Almond Butter & Raspberry Jam Bars

I made these bars on a whim one day, using only pantry ingredients that a client already had in her house. They turned out so well that they are now one of our top-requested desserts! Our ABJ Bars are naturally-sweetened, vegan, and gluten-free. We love them as an afternoon snack with a cup of tea, but I also sneak them as a late-night breastfeeding snack.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups almond flour

1/2 cup almonds

1/2 cup gluten-free oats

1/2 cup coconut sugar

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon sea salt

1/2 cup virgin coconut oil

1/2 cup smooth organic almond butter

1/3 cup organic raspberry preserves

1 pint fresh raspberries

Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 350*F. Line an 8x8” pan with parchment paper.

In a food processor, chop almonds into coarse crumbs. Add almond flour, oats, coconut sugar, baking soda, salt, and coconut oil, and process until well-combined. The dough will still be crumbly.

Remove 3/4 cup of the dough, transfer to a bowl, and place in the fridge. Firmly press the remaining dough into the bottom of the prepared baking pan. Bake for 10 minutes, until the edges are golden.

Remove pan from oven, and spread with almond butter. Dot the raspberry jam on top, and swirl into the melted almond butter. Gently press the raspberries on top. Finally, remove the crumb mixture from the fridge and sprinkle over the top of the bars.

Return pan to oven and bake ~20-25 minutes more, until the top is lightly browned. Allow to cool completely (I do this in the fridge) before cutting into bars.