Salted Chocolate Paleo Almond Butter Blondies
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First let me start off by saying I’m a HUGE fan of sea salt and chocolate combinations… Actually, I’m a fan of sweet and salty combos in general! I put a pinch of sea salt on mocha lattes, oatmeal bowls, yogurt and granolas bowls, and even on top of fruit! Something about just a little bit of saltiness paired with an overly sweet food makes the perfect balance. These SALTED CHOCOLATE PALEO ALMOND BUTTER BLONDIES fulfill ALL of the sweet and savory cravings!
These Sweet and Savory SALTED CHOCOLATE PALEO ALMOND BUTTER BLONDIES are made up of ONLY 10 ingredients (with an optional 11th). The ingredient list is super, super clean and they are Dairy-Free, Gluten-Free and Refined Sugar-Free. They come in at only 234 calories per blondie!
I start this recipe off with a base of almond flour. I usually buy my Almond Flour at Trader Joe’s because it’s the cheapest, high quality almond flour I have found. I also use the Trader Joe’s crunchy almond butter for this recipe. I like to use crunchy because it gives you added texture without having to add in more nuts… BUT any creamy or crunchy nut butter would work in this recipe. The blondies are naturally sweetened with a little bit of grade-a raw maple syrup. If you want them to be a little more sweet you can add in a couple tablespoons of monk fruit sweetener. The only one I use is by the brand, Lakanto. It’s the best, BY FAR, of any sugar replacement I have tried. There is no artificial or chemical aftertaste that you get with sweeteners like Splenda and Swerve. Also it’s made from monk fruit making it Paleo and less processed since it’s a naturally occurring sweetener. You can use it as a 1 to 1 ratio swap for sugar in any recipe! They also have a powdered sugar and brown sugar version… I have tested this recipe with and without the added monk fruit sweetener and I prefer the version where it’s added in. The version with just maple syrup has a very subtle natural sweetness. But I like a little EXTRA ;)
ingredients:
-1 egg
-1/3 cup almond butter (I used crunchy for added texture and crunch but you can sub any creamy or crunchy nut butter)
-1/4 cup grapeseed oil
-3 tbsp raw grade-a maple syrup
-1 tsp vanilla extract
-1 tbsp unsweetened almond milk
-1 cup almond flour
-1/4 tsp baking soda
-1/4 cup dairy-free chocolate chips or 1/2 bar dairy-free chocolate; roughly chopped (my favorite chocolate chips OR chocolate bar)(reserve some for topping)
-pinch of large flake sea salt
-2 tbsp monk fruit sweetener (I use this kind)
instructions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 8 x 8 baking tin with coconut oil spray and line with parchment paper.
2. Combine first 6 ingredients in a large mixing bowl.
3. Add in almond flour and baking soda and stir until well combined.
4. Fold in chocolate chips or pieces, reserve half for topping.
5. Transfer mixture to prepared baking tin.
6. Top with remaining chocolate and sprinkle with large flake sea salt.
7. Bake for 20 minutes.
8. Remove from oven and let cool on counter for 10 minutes. Cut into 9 square pieces.
MAKES 9 BLONDIE BARS/ APPROX. 234 CALS PER BLONDIE
PALEO/GLUTEN FREE/DAIRY FREE/REFINED SUGAR FREE/GRAIN FREE
