Grain Free Blueberry Bars

My Grain Free Blueberry Bars are the (almost) no bake dessert you need this summer.

A creamy, cool treat that’s a breeze to pull together, my Grain Free Blueberry Bars have a crisp almond base and a lightly sweetened filling that is bursting with fresh summer blueberries and my Blueberry Jam with Lemon and Thyme. If you’re into sharing, these Grain Free Blueberry Bars are nice enough to serve to guests, can be prepared in advance, and make enough for a crowd – but they are so yummy, you might want to keep the whole tray for yourself. You can top with whipped cream for an extra special treat, but it’s really not necessary. That they’re grain free and have no refined sugars is just an added feel-good bonus.

Grain Free Blueberry Bars

Ingredients

For the crust

• 2 cups blanched, superfine almond flour (224g)

• 1 cup slivered almonds, toasted (84g)

• ¼ cup granulated pure maple syrup sugar (43g)

• 1 teaspoon cinnamon

• ½ cup butter (1 stick), melted and slightly cooled

• 1 teaspoon vanilla

For the filling

• 8oz cream cheese, softened/room temperature

• 1 cup whole milk Greek yogurt (or sour cream)

• ¼ cup granulated pure maple syrup sugar

• ½ cup Blueberry Jam with Lemon and Thyme

• 2 pounds fresh blueberries

How to make Grain Free Blueberry Bars

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly coat a 9 x 13 baking dish with butter or palm shortening.

First, make the crust. Combine dry ingredients in a bowl. Add melted butter and vanilla to dry ingredients and stir with a silicone spatula until well combined and a dough forms. Transfer dough into the prepared 9 x 13 baking dish and press into an even layer with the spatula, covering the entire bottom of the baking dish. Line with parchment paper and fill with pie weights or dried beans. Bake at 35o degrees for 10 minutes. Remove from oven and carefully remove pie weights and parchment paper, return baking dish to oven and bake another 15 minutes until the crust is cooked through and just starting to turn golden brown. Remove from oven and allow to cool completely.

While crust cools, prepare the filling. Combine softened cream cheese, Greek yogurt, and maple sugar in a large bowl and beat with a hand mixer until completely smooth, about 5 minutes. Add Blueberry Jam with Lemon and Thyme and mix 1 more minute to fully incorporate. Gently fold in blueberries to avoid smashing or bursting. Pour filling over prepared crust and spread evenly across. Refrigerate at least 2 hours before serving and preferably overnight. Serve with whipped cream if desired.