Low Sugar Almond Fudge Bars
I hadn’t spoken to my friend Emily in weeks. This is not because we aren’t getting along (because, grown adults, hello?). This is because I was in the thick of finishing a tough semester with my kids and preparing for graduation for our oldest, not to mention we had to finish our bathroom remodel before all the grad company came (and try to squeeze in this thing called blogging). Emily, as well as many of my dear friends, recognized that if I happened to have any spare time on my hands I should use it to take a shower or scrub the crusted bits of leafy greens off the bottom of my crisper drawer – not answer emails, talk on the phone, or answer questions in the church foyer.
But here and there, I would get a meaningful email or card from Emily. She would start it by saying something like “don’t answer this right now” or “I’m praying for you” because she knew. She knew. (Oh, look at me, tearing up just a little.)
Well one such email – actually – I think it was a quick holler across the church foyer conversation went something like this:
Emily: You know your Coconut Fudge Bars? I really like them but it would also be fun to figure out how to make them a little less peanutty. I wonder if almond butter would work?
Laura: {blank stare}
Emily: Carry on. Maybe I’ll play with it and get back to you.
It’s actually amazing that I remember that conversation at all. God bless all my friends who put up with me during this school year. I am not even kidding. (And all of them nodded in unison as if to say, “Really. She is not even kidding.”)
Not many days after that conversation, I got this email from Emily with the subject line, “Stop the presses!” Here’s what she said,
Okay, you really don’t have to stop anything but I was really excited about this. I felt like it was my DUTY to test out the coconut fudge bar recipe using almond butter instead of peanut butter. Technically I’ve only licked the spoon so far but oh my goodness, it is so good! It really does taste a little like a crunchy almond joy, but more grown up since it’s not too overly sweet. Can’t wait to have one after lunch!
How great is it that she did my recipe experimenting for me? Our family tried the almond butter fudge bar idea on a morning I hadn’t made anything for breakfast and we needed to eat quickly. I mixed these up and found that Emily was very right. These are awesome!
Almond Fudge Bars
- ½ cup almond butter
- ¼ cup honey
- ¼ cup coconut oil (or another oil of your choice)
- ½ cup cocoa powder
- 1½ cup rolled oats
- 1 cup unsweetened coconut flakes
- In a medium sized saucepan, melt together almond butter, honey, coconut oil, and cocoa.
- Remove from heat and stir in oats and coconut flakes.
- Spread mixture into a 9×9 inch pan.
- Chill for 2 hours before serving.
- Makes 8-16 bars, depending on how big/small you cut them.
Hooray for great friends, hooray for a snack/breakfast/treat that can be made in about five minutes, and hooray…just hooray.
How excited are you over this almond butter version of Coconut Fudge Bars? Leave a comment to tell Emily “thank you,” because I can take no credit for this (except for the fact that she’s my friend, which is, of course really because of God, so be sure to tell Him “thank you” as well.)
I know you missed the boys, but the break was probably nice!
Do you buy the organic baskets from Bountiful Baskets or the conventional ones? I bought the organic one once, but it was small. Just curious what your experience has been. Thanks!
I buy the conventional baskets. Everyone I’ve talked to has said that the organic basket was small in comparison. While not organic, the conventional basket is always very generous and high quality. :)
Wondering if the oats could be soaked prior to using in this recipe…I’m thinking they’d be too soggy, but I’d love to make the oats easier to digest. Thoughts?
I’ve not tried it, so I don’t know how it would work!
OH MY GOSH, less honey then my granola bar recipe and chocolate besides? Might just have to pick up some almond butter to give this recipe a try for our next camping trip.
Yes, these would be perfect for a camping trip!
Thank you Emily, and thank you Laura for having a friend like Emily, willing to try your recipe a different way and reporting good news back to you….and thank God for both of you….these look and sound wonderful…never tried almond butter, but now will have to….have a question for you Laura, since chocolate has caffeine, I am wondering if I could use Rich Chocolate Ovaltine instead of the cocoa powder, since it is 99.9 % caffeine free ?
What do you think ?
Thanks,
Hmmm, it would probably work – but I don’t know what is in ovaltine?
Thanks Laura, am sending you the ingredients that are in Ovaltine, if you could get back to me with an answer, I’d appreciate it….
Thanks, Mona
Looking at it, it seems that while Ovaltine isn’t the worst thing you can eat/drink, I’m not sure I would use it very often. It’s quite high in sugar and added ingredients. I’d prefer to eat real food instead of something like this which adds vitamins/minerals in their unnatural form. Also, carageenan should be avoided if possible. It causes inflammation among other issues. :)
Thanks for sharing Emily and Laura, 8-) Chocolate and sweetness….mmmmm!
Can’t go wrong with chocolate. ;)
I was scratching my head trying to figure out why on earth Emily would care to muster up the willpower to wait until after lunch to have one. Then I saw the recipe stating the fridge time. :) Will have to try these!
You know, waiting isn’t a requirement. The first time I made them we skipped the fridge time and just grabbed spoons. :)
Thank you so much Laura for answering me back…..I may make them and just see what happens…..