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The flavors of everyone’s nostalgic breakfast treat in delicious bars — Pop-Tart Cookie Bars!
I don’t know about y’all but I grew up on Pop-Tarts. The delicious “pastry,” filled with strawberry preserves and a thin frosting? What’s not to love?! Right out of the package or toasted, these always hit the spot.
With those flavors in mind, and inspired by this recipe I saw on Pinterest by Cambrea Bakes I created my own version that is gluten-free, grain-free, and dairy-free (if vegan butter is swapped in)! And while these would be delicious alongside a cup of coffee in the morning, I typically have these as a sweet bite at the end of the day or include these in my girls’ lunch boxes for a sweet treat at lunch. No matter when you have these, I know you will enjoy them!
Here’s what you need for the bars:
- Almond Flour and Tapioca Flour (This blend makes the perfect texture!)
- Salt
- Baking Soda
- Unsalted butter (sub vegan butter for dairy-free)
- Maple Syrup
- Vanilla Extract
- Egg
- Strawberry Preserves (Raspberry would be delicious here too if preferred!)
While this recipe is fairly simple to make, assembling the bars can seem a little daunting, but just trust me! I tried a variety of methods to make this recipe work and this was the definite winner to get that Pop-Tart-style filling.
After you make your dough, you will transfer half of it to the prepared baking pan. Using damp hands or a spatula, press the dough into an even layer that fills the entire bottom of the pan. Next, spread your strawberry preserves over the bottom layer. With the second half of the dough, you will roll it into an even layer (about 9×9 inches) to use for the top of the bars. Carefully transfer this rolled-out sheet of dough into the pan over the preserves. Next, gently press down the edges until most of the preserves are covered. But don’t worry, it does not have to be perfect. Also, because paleo doughs can be sticky, be sure to use my tips below!
I hope you love these Pop-Tart Cookie Bars as much as my family does!
Looking for another nostalgic treat? Try my Lofthouse Cookie Bars, Iced Oatmeal Cookie Bars, or my Brown Sugar “Pop-Tart” Cookies!
Pop-Tart Cookie Bars
Ingredients
- 4 cups super-fine almond flour
- 1 1/3 cup tapioca flour
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter melted (sub vegan butter for dairy-free)
- ½ cup maple syrup
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 large egg
- 2/3 cup strawberry preserves
For the Frosting:
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons almond milk
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon rainbow sprinkles
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350℉.
- Line a 9×9-inch baking pan with parchment paper, letting it hang over the sides and spray with non-stick spray. This will make it easy to lift the cookies out of the pan after baking. Set the pan aside.
- To a large bowl, add the almond flour, tapioca flour, salt, and baking soda. Whisk to combine and so that there are no lumps.
- Add the melted butter, the maple syrup, vanilla extract, and egg. Using a rubber spatula, stir until well combined and a dough forms.
- Transfer half of the dough into the prepared pan and press into an even layer using a rubber spatula or damp hands. Next, spread the strawberry preserves onto the base, using a rubber spatula to spread into an even layer.
- You will be rolling the remaining dough for the top of your bars. Because paleo dough can be sticky and difficult to work with, you will need two sheets of parchment paper (about 10 inches long) to roll it out. Place one sheet of parchment paper on the counter and place the remaining dough in the center. Top with the second sheet of parchment paper and use a rolling pin to roll the dough into a 9×9 square. Carefully remove the top sheet of parchment paper.
- Gently slide the roll dough with the bottom sheet of parchment off the counter and carefully flip on top of the jam. Gently press down on the edges until most of the jam is covered.
- Bake for 20 minutes until the top is golden brown. Remove from the oven and let cool in the pan. Once cooled, transfer to a baking rack to finish cooling.
Meanwhile, Make the Frosting:
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, almond milk, and vanilla extract. Set aside until the bars are completely cool.
- Once bars are completely cooled, add the frosting, spreading with a spatula and top with sprinkles. Place into the fridge to allow the frosting to harden, at least 15 minutes.
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Photography by Eat Love Eats.
These are SO good. I knew when I saw the recipe I’d have to give them a try and they didn’t disappoint. The icing is perfect, love all the “better” ingredients, they’re soft and flavorful, and can serve as either a sweet breakfast (like their inspo) or as a dessert. They’re pretty to look at too 🙂 will def make again!
Thank you so much, Kara! Makes me happy to hear!