Grain-free Peanut Butter Shortbread Cookie Bars made with all gluten-free, dairy-free and egg-free ingredients. A delicious peanut butter shortbread cookie base topped with peanut butter filling and dark chocolate.
THESE COOKIE BARS ARE EVERYTHING.
Don’t mean to scare you with the call caps, but WOW.
Peanut Butter Shortbread Cookie Bars made with all healthy ingredients.
Yes, you read that right. These cookies may look indulgent and crazy, but they are surprisingly low in sugar AND they have extra protein in them. I use a little organic maple syrup in the cookie base and add some collagen in the peanut butter filling. Plus since we are using almond flour and coconut flour, these have healthy fats and protein from that too.
I pretty much crave all things chocolate and peanut butter daily, so it should come as no surprise to most that we have another recipe using this classic combo. It is forever the best in my opinion and the possibilities of what to do with them are endless.
These PB shortbread cooke bars are grain-free, egg-free AND gluten-free.
Oh and they don’t require a million different ingredients. Don’t let the 3 layers intimidate you either. It is such an easy recipe to make with minimal effort.
What ingredients are needed:
- Almond flour. The main flour for the cookie. I haven’t tested subs and don’t recommend using only coconut flour! It will be way too crumbly and the consistency will be off.
- Coconut flour. Add a little with the almond flour and you will have the best ever shortbread cookie base.
- Creamy peanut butter. I mean, are we surprised? The creamier the better!
- Coconut oil. Melted and cooled if you are using solidified oil.
- Maple syrup. How I sweetened these bad boys up. You can sub honey but coconut sugar won’t work.
- Dark chocolate. The cherry on top of these bars. Use these gems for the perfect coconut sugar-sweetened chocolate that melts so easily.
- Vital Proteins Collagen. I love using their latte varieties in my recipes. They add the best flavor to them. Especially the vanilla and they add extra protein and collagen to whatever you are eating. They dissolve right into whatever you are making! Feel free to omit if needed.
For all of my favorite healthy candy recipes head on over to this blog post!
PrintGrain-free Peanut Butter Shortbread Cookie Bars
The best ever grain-free peanut butter shortbread cookie bars made with almond flour, coconut flour and sweetened with maple syrup. Topped with a delicious creamy peanut butter and chocolate layer. Surprisingly low in sugar and these are gluten-free and egg-free.
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Cook Time: 15 mins
- Total Time: 60 minutes
Yield: 12-14 bars 1x
Ingredients
Peanut butter shortbread cookie base:
- 1.5 cups almond flour*
- 1/4 cup coconut flour*
- 1 tablespoon creamy peanut butter
- 1/4 cup liquid coconut oil
- 3 tablespoons maple syrup
Peanut butter center:
- 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
- 2 tablespoons coconut flour*
- 2 scoops Vital Proteins Collagen of choice (optional)
Dark chocolate topping:
- 1 cup dark chocolate chips (I used these – code RACHL for free shipping)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line an 8×8 baking dish with parchment paper
- In a medium bowl, mix together cookie base ingredients until well combined
- Press cookie batter into dish to form the base
- Bake in oven for 15-20 minutes, or until just golden
- Remove from oven and cool for about 15 minutes (I put dish in fridge on a towel)
- Well the cookie base cools, mix together the peanut butter, coconut flour and collagen in a small bowl and set aside
- Melt chocolate chips until fully melted
- Evenly spread the peanut butter layer on top of the cookie then the melted dark chocolate on top
- Add the cookie bars to freezer to set for about 1 hour
- Slice into 12-14 bars and enjoy!
Notes
*Store leftovers in fridge or freezer
*I haven’t tested other flours
xx, Rach
Alison
Looks delicious. Will this work if we do not include the collagen powder?
Rachel
absolutely!!
Karlee Scott
Do you have the nutrition information on this recipe? Like the calories, grams of sugar, etc? It’s so good!! Thanks!
Karlee Scott
Do you have the nutrition information on this recipe? Like the calories, grams of sugar, etc? It’s so good!! Thanks!!
Rachel
hi karlee! i don’t. i don’t count any calories/macros but you can absolutely add this into an online calculator if you desire!
Karlee Scott
awesome! Thank you!!
Karen
Can I sub other nut butters for the peanut butter?
I love your recipes!!
Rachel
of course!! almond or cashew would be great. and thank you so much!
Ashley
So good! Def a good staple to have on hand for sweet cravings!
Rachel
YAAYYY! thank you!!
Von
For the almond flour is 1.5 cups the same as 1 1/2 cup? Just want to make sure.
Rachel
Yes!
Noelle
Hi Rachel! Love your recipes posted and new cookbook! I am allergic to almonds though. There are so many recipes I’d like to try including this one but need a sub for the almond flour. Any ideas? Only have an almond allergy but- wise but also gluten-free. Thanks!!
Jenn Hamm
I have a family member with a nut allergy in my home and I replace the almond flour with chickpea flour in Rachel’s recipes and it works great!!
Jenn Hamm
I have a family member with a nut allergy in my home and I replace the almond flour with chickpea flour in Rachel’s recipes and it works great!!
Rachel
aw yay!!
saragee
If you don’t have coconut flour, can you use all almond flour? Or sub with tapioca flour? Know you haven’t tested, but would love your thoughts!
Rachel
i don’t recommend subs unless i have tested them. i’d hate to say yes then everything go to waste if it doesn’t turn out okay 🙁
Lauren
Holy cow these were SO GOOD. My husband even said this was his favorite dessert. The only minor issue was the peanut butter was kind of hard to spread on the shortbread part (it clumped up with the shortbread) so maybe next time I’ll let it cool longer before trying to spread the pb mixture…or adding a little coconut oil to the pb mixture… but either way, cannot wait to make more of these! I also let them sit in the freezer for too long and they were difficult to cut but obviously will not make that mistake again either! Make these, you will not regret it!
Jen
Yum! Is there a substitute for coconut oil? It always upsets my stomach!
Rachel
you can usually sub any oil for any oil in terms of consistency as long as it is liquid to liquid but i can’t say for flavor what would work since i haven’t tested! maybe avocado?
Adri
Hello from the Philippines! Dropping a line to say I tried this out and it is AMAZING! I will keep coming back to your page for this recipe for sure! Thanks so much for sharing!
Rachel
awwww how cool!! thank you!!
Maribel
we are addicted to this recipe, I am making this twice a week, thank you for this, Maribel from Miami
Savannah
Since I am not a huge fan of peanut butter I tried it with Nutella instead and it worked wonderfully
Esme
Obsessed with this one!! My fiancé lives for homemade baked goods and this one will be on repeat!
Rachel
awww yay!!
Tawana
In the cookie base, can you substitute apple sauce for the coconut oil?
Rachel
hmm i haven’t tried that! i don’t think so. but you can us avocado oil?