
~5 Tbsp ice cold water
Filling
2 cups fresh cherries, pitted and halved
1 1/2 Tbsp tapioca starch/flour (or 3/4 Tbsp corn starch)
2 Tbsp coconut sugar
Egg Wash
1 large egg, beaten
Chocolate Drizzle
3 Tbsp dairy-free chocolate chips or chopped chocolate
1 tsp coconut oil

1.) Add walnuts, flour, cacao powder, coconut sugar, and salt to a food processor or blender and blend until walnuts have turned to fine crumbs. Add solid coconut oil and blend until combined. Add 2 Tbsp of ice water and blend. Continue adding ice water by 1 Tbsp until dough comes together and looks quite sticky. I found that adding the cacao powder makes the dough look ready when it’s not (i.e. it looks wet enough but dries out by the time I roll it out). I ended up adding about 5 Tbsp of ice water.

2.) Scoop dough out onto plastic wrap, shape into a ball, wrap, and flatten to a disc shape. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or until solid enough to roll out.

3.) Preheat oven to 375°. On a large piece of parchment paper, roll dough out into a large circle about 1/8 – 1/4” thick. Use a little flour to keep the dough from sticking to your rolling pin. If your circle looks more like a rectangle, that’s okay.

4.) In a medium bowl, mix cherries with tapioca starch and coconut sugar. Scoop mixture onto your rolled out crust, being sure to leave ~1 1/2” of bare crust around the edge. Pour any leftover liquid over the cherries.

5.) Brush the exposed crust edge with egg wash and fold edge over the cherries, going around until all of the edge has been folded over (don’t worry about it being perfect!). If your crust breaks open, gently pinch it back together with your fingers, using water to help smooth it together if you need to. Egg wash the top of the crust and sprinkle with a bit of coconut sugar (optional).

6.) Gently transfer parchment paper/galette to a baking sheet. Bake at 375° for 20-30 minutes or until fruit is bubbling. Allow to cool to desired temp before serving. Just before serving, melt your chocolate chips and coconut oil together. Drizzle chocolate mixture over your galette. Top with your favorite ice cream and enjoy!

  

Dairy-free Blueberry Hazelnut Galette

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I’ve always seen galettes as the cooler, more sophisticated older sister to a traditional fruit pie. I’ve been ogling them for so long it’s embarrassing, so I’m thrilled to report (after making my first galette!) that they are actually easy to throw together! Seriously. Galettes are so much easer than making a double crust fruit pie. And with their exposed fruit and rustic look, they’re just as enticing for any pie lover! Since rustic is the name of the game, you don’t even really have to worry about making them pretty!

For this Blueberry Galette, you’ll whip up the dough in a food processor or blender, mix your berries with a few ingredients, and build your galette by wrapping the dough up and over the filling – that’s it! You don’t have to make a pretty border, cut a lattice, or worry about perfectly positioning a top crust. You just fold the dough right over, making sure to smooth together any tears and voilà! You have a beautiful dessert reminiscent of homemade pie but with half the work!

Dairy-Free Blueberry Hazelnut Galette
Serves 6-8

Crust
1/3 cup hazelnuts (with skin on)
1 2/3 cup all-purpose flour
2 Tbsp coconut sugar
3/4 tsp fine sea salt or table salt
1/2 cup coconut oil, solid
~5 Tbsp ice cold water
Filling
2 cups fresh* blueberries, rinsed and dried
1 1/2 Tbsp tapioca starch/flour (or 3/4 Tbsp corn starch)
2 Tbsp coconut sugar
3 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
Egg Wash
1 large egg, beaten

1.) Add hazelnuts, flour, salt, and coconut sugar to a food processor or blender and blend until hazelnuts are ground to a fine meal. Add the solid coconut oil and blend until combined. Add 2 Tbsp of ice water and blend, scraping down the sides as necessary. Continue adding ice water 1 Tbsp at a time until dough comes together (I ended up adding about 5 1/2 Tbsp of ice water).

2.) Dump the dough onto a piece of plastic and shape into a ball. Wrap dough ball in the plastic and flatten to a disc shape. Refrigerate for 20 minutes or until firm enough to roll out.

3.) Preheat your oven to 375°F. In a medium bowl, mix the blueberries with the tapioca starch, coconut sugar, and lemon juice; set aside.

4.) On a piece of parchment paper, roll your chilled dough out into a large circle about 1/8 – 1/4” thick (it can be a bit rectangular, too!). Use a little flour to keep the dough from sticking to your rolling pin. Pour blueberry mixture onto the middle of your rolled out crust, leaving ~1 1/2” of exposed crust at the edge for folding. Pour any extra liquid over the blueberries.

5.) Brush the exposed crust edge with the whisked egg and begin folding the entire edge over the blueberries. Work your way around the galette until you’ve folded it all up (don’t worry about it being perfect!), making sure to seal any holes or tears. Brush the top of the crust with egg and sprinkle with a bit of coconut sugar (optional).

6.) Gently transfer your galette (with the parchment paper) onto a baking sheet. Bake at 375°F for around 20 minutes or until the crust is golden brown and the fruit is bubbling. Let your galette cool a bit before topping it with your favorite ice cream. Slice and enjoy! Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator.