Shortbread bars. But make them with just 8 wholesome pantry ingredients and absolutely loaded with chocolate and almond butter… for the ultimate double chocolate shortbread bar situation.
They’re vegan-friendly and gluten-free, too!
Translation: yes, dreams do come true.
Let’s make them!
the shortbread layer
The base of our bars is made with almond flour, oat flour, cocoa powder, coconut oil, salt, and maple syrup. Like for real, that’s it.
It’s tender, a little crumbly, totally chocolatey, and the perfect base for these bars.
It gets pressed into the base of an 8-inch square pan, baked for 15 minutes, and then chilled before we turn this shortbread into double chocolate almond butter shortbread bars.
the almond butter layer
Literally just salted almond butter and maple syrup, stirred together until thick and perfectly sweet.
Spread that glorious maple sweetened almost-caramel-like almond butter over the shortbread, then get ready for a river of chocolate to flow down from the heavens.
Or. Um. for you to melt it yourself, that is. Cool, cool.
the chocolate layer
These are double chocolate shortbread bars, after all, so of course we’re adding another layer of chocolate goodness!
Grab your favorite dark chocolate chips (I love these ones!), or chop up a few bars of dark chocolate, and prepare to melt. The chocolate, that is. Not you.
I don’t have a microwave, so I just like to do this on the stove in a small pot over the lowest possible heat setting.
Sneaky secret ingredient alert: we’re adding a few tablespoons of almond butter to the chocolate to help it stay ever so slightly soft and more easily sliceable once it Harden.
the flaky sea salt
Yup. The salt is so important, it’s getting its own category.
Once the chocolate starts to harden on top of the bars, get your fingers ready because you’re about to start sprinkling.
The combination of tender chocolate shortbread + thick sticky almond butter + soft dark chocolate + flecks of sea salt is out.of.this.world.
Like, am I actually dreaming? Is this real? Did I imagine these chocolate shortbread bars?
I HAVE NO IDEA.
Quick, someone pass me another one before I wake up.
need more double chocolate goodness in your life?
- Peanut Butter Swirled Double Chocolate Zucchini Muffins
- Flourless Double Chocolate Fudge Brownies
- Double Chocolate Pumpkin Bread
- Small Batch Double Chocolate Cookies
If you make these double chocolate almond butter shortbread bars, be sure to let me know how they turned out! Leave a comment below, or take a picture of your bars and share it with me on Instagram so I can see!!
Double Chocolate Almond Butter Shortbread Bars
Time: 60 minutes
Yields: 16 bars
Ingredients:
Shortbread Layer
- 1 cup almond flour
- 1 cup oat flour (see notes for instructions on making your own!)
- 1/4 cup cocoa powder
- 1/3 cup virgin coconut oil, melted
- 3 Tablespoons maple syrup
Almond Butter Layer
- 1 cup all-natural almond butter (the kind that’s just almonds and salt)
- 3 Tablespoons maple syrup
Chocolate Layer
- 1 cup roughly chopped dark chocolate or chocolate chips
- 2 Tablespoons almond butter
- Flaky sea salt, for topping
Instructions:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line an 8-inch square pan with parchment paper.
- Mix together all shortbread ingredients in a bowl, then use your hands to crumble it into the pan, pressing out to form a thin, even layer. Be sure to get it all the way to the corners of the pan.
- Bake for 15-17 minutes, or until firm around the edges. Remove from oven and let cool completely before proceeding with the next steps. You can speed this up by placing the pan on a shelf in your freezer for 15 minutes or so.
- Stir together the almond butter and maple syrup, then spread in an even layer over the shortbread. Place pan in the freezer to keep cold while you melt the chocolate.
- Pour the chocolate and almond butter in a small microwave-safe bowl and heat in 20 second increments, until melted. Alternately, you can do this on the stove in a small pot on the lowest possible heat setting, stirring constantly, until melted.
- Pour melted chocolate over the almond butter layer, using a spoon to spread it into an even layer. Sprinkle on a few pinches of flaky sea salt, if using, then place back in the freezer to let chocolate set for another 5-10 minutes, until chocolate is firm.
- Use the parchment paper to lift the entire slab of shortbread cookie bars out of the pan, then use a sharp knife to cut into 16 squares. Serve immediately, or transfer to an airtight container and keep in the fridge for up to 1 week. These can be enjoyed cold or at room temperature, but stay fresh longer when stored in the fridge!
NOTES: You can make your own oat flour by pulsing oats in a food processor or high-speed blender until a flour-like consistency is achieved. One heaping cup of oats should yield 1 cup of oat flour, but be sure to re-measure once it is turned into flour to ensure you only use 1 cup! Feel free to swap out the almond butter for any other nut/seed butter you love.