Cherry Oat Bars (Gluten Free)

A great gluten-free snack

https://www.cutoutandkeep.net/projects/cherry-oat-bars-gluten-free • Posted by Nourish and Nestle

These bars have minimal sugar and no gluten, so they make a healthy-ish snack or dessert.

You will need

2 cup Frozen Cherries , pitted, or any other berry ¼ cup Maple Syrup 3 tbsp Chia Seeds 1 tsp Vanilla
For the Crust
1 cup Rolled Oats 1 cup Almond Meal ¼ cup Sugar I used palm sugar, but could use white sugar. Brown sugar or a liquid sweetener makes the crust soft 4 tbsp Almond Butter 1 Flax Egg 2 TBS water and 1 TBS ground flax, mixed and set aside for 5 minutes 2 tbsp Palm Shortening , refrigerated, I found coconut oil made the crust soft, but could probably use butter) 2 tbsp Tapioca Flour
For the Crumb Topping
¼ cup Rolled Oats ¼ cup Palm Sugar ¼ cup Shredded Coconut , unsweetened ¼ cup Sliced Almonds , or slivered 2 tbsp Palm Shortening , refrigerated Salt

Project Budget

Time

Difficulty

Description

These bars have minimal sugar and no gluten, so they make a healthy-ish snack or dessert.

Instructions

1. Combine cherries and maple syrup in small pan and heat on medium heat until bubbly.Lower your heat and let simmer for 5 minutes

2. Add your chia seeds and continue to simmer for 5 more minutes

3. Remove from the heat and add vanilla.

4. Let cool at room temperature and then refrigerate. You can do this part in the evening and let it sit in your fridge overnight. The cooler the better. Typically, I start my cherries in the morning and end up finishing the recipe 4-5 hours later.

5. FOR THE CRUST: Preheat oven to 350'

6. Place the oatmeal in your food processor and pulse until the flakes are about a quarter of the size they were originally. Add remaining ingredients, except palm shortening, and pulse again until combined.

7. Add palm shortening and pulse until just combined. You may have some little bits of the shortening still showing, but you don't want to overmix.

8. Press your crust into a parchment paper lined, 8X8 baking dish. Really press it down and make sure it gets into all the corners.

9. Bake for 20 minutes Remove and let cool completely before topping with cherries/ berries

10. FOR THE CRUMBLE TOPPING: Combine all ingredients in your food processor and Press into cherry mix

11. Once assembled, put back into oven at 350' for 20 minutes. Let cool completely before slicing.

12. Other berries, especially raspberries, are higher in pectin than cherries and so will most likely need a little less chia. Not sure it'd make a big difference, but just something to know. You can play around with the amount of chia you use to get the desired thickness.