I recently had a hankering for the Date Caramel Blondie Bars from my cookbook. I hadn’t made them in a while, and since I try to limit my chocolate intake at night (it affects my sleep), I thought they would make the perfect post-dinner sweet treat. I tweaked the recipe a bit and took some shortcuts, and they still turned out just as delicious as the original recipe.
What makes these blondies more nutritious? Each ingredient is chosen with nutritional intention. Creamy nut butter and chickpeas make up the base, and they are only sweetened with Medjool dates and coconut sugar. Don’t let that deter you! Even my husband devours them. The texture and taste are delicious and more real than anything refined that you would bake from a box. I suggest eating as is, or serve with a scoop of your favorite dairy-free ice cream!
Date Caramel Nut Butter Blondies
Equipment
- Food processor
- 8×8 baking dish
Ingredients
- 2 cups Medjool dates pits removed; equals about 20 large
- 3-4 cups boiling water
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 15.5oz can of chickpeas drained and rinsed
- 1/2 cup creamy nut butter I suggest almond, cashew or peanut butter
- 3 tablespoons coconut flour
- 2 tablespoons coconut sugar
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line an 8-by-8-inch baking dish with parchment paper.
- In a medium bowl, soak the dates in the boiling water for 20 minutes.
- Drain the dates, reserving 3 tablespoons of the soaking water.
- In a food processor, place the dates, the reserved soaking water, vanilla, and salt. Blend for 20 to 30 seconds, scraping down the sides as you need until creamy.
- To the food processor, add the chickpeas, nut butter, coconut flour, and coconut sugar. Process for about 30 seconds, scraping down the sides as you need to until everything is combined and creamy.
- Using a wetted spatula, transfer the dough (it will be sticky) to the baking dish until it is evenly spread.
- Bake for 28 to 30 minutes until sides are golden brown and a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Allow the bars to completely cool in the baking dish, at least 2 hours.
