Healthy 5-Layer Bars

I have been really craving these!  Seven-layer bars take me back to being a kid.  Unfortunately there are some things that I used to love that I just can’t eat anymore, not because I’m so virtuous, but simply because when I eat too much sugar it hits me like a freight train!  Instant headache, sore throat.  It’s really a bummer, because sometimes I just want to indulge in a whole bag of Twizzlers in one sitting, but my body throws a big protest if I even consider it.  So, I adapted my mom’s recipe to be relatively healthy, definitely WAY healthier than the original version, with a few extra healthy ingredients thrown in to balance out the more indulgent ones.  This version definitely doesn’t leave me with a sugar hangover, but still satisfies the craving and sends me on a little walk down memory lane.

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Print Recipe

Healthy Seven-Layer Bars

Course: Desserts

Serves: 1 Scale Update

Ingredients

• 1 ¹⁄₄ cup whole wheat flour pastry flour if you have it
• ¹⁄₂ cup almonds
• ¹⁄₄ cup cane sugar or rapadura
• ¹⁄₂ tsp salt
• 4 TBSP cold butter cut into pieces
• 2 TBSP canola or safflower oil
• 1 TBSP ice water
• 1 can coconut milk
• 2 TBSP cane sugar
• 1 cup chopped walnuts
• chocolate chips to taste
• 1 cup dried coconut unsweetened

Directions

1. Process the dry ingredients in a food processor until the nuts are finely ground.
2. Add butter, one piece at a time to just barely incorporate, then add oil and water until just incorporated. Press into a 9×9 pan. It’ll be crumbly, but just work with it.
3. Melt coconut milk in a pan and add cane sugar.
4. Layer the ingredients in the crust, drizzling the coconut milk over the top last.
5. Bake in the oven at 350°F for 20-25 minutes.

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You could get creative and add additional ingredients, I think. Craisins? Date bits? Slivered almonds? Granola?  Enjoy and think of me as you indulge 🙂