These vegan maple bars (cookie bars) are the best dessert for everyone! I may be bias, but even a dessert lover that’s not vegan or paleo will gobble up these Nutty Maple Bars with Maple Glaze! No refined sugar, SO EASY TO MAKE, and they taste like a nutty maple cookie and a bar dessert combined. The maple bars are gluten free, paleo friendly, and kid friendly, too!
Can we start thinking about holiday baking? Too soon? I mean, I haven’t whipped out the pumpkin yet (maybe next week), but baking… cookies… bars… um yes! Maple Bars. Maple Cookie bars to be exact. Because it’s starting to get chilly outside, therefore warm and cozy goodness baking inside is a must, and worth starting holiday baking season early for. Just my two cents…
Now, let’s get to the real focus here. Mmm k?
Holiday Baking – No Intimidation Required
I really want those of you who are intimated by paleo and/or vegan baking to feel at ease here. The holidays are stressful enough on their own… you don’t need to add MORE stress to your body by feeling intimidated about holiday baking.
I’m sure there are a lot of people who would like to make allergy (or dietary specific) desserts for the holidays, whether it be for themselves or for family/friends, but they feel overwhelmed.
Are you one of those people? If baking for the holidays makes you feel on edge, you really can relax! I got you covered!
Breathe deeply, reduce your stress and have no fear, because an EASY recipe for maple bars is here!
Yep, think nutty cookie like texture with a maple glaze. Be still my maple loving heart. Gah!
Nutty Maple Bars with Maple Glaze (GF, Vegan, Paleo)
The ingredients you need to make the vegan maple bars are simple. Nothing fancy here, just a few basic gluten free baking staples like almond flour and tapioca flour.
Maple Bars Recipe Ingredients
- melted coconut oil
- maple syrup
- Fine almond flour (We use Bob’s Red Mill)
- Tapioca flour
- Sea Salt and baking soda
- Coconut sugar or sugar free swerve (optional)
- Pinch cinnamon
- Chopped Macadamia nuts (or other nut of choice)
- A little bit of …. butter (or vegan butter) and raw sugar (optional -to coat the nuts in)
For the Maple Glaze –> warning it’s addicting.
- Vegan soy free butter or clarified butter
- Maple syrup
- powdered sugar or powdered sugar substitute, such as Swerve
Oh, and can I just say that the maple glaze on the maple bars is SO delicious, you may want to drink it through a straw? Or add it to your coffee. #starbucksworthy
In fact, if you’re into maple glaze on all of the things, make a batch of Maple Sesame Quinoa Bars (ALSO a vegan dessert) and then decide for yourself which one of them is better.
Deciding a winner won’t be easy. Good luck!
Maple Bars for the stress free, holiday baking win!
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Nutty Maple Bars with Maple Glaze (Vegan, Paleo Option)
- Total Time: 50 minutes
- Yield: 10–12 bars 1x
Description
These nutty maple bars are gluten free, vegan, and paleo, but ANY dessert lover will gobble them up! The maple glaze adds the perfect finishing touch. An EASY cookie bar recipe with NO refined sugar.
Ingredients
For the Maple Bars:
- ⅓ cup melted coconut oil
- ¼ cup maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 ½ cup fine blanched almond flour
- ½ cup tapioca flour (see notes for alternative)
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 2 Tablespoons coconut sugar or swerve, extra for coating nuts.
- 1 pinch ground cinnamon
- ⅓ cup chopped macadamia nuts (or other nut of choice)
- melted butter (or vegan butter) and optional raw sugar (to coat the nuts in)
- Optional Add-ins (see notes)
For the Maple Glaze:
- 2 Tablespoons melted butter or refined coconut oil (vegan soy free butter works)
- ¼ – ⅓ cup pure maple syrup
- heaping ½ cup or more powdered sugar or powdered sugar substitute, such as swerve The more powdered sugar you add, the thicker the glaze.
- Optional- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
Maple Bars:
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Melt the coconut oil or butter. Place in bowl and whisk with maple syrup and vanilla.
- Next sift together the almond flour, tapioca flour*, baking soda, and salt. Mix in coconut sugar and pinch of cinnamon. *See notes for substitution for tapioca flour.
- Gently add the dry batter to the wet ingredient bowl. Mix together.
- In another bowl, coat macadamia nuts in melted butter and extra sugar, then fold nuts into the batter.
- Let batter sit in fridge for 20 minutes or longer.
- While batter is chilling, line an 8 x 8 inch square pan with parchment paper
- After batter has chilled, scoop it into lined pan and press flat until batter is even and flat, reaching each edge.
- Bake at 350F for 25-27 minutes (longer at altitude). Check at 20 minutes for doneness. Edges should be golden brown.
- Remove and let cool.
To make Maple Glaze (optional)
-
Melt butter or refined coconut oil. In a small bowl, mix confectioners’ sugar, butter, vanilla and maple syrup until smooth.
-
Drizzle ½ or more of the glaze on top of the bars and spread it out evenly.
- Sprinkle the rest of your macadamia nuts on top.
- Chill bars in fridge or freezer for about 10 -15 minutes.
- Remove and slice.
Notes
- *You can use ⅓ cup arrowroot flour if you don’t have tapioca flour
- Store in airtight container for up to a week or freeze for up to 6 months.
- Optional Add-ins or toppings – cocoa powder, toffee bits (non vegan), chocolate liquor, etc.
ESTIMATED NUTRITION without GLAZE
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: dessert
- Method: oven
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bar
- Calories: 204
- Sugar: 7.8 g
- Sodium: 55 mg
- Fat: 13.8 g
- Saturated Fat: 5.6 g
- Carbohydrates: 16.6 g
- Fiber: 1.9 g
- Protein: 3.3 g
- Cholesterol: 0.9 mg
Keywords: maple bars, vegan desserts, cookie bar recipe, gluten free desserts
Simple! And don’t you roll your eyes at me thinking no. I bet you have all those ingredients in your pantry, yes? So then go.. run… bake and cozy up to a batch of bars. Tis the season! Or close to it. 🙂
Let the holiday baking commence! For the early birds that is.
Cheers,
LC
Going nuts over these just looking at them!
★★★★★
OMG heaven! These are absolutely incredible! I used walnuts and it turned out perfect!
Thanks so very much for sharing this recipe. I am going to make these over and over again!
★★★★★
wonderful! so glad you enjoyed it Cindy!
Hi do you think I could put some pureed butternut squash in these? I have some left over and thought it might be good to get some extra vegetables in my kids.
I think so, but you might add a little more starch so they can hold. Or you could make a coating with the squash to go on top, ya know? like a frosting but mix that in. I have a maple vegan cashew cream frosting as well!
You don’t say how much of the 1/3 cup nuts goes into the bars and how much you put on top.
Sorry about that. About half in the batter and half on top. But it’s totally your preference! All goodness. 🙂
This is such an amazing fall treat! I love it!
★★★★★
Such an amazing fall treat! I love it!
★★★★★
thank you friend!
Same here, Linds… no pumpkin yet.. but my CSA assures me it’s on the way! These bars are simple, and SO mouthwatering… that glaze tho! : o
haha well tell you CSA i’m coming over when they deliver.
Love that there are macadamia nuts in these! Can’t wait to try them!
★★★★★
These look SO good! And you know I’m partial to maple 🙂
★★★★★
haha, I knew you’d approve. YAY!
So delicious! Love that maple flavor with the nuts and that glaze – there are no words.
★★★★★
I love your new site layout; I haven’t been here in a little while, but maple is such an under appreciated flavor. I think I need to make these.
Thank you friend! I appreciate your kind words. <3
Going nuts over these just looking at them!
So yum! Curious if these turn out chewy like a blondie or soft?
kinda both! Think of it a cross between a crispy cookie and chewy blondie. Haha hope that helps
!
Mmm macadamia nuts make everything better. I love these.
I agree. Worth the $. Macadamia Nut granola…. i see that in your future. Yes?
DEFINITELY not too soon. Major yes to these bars.
★★★★★
why i love you! you’ll love these liz!