Description
These Sugar-Free Raspberry Coconut Bars offer a delicious and guilt-free treat featuring a buttery almond and coconut flour crust topped with a tangy sugar-free raspberry preserve layer and a rich coconut custard. Perfect for those seeking a low-sugar dessert without compromising on flavor, these bars are dairy-free and nut-free adaptable and provide a delightful balance of textures and tropical flavors.
Ingredients
Scale
Crust and Base
- 1 cup Almond Flour (or substitute with half the amount of coconut flour or sunflower seed flour for nut-free)
- 1/4 cup Coconut Flour (or extra almond flour if unavailable)
- 1/2 cup Butter (can be replaced with coconut oil for dairy-free)
- 8 oz Cream Cheese (consider using vegan cream cheese for dairy-free)
- 1/2 cup Sugar Substitute (erythritol recommended for sugar-free)
- 1 large Egg (or flax egg: 1 tbsp ground flaxseed + 2.5 tbsp water for egg-free)
Filling
- 1/2 cup Sugar-Free Raspberry Preserves (or any preferred sugar-free berry preserve)
- 1 teaspoon Almond Extract (vanilla extract can be used alternatively)
- 1 cup Unsweetened Flaked Coconut
- 1 large Egg
- 1/2 cup Sugar Substitute (use erythritol or equivalent)
Instructions
- Prepare Oven and Pan: Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C) and line an 8×8 inch baking pan with parchment paper to prevent sticking and ensure easy removal of the bars.
- Make the Crust Mixture: In a bowl, combine almond flour, coconut flour, butter, cream cheese, and sugar substitute. Mix until the mixture is crumbly and well incorporated.
- Add Egg to Crust: Incorporate the egg into the crumbly mixture and stir until fully combined into a dough. Press this evenly into the bottom of the prepared baking pan to form the crust layer.
- Bake the Crust: Place the crust in the oven and bake for 15-20 minutes until it’s just set and lightly firm.
- Prepare Coconut Filling: While the crust is baking, whisk together the egg, sugar substitute, almond extract, and unsweetened flaked coconut in a bowl until well combined to create the filling.
- Layer Raspberry Preserves: Once the crust has baked, spread the sugar-free raspberry preserves evenly over it to create a flavorful fruit layer.
- Add Coconut Filling: Pour the coconut mixture over the raspberry preserve layer, spreading it out evenly to cover the entire surface.
- Bake Final Bars: Return the pan to the oven and bake for an additional 20-25 minutes until the coconut topping turns golden brown and set.
- Cool and Slice: Remove the bars from the oven and allow them to cool completely in the pan to firm up before cutting into approximately 20 squares for serving.
Notes
- For dairy-free versions, substitute butter with coconut oil and use vegan cream cheese.
- For egg-free, replace each egg with a flax egg (1 tbsp ground flaxseed + 2.5 tbsp water).
- Adjust sugar substitute quantity if using sweetened flaked coconut to maintain sugar-free status.
- Can substitute almond flour with sunflower seed flour for a nut-free option but expect slight texture changes.
- Ensure raspberry preserves are sugar-free to keep the bars low in sugar.
