’Tis the season for the homey, spiced flavor of gingerbread! The smell of freshly baked gingerbread fills the house with holiday nostalgia and coziness, bringing the joy of the season to life.
Wouldn’t it be fantastic if life would slow down a bit in December, so we could linger and enjoy, rather than the accelerated speed it usually takes? It’s already December 12th and I’ve just now been able to do some Christmas baking!
These Gingerbread Bars perfectly satisfied my craving for homemade, baked cheer. These were really quick to mix together, rather than having to shape a few dozen cookies. Make sure to let the bars to cool all the way before cutting, so that they stick together. Store in the fridge and know that it’s going to be the most sturdy when chilled. Enjoy!
2 tablespoons milled chia seeds
2 tablespoons flax meal
¼ cup water
½ cup raw pumpkin seeds
1 cup sliced almonds
⅓ cup coconut oil
¼ cup raw honey
¼ cup Almond Butter
1 tablespoon molasses
2 cups unsweetened shredded coconut
½ cup blanched almond flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
¼ teaspoon Ground Cloves
1 tablespoon sesame seeds
2 tablespoons dried cranberries
2 tablespoons dark chocolate, roughly chopped
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Line an 8×8 pan with parchment paper. Lightly grease with coconut oil.
Combine the chia seeds, flax meal and water in a small bowl. Whisk with a fork and set aside for 5 minutes to thicken.
Place the pumpkin seeds and sliced almonds in a food processor. Pulse for 20 seconds. Add the coconut oil, honey, almond butter, molasses and flax-chia mixture. Pulse for 20 seconds. Add the shredded coconut, almond flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves and sesame seeds. Pulse until well combined.
Use a large spoon to mix the cranberries and chocolate pieces into the dough.
Press the dough into the prepared pan. Smooth out the top. Bake for 20-25 minutes until golden and bubbly. Remove from the oven and allow to cool in the pan for 15 minutes. Once cooled, loosen the sides with a knife, then invert onto a cutting board. Remove the parchment paper by peeling off carefully. Cut into bars. Enjoy!
Calories: 221
Fat: 17g
Carbohydrates: 14g
Sodium: 70mg
Fiber: 4g
Protein: 5g
Sugar: 5g