Chocolate Hazelnut Bars (Gluten Free + Paleo)

By Rachel Conners @bakeritablog

These Chocolate Hazelnut Bars have a hazelnut flour crust and are topped with dark chocolate chunks + crunchy hazelnuts. These gluten-free, Paleo + refined sugar free bars get even fudgier the day after they’re made!

I’ve become a firm believer that when you smile at life, life smiles right back at you. Putting positive vibes out into the world can make a world of difference in how you feel…and it also makes a difference in the life of every person you come into contact with.

I’ve recently been reveling in the power of a positive mindset. After struggling with anxiety for years, I’ve been trying to overcome it by thinking positively and believing in my future, by going after the things I want, and maybe most importantly realizing I can’t control everything. Patience is key.

But with a little positivity and a little patience, good things will come. This past year has been one of big changes for me, but I feel like I’m at a point right now of total contentment – I could pinch myself when I think about the fact that I do what I love for “work” everyday.

I’ve had some exciting news this past weekend, it made me spend some time thinking about how my year has been a great one, and how I began it. When I woke up on January 1st, I decided to myself that I wasn’t going to let myself be in a bad mood this year, as long as I could go. I didn’t exactly realize it at the time, but I had really given myself the New Years Resolution of having a positive mindset.

I didn’t let things that would normally annoy me get to me, not wanting to break my “streak” of not being in a bad mood. As we got further into the year, I mostly forgot about my resolution, but the positive mindset stuck. I occasionally remember my beginning-of-the-year commitment to myself, and try to start a new streak.

In all my ramblings, I guess I’m just trying to say that being positive will make your life better, and you just need a little patience to get there. And something else that does well with a little bit of patience? These Chocolate Hazelnut Bars you’ve been looking at 😍 !!

The reason I say these require patience is not because they take a long time to make – they’re actually relatively simple and don’t take long to bake. They do, however, get better after they hang out overnight. Don’t get me wrong, they’re good on day one. But on day two, and however many more days they last? They get extra fudgy, and the chocolate flavor is extra intense.

These chocolate hazelnut bars have legit hazelnut flavor – they’re used three times in the recipe! The crust is made with hazelnut flour, the chocolate-y frangipane filling uses hazelnuts in place of traditional almonds, and whole hazelnuts are pressed on top before it’s baked for crunch.

They are alsooo super chocolatey, between the cocoa powder and those big dark chocolate chunks that are on top. However, these don’t really taste like your favorite chocolate hazelnut spread. They’re not super duper sweet, and the chocolate doesn’t overpower the hazelnut flavor – it’s more nicely balanced. You can really taste that toasty hazelnut flavor that gets lost in a lot of chocolate hazelnut desserts.

The filling comes together quickly in your food processor or blender, and these bake in 15 to 18 minutes – keep an eye on them during those last few minutes, because if they over-bake they’ll be dry. If you’re craving something a little unique and majorly delicious, you’re going to love these. Happy baking, friends!!

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Chocolate Hazelnut Bars (Gluten Free + Paleo)   Save Print Prep time 20 mins Cook time 20 mins Total time 40 mins   Author: Rachel Conners Serves: 16 bars Ingredients
  • 1 cup (112g) hazelnut flour
  • 2 tablespoons (14g) tapioca flour
  • 2 tablespoons coconut sugar
  • ⅛ teaspoon salt
  • 2 tablespoons melted coconut oil
For the topping
  • ¾ cup (110g) hazelnuts
  • 1 tablespoon tapioca flour
  • 2 tablespoons cocoa powder (preferably Dutch processed)
  • ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
  • ⅓ cup coconut sugar
  • 5 tablespoons (70g) coconut oil
  • 1 large egg, room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • ½ cup hazelnuts
  • 3 oz. dark chocolate, cut into chunks
Directions
  1. Preheat oven to 350°F and line an 8x8” square pan with parchment paper. Grease with nonstick cooking spray.
  2. In a mixing bowl, stir together the hazelnut flour, tapioca flour, coconut sugar, salt, and melted coconut oil until fully combined, and there's no dry flour remaining. Press the crust evenly in the pan.
  3. In your food processor or blender, grind the almonds, tapioca flour, salt, and coconut sugar to a powder (or as fine as you can make it). Add the coconut oil and process until no longer visible. Add the egg and vanilla, blending until completely incorporated, and a smooth paste is formed. Spread the filling evenly over the hazelnut crust.
  4. Top the filling with chocolate chunks and hazelnuts and press them into the chocolate hazelnut mixture.
  5. Bake for 15-18 minutes, or until just barely set and a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean - be careful not to over-bake or they'll be dry!
  6. Let cool completely before cutting into squares. Keep any leftovers in an airtight container.
3.5.3208

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