Description

Halfway Cookie Bars – rich cookie base with melty chocolate chips and meringue baked to golden gooey perfection – but vegan, gluten-free, and healthier!

Ingredients

Scale

Cookie Bar

1 flax egg (1 tbsp ground flax + 3 tbsp water)
1/3 cup (85g) almond butter
1/3 cup (80g) unsweetened applesauce
1/3 cup (70g) coconut sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup (120g) oat flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup (85g) Hu Kitchen Gems

Meringue Topping

3/4 cup (180g) aquafaba*
1/2 cup coconut sugar (85g), powdered**
1/2 tsp cream of tartar

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Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350ºF.
Stir together the almond butter, applesauce, prepared flax egg, coconut sugar, and vanilla.
Add the oat flour, baking powder, and salt. Stir to combine.
Spread into the bottom of a greased baking dish (I used this 9×6″ dish, but an 8×8″ square works too)
Top with the Hu Kitchen Gems. Press in gently. Set aside.
In a dry clean bowl, begin whipping the aquafaba with a hand mixer or stand mixer. Beat to soft peaks.
Add the cream of tartar. Continue beating for another minute or so.
Add the powdered coconut sugar slowly while beating one tablespoon at a time until you have added the full 1/2 cup. Continuing beating to stiff peaks.
Spread on top of the cookie bars.
Bake for 25-30 minutes at 350ºF.
Cool completely before slicing and eating (or even refrigerate overnight, I love them cold!)

Notes

*This is the liquid drained from one 15oz can of no salt added chickpeas

**Grind in a high-speed blender to a fine powder to avoid collapsing the meringue. You can use cane sugar or powdered sugar instead.

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 bar
Calories: 347
Sugar: 27g
Fat: 17g
Saturated Fat: 7g
Carbohydrates: 42g
Fiber: 5g
Protein: 5g

Keywords: vegan, gluten-free, meringue, aquafaba, chocolate chip, egg free, dairy free, baking, dessert