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4 Ingredient Peanut Butter Cup Cookie Dough Bark

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Hand holding a piece of 4 ingredient peanut butter cup cookie dough bark.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

  • Easy and Fast: Made with minimal ingredients and no baking required, this recipe comes together in minutes.
  • Healthier Dessert: Sweetened with maple syrup and packed with healthy fats from peanut butter and almond flour, this bark satisfies your sweet tooth while keeping it wholesome.
  • Customizable: You can switch up the flavors, toppings, and even the type of nut butter for a bark that’s truly your own.
Close up image of 4 ingredient peanut butter cup cookie dough bark.

What You’ll Need to Make Peanut Butter Cup Cookie Dough Bark

For the Cookie Dough Base:

  1. Almond Flour: The foundation of the bark, almond flour provides a soft, cookie-dough-like texture and is naturally gluten-free.
  2. Unsweetened Peanut Butter: Adds richness and flavor while binding the ingredients together. Make sure to use a drippy, natural peanut butter for the best results.
  3. Maple Syrup: Acts as the natural sweetener, giving the cookie dough a perfect touch of sweetness.

For the Chocolate Layer:

  1. Chocolate Chips: Melted chocolate creates a decadent top layer. I use Guittard Extra Dark Chocolate Chips in most of my recipes because they’re dairy-free, but rich and not-too-sweet.
  2. Chopped Peanuts (Optional): Add a delightful crunch and extra peanut flavor to the bark.

How to Make Peanut Butter Cup Cookie Dough Bark

  1. Prepare the Dough: In a medium bowl, mix together the almond flour, peanut butter, and maple syrup until a soft dough forms.
  2. Shape the Bark: Line a small baking sheet or large plate with parchment paper. Place the dough on the paper and spread it evenly with your hands to form a large, flat rectangle.
  3. Melt the Chocolate: Heat the chocolate chips in the microwave in 30-second intervals or over a double boiler, stirring until smooth.
  4. Assemble the Bark: Pour the melted chocolate over the dough, spreading it evenly to cover the entire surface. Sprinkle chopped peanuts on top, if desired.
  5. Freeze and Serve: Place the bark in the freezer for at least 1 hour. When ready to enjoy, remove from the freezer and break or cut into pieces.
Overhead image of 4 ingredient peanut butter cup cookie dough bark cut into large pieces.

Storage Tips

  • Refrigerator: Store the bark in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week.
  • Freezer: Keep leftovers in the freezer for up to 1 month. Simply remove pieces as needed and let them sit at room temperature for 5-10 minutes before eating.

Switch Up the Flavors of This Recipe

  • Add a Drizzle: Drizzle melted peanut butter or caramel over the chocolate layer before freezing for added flavor.
  • Toppings Galore: Sprinkle with flaky sea salt (I love this Maldon Flaky Sea Salt), crushed pretzels, or cacao nibs for a fun twist.
  • Different Nut Butter: Swap peanut butter with almond or cashew butter for a subtle flavor variation.
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Peanut Butter Cup Cookie Dough Bark

This peanut butter cup cookie dough bark is a quick and easy treat that’s not only delicious but also healthy! Made with just 4 simple ingredients, it’s naturally gluten-free, dairy-free, and vegan, and sweetened with maple syrup. It’s perfect for when you’re craving something sweet and indulgent yet wholesome. Whether you’re making it for yourself, your family, or a special occasion, this bark is sure to be a hit!
Print Rate
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Freezing Time: 1 hour
Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
Servings: 6 servings

Equipment

  • 1 small bowl
  • 1 small baking sheet

Ingredients

  • 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons almond flour
  • 1/4 cup unsweetened creamy peanut butter
  • 3 tablespoons maple syrup
  • 3/4 cup chocolate chips melted
  • chopped peanuts (optional) for topping

Instructions

  • Mix together the almond flour, peanut butter, and maple syrup in a bowl.
  • Line a small baking sheet or large plate with parchment paper, then place the cookie dough mixture on top of the parchment paper. Spread and flatten the mixture with your hands to form a large piece of cookie dough bark.
  • Melt the chocolate chips, then pour the melted chocolate over the bark. Spread the chocolate into an even layer, then place the bark in the freezer for at least one hour.
  • When ready to eat, remove the peanut butter cup cookie dough bark from the freezer and either cut or break into large pieces. Enjoy right away or store leftover bark in the freezer for later!

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 293kcal | Carbohydrates: 21g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 21g | Sugar: 14g
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Desserts

Best Almond Flour Cake

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almond flour cake with fresh berries on top.

Perfectly light and fluffy almond flour cake! A totally irresistible dessert that’s grain-free, gluten-free, and dairy-free. This simple cake comes together in one bowl, with only a handful of simple ingredients.

overhead image of almond flour cake with fresh berries on top

Can You Use Almond Flour For Cakes?

Yes, absolutely! Almond flour adds texture and flavor, and is loved by those following a paleo diet. Almond flour can be beneficial to someone looking to reduce their carbs, grains and sugar intake. Unlike wheat or rice flour blends, almond flour contains no grains so it won’t lead to a spike blood sugar.

What You’ll Need To Make Almond Flour Cake

You’ll only need a few simple ingredients to make this almond flour cake. The exact measurements are included in the recipe card!

Eggs – Bring your eggs to room temperature before using them in this recipe. Then, crack them into your bowl and beat them until super light and airy. The goal here is to introduce as much air to the eggs as possible, which will result in a lighter and fluffier cake!

Almond Flour – I recommend the Bob’s Red Mill Super Fine Almond Flour for this grain-free recipe. The more finely ground the almond flour is, the lighter your cake will be. However, if you can’t find an almond flour labeled “super fine,” don’t worry – many are ground finely enough to work in this recipe. Also, avoid using almond meal, it’s heavier and will result in a more dense cake.

Lemon Zest – Let’s call is the secret ingredient! A pinch of lemon zest gives this almond flour cake a hint of tangy, citrus-y freshness. Without out, the cake tastes great, but with it, the cake tastes incredible. So if you’re looking to take this gluten-free dessert recipe up a notch, don’t forget the lemon zest.

close-up image of almond flour cake with coconut whipped cream and berries on top.

Tips and Tricks When Making Almond Flour Cake

  • Beat the eggs for a full 5 minutes, no less! Beating the eggs until pale and thick is hands-down the most important part of this recipe. No matter how tempting it may be, don’t cut this step short!
  • For easy removal, I recommend baking this almond flour cake in a spring-form pan. Once done baking, gently run a butter knife along the inside edge of the pan to unstick it from the sides. Then, release the sides of the spring-form pan and list away the sides revealing your perfect cake!
  • Top this gluten-free cake however you’d like! I finished mine off with a generous dollop of coconut white cream and some fresh berries. This cake would also taste great with your favorite frosting, or a simple sprinkling of powdered sugar!
  • If you like cinnamon, try adding a teaspoon of cinnamon to the batter.
slice of almond flour cake on a plate

Adjust This Almond Flour Cake Recipe To Your Dietary Needs

  • Make it Paleo: For a paleo almond cake recipe, replace the white sugar with coconut sugar!

Perfect Almond Flour Cake

4 from 5 votes
Recipe by Samantha Course: DessertDifficulty: Easy
Servings

8

servings
Prep time

30

minutes
Cooking time

40

minutes
Total time

1

hour 

10

minutes

Perfectly light and fluffy almond flour cake! A totally irresistible dessert that’s grain-free, gluten-free, and dairy-free. This simple cake comes together in one bowl, with only a handful of simple ingredients.

Ingredients

  • 4 large eggs, at room temperature

  • 1/2 cup sugar

  • 1 1/2 cups almond flour

  • 2 teaspoons lemon zest, optional

  • 1 teaspoon baking powder

  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

  • 1/4 teaspoon salt

  • whipped cream, for topping

  • fresh berries, for topping

Directions

  • Preheat oven to 350° Fahrenheit and grease an 8-inch cake pan.
  • Beat together the eggs and sugar with either a hand or stand mixer on high speed until pale and thick, about 5 minutes.
  • Add in the almond flour, lemon zest, baking powder, vanilla extract, and salt. Beat for another minute, until batter is fully combined.
  • Transfer to prepared cake pan and bake 30-35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted down the center of the cake comes out clean.
  • Remove cake from pan and let cool completely before garnishing and serving.

Recipe Video

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Breakfast

Almond Flour Banana Bread

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sliced almond flour banana bread with chocolate chips

Super healthy and delicious almond flour banana bread! Made with whole, good-for-you ingredients, perfectly sweet, and totally irresistible. Toast up a slice of this grain-free, dairy-free, and refined sugar-free banana bread as a comforting, yet nutritious breakfast, snack, or dessert.

overhead image of almond flour banana bread

What You’ll Need To Make Almond Flour Banana Bread

Almond Flour – The one and only flour we use in this grain-free recipe is almond flour. Almond flour is a favorite among low-carb, gluten-free, and paleo recipes. It yields little-to-no flavor and, when done right, bakes up beautifully soft and tender. If you don’t already have a bag of almond flour in your pantry, I highly recommend you go pick some up. I’ve tried pretty much every brand of almond flour out there, and my favorite so far is this Anthony’s Almond Flour. Though whichever brand of almond flour you decide to use in this recipe, make sure it’s blanched almond flour, and not almond meal.

Coconut Sugar – A quarter cup of coconut sugar is all you’ll need to sweeten up this healthy dessert recipe! The bananas yield some natural sweetness of their own, and a touch of coconut sugar helps bring that out. If you don’t have coconut sugar, you can use brown sugar in its place.

Bananas – About two very ripe bananas should do the trick here! Or, however many mashed bananas you need to equal one cup. And while I feel like this goes without saying, make sure your bananas are super ripe for this recipe. You can tell a banana is ripe when it’s beginning to form large brown spots all around the outside peel.

Chocolate Chips – While optional, chocolate chips make this almond flour banana bread extra indulgent and delicious! If you don’t have chocolate chips, you can easily use one cup of chopped chocolate instead. I recommend semi-sweet chocolate or dark chocolate for this recipe. And if you’re looking to keep your entire loaf paleo, use your favorite paleo chocolate chips, such as these Hu Kitchen Chocolate Gems.

almond flour banana bread sliced

Tips and Tricks

  • Instead of greasing your loaf pan, line it with parchment paper. Also, cut your parchment paper larger than the loaf pan, leaving its edges sticking out from the sides of your banana bread. This’ll make it easier to lift and remove your bread from its baking pan!
  • Leave the almond flour banana bread to cool completely (about an hour) before slicing. Then, once cool, I recommend slicing the bread all at once, before storing. Lastly, store the slices in an airtight container at either room temperature for 3 days, in the fridge for 7 days, or in the freezer for up to 3 months!
  • For the ultimate slice of banana bread that’ll leave your tastebuds singing, toast it before eating! Then, once toasted, top that baby off with some vegan butter, ghee, peanut butter, and/or almond butter. Let me tell ya, toasted almond flour banana bread makes for the perfect afternoon snack or nightcap.
the inside of almond flour banana bread

Adjust This Recipe To Your Dietary Needs

Make it Vegan: For a vegan grain-free banana bread, try replacing the eggs with three flax eggs. One flax egg equals one tablespoon of ground flax seed meal mixed into three tablespoons of water. While I haven’t tried this vegan option myself yet, I’m sure it’d work just fine!

Make it Added Sugar-Free: Because the bananas are so naturally sweet, you can totally leave the coconut sugar out of this healthier dessert recipe.

Almond Flour Banana Bread

5 from 1 vote
Recipe by Samantha Course: Snacks, Breakfast, DessertDifficulty: Easy
Servings

10

slices
Prep time

10

minutes
Cooking time

40

minutes
Total time

50

minutes

Super healthy and delicious almond flour banana bread! Made with whole, good-for-you ingredients, perfectly sweet, and totally irresistible. Toast up a slice of this grain-free, dairy-free, and refined sugar-free banana bread as a comforting, yet nutritious breakfast, snack, or dessert.

Ingredients

  • 2 1/2 cups almond flour

  • 1/4 cup coconut sugar

  • 1 teaspoon baking soda

  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon

  • 2 tablespoons coconut oil, melted

  • 1 cup mashed banana (about 2 very ripe bananas)

  • 3 eggs

  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

  • 1 cup chocolate chips, optional

Directions

  • Preheat oven to 350° Fahrenheit and line a 9×5-inch loaf pan with parchment paper.
  • Whisk together the almond flour, coconut sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and cinnamon in a large bowl.
  • Add in the melted coconut oil, mashed banana, eggs, and vanilla extract – mix until fully combined. Fold in chocolate chips if using, until evenly dispersed throughout batter.
  • Transfer batter to prepared loaf pan and bake for 40-50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted down the center of the bread comes out clean. Remove from the oven and transfer to a wire cooling rack, cool bread completely (about 1 hour) before slicing.

Recipe Video

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30 Minutes or Less

Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Cookie Brittle

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stack of gluten-free chocolate chip cookie brittle

Extra crunchy, perfectly sweet gluten-free chocolate chip cookie brittle! Made with almond flour and sweetened with coconut sugar for a healthier treat. This paleo dessert recipe requires just one bowl and 30 minutes to make!

gluten-free chocolate chip cookie brittle in a bowl with milk on the side

What You’ll Need To Make Gluten-Free Cookie Brittle

Oil – Any neutral tasting oil will work in this recipe. I’ve made this recipe with both avocado oil and melted refined coconut oil. Avocado oil yields no flavor, while coconut oil yields a slight coconut flavor. Though both baked up perfectly crispy, so use whatever you’d like.

Egg Whites – By leaving out the egg yolks, we get an even crispier cookie brittle. For help figuring out how to separate egg whites from the yolk, I recommend following this tutorial. And don’t throw out your egg yolks! They’re deeply nutritious, so save them for your morning scramble.

Almond Flour – Almond flour works flawlessly in our cookie brittle batter. Also, in using almond flour in place of any other flour, we keep this dessert recipe grain-free and paleo-friendly.

Chocolate Chips – For a gluten-free chocolate chip cookie brittle, you’re gonna need plenty of chocolate chips. However, you can totally replace the chocolate chips in this recipe with anything you’d like. I’ve made a birthday cake cookie brittle using this recipe, by swapping out the chocolate chips for one cup of rainbow sprinkles – so fun and delicious!

gluten-free chocolate chip cookie brittle stacked

Tips and Tricks

  • After 10 minutes of baking, you’ll want to remove your brittle from the oven to gently slice it. For easy slicing, I recommend using a pizza cutter and rolling it through the brittle in all different directions! Though if you don’t have a pizza cutter, use a sharp knife instead.
  • You must let this gluten-free chocolate chip cookie brittle cool completely before eating! If not, it won’t get nearly as crispy. Therefore, transfer your brittle pieces to a wire cooling rack for at least 30 minutes before eating, serving, and/or storing.
  • While not necessary, I recommend storing leftover brittle in an airtight container in your fridge! This will ensure the pieces stay crispy, and the chocolate doesn’t melt.

Adjust This Recipe To Your Dietary Needs

Make it Vegan: While I haven’t tried this variation myself yet, you might be able to get away with substituting the egg whites for two flax eggs. To make one flax egg, combine one tablespoon of ground flax meal with three tablespoons of water, whisk together then let it sit for 10 minutes, until the mixture thickens. Once thick, add in the flax eggs just as you would the egg whites. If you take this option, please let me know how it turns out!

Make it Paleo: Surprise! This dessert recipe is already paleo. Though to ensure it remains paleo, use your favorite refined sugar-free chocolate chips.

Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Cookie Brittle

0 from 0 votes
Recipe by Samantha Course: DessertDifficulty: Easy
Servings

8

servings
Prep time

5

minutes
Cooking time

20

minutes
Total time

25

minutes

Extra crunchy, perfectly sweet gluten-free chocolate chip cookie brittle! Made with almond flour and sweetened with coconut sugar for a healthier treat. This paleo dessert recipe requires just one bowl and 30 minutes to make!

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup coconut sugar

  • 1/2 cup neutral tasting oil, see Notes

  • 2 egg whites

  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

  • 3/4 cup almond flour

  • 1/2 cup tapioca flour

  • 1/4 teaspoon baking soda

  • 1 cup chocolate chips

Directions

  • Preheat oven to 350° Fahrenheit and line a large cookie sheet with parchment paper.
  • Mix together the coconut sugar and oil in a large bowl. Add in the egg whites and vanilla extract, mix until combined.
  • Add almond flour, tapioca flour, and baking soda to the bowl and continue to mix until a dough forms. Fold in chocolate chips until evenly dispersed throughout dough.
  • Transfer cookie brittle dough to prepared cookie sheet and flatten into an even, thin layer (about ¼-inch thick).
  • Bake for 10 minutes, then remove from oven and slice into brittle pieces before putting it back into the oven for an additional 10-12 minutes.
  • Remove from oven and transfer to a wire cooling rack to let cool completely before breaking into pieces.

Recipe Video

Notes

  • Neutral Tasting Oil: Refined coconut oil, avocado oil, or olive oil will all work!

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30 Minutes or Less

Asian Turkey Lettuce Wraps with Savory Peanut Sauce

By
overhead image of asian turkey lettuce wraps on a table.

Crisp, fresh, and flavorful Asian-inspired turkey lettuce wraps, topped off with a creamy, savory peanut sauce! Naturally gluten-free, grain-free, dairy-free, and super healthy. These turkey lettuce wraps are the perfect addition to your weekly meal prep, best enjoyed as a quick and easy grab-and-go lunch!

four turkey lettuce wraps on a table, one being picked up.

What You’ll Need To Make Turkey Lettuce Wraps with Peanut Sauce

Ground Turkey – Like chicken, ground turkey is a great source of lean protein. It’s a blank canvas to however you season it, and will leave you feeling full until your next meal. Though if you can’t find ground turkey for this recipe, you can easily use ground chicken instead.

Water Chestnuts – Don’t worry, I didn’t know what a water chestnut was until a few months ago. And while I’m still not exactly sure what it is, I do know that it’s some type of crunchy vegetable commonly sold in cans. You’re most likely to find these canned water chestnuts in either the canned produce aisle, or the ethnic food aisle of your local grocery store. However, if you can’t seem to track down any water chestnuts, don’t worry – this recipe will taste just as delicious without them!

Peanut Butter – The two main things your peanut butter should be for this recipe are creamy and unsweetened. Most peanut butters on the market today unfortunately come sweetened, with some kind of sugar added to them. While I never recommend buying sweetened peanut butter (it doesn’t need the added sugar!), I definitely recommend against buying it for this recipe. Any sugar in your peanut butter will definitely throw off the savory balance of flavors in this peanut sauce.

Butter Lettuce Leaves – This particular variety of leaf is perfect for filling, folding, then eating. They’re crisp, mild, and pretty much melt in your mouth. Though if you can’t find butter lettuce leaves, you can use either iceberg lettuce leaves or romaine lettuce leaves in their place. Really, any type of leaf that will cradle your filling will work here!

turkey lettuce wraps being assembled

Tips and Tricks

  • I highly recommend prepping a big batch of these turkey lettuce wraps ahead of a busy week! They’re my all-time favorite grab-and-go meal, requiring no time at all to heat up and assemble. If meal prepping, I recommend storing the turkey mixture separate from the peanut sauce, and keeping lettuce and any toppings separate as well. When ready to eat, simply reheat the turkey, then fill your lettuce wraps any way you’d like!
  • Feel free to top these wraps however you’d like! I’ve topped mine with everything from kimchi, to shredded carrots, to even simply eating them on their own. It truly doesn’t matter which way you serve these guys, they’re always going to taste delicious.
  • If you’re like me and like a little spice, go ahead and spice these babies up with a little sriracha! Add a couple teaspoons of sriracha to either the filling, as a topping, or both.

Adjust This Recipe To Your Dietary Needs

Make it Paleo: For an entirely paleo meal, use creamy almond butter instead of peanut butter in the savory sauce. Otherwise, these lettuce wraps are an entirely paleo recipe!

Make it Nut-Free: Make this recipe nut-free by swapping out the peanut butter for an equal amount of creamy sunflower seed butter (just make sure it’s unsweetened!).

Asian Turkey Lettuce Wraps with Savory Peanut Sauce

5 from 2 votes
Recipe by Samantha Course: MainCuisine: AsianDifficulty: Easy
Servings

4

servings
Prep time

5

minutes
Cooking time

10

minutes
Total time

15

minutes

Crisp, fresh, and flavorful Asian-inspired turkey lettuce wraps, topped off with a creamy, savory peanut sauce! Naturally gluten-free, grain-free, dairy-free, and super healthy. These turkey lettuce wraps are the perfect addition to your weekly meal prep, best enjoyed as a quick and easy grab-and-go lunch!

Ingredients

  • For the turkey:

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil

  • 1 pound ground turkey

  • pinch of salt

  • 8 ounces mushrooms, chopped

  • 1 (8-ounce) can chopped water chestnuts, drained

  • 3 scallions, chopped

  • 2 garlic cloves, minced

  • 1 tablespoon fresh grated ginger

  • 1/4 cup coconut aminos, see Notes

  • 1 tablespoon rice vinegar

  • For the peanut sauce:

  • 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter, unsweetened

  • 2 tablesoons coconut aminos

  • 2 tablespoons rice vinegar

  • 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil, optional

  • 1 garlic clove, grated

  • 1 tablespoon fresh grated ginger

  • 2-3 tablespoons warm water, add more to thin sauce

  • For the lettuce wraps:

  • 12 butter lettuce leaves

  • shredded carrots

  • bean sprouts

  • fresh cilantro

Directions

  • Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add in ground turkey and a pinch of salt, cook until no longer pink.
  • While turkey cooks, whisk together all peanut sauce ingredients in a bowl and set aside.
  • Once turkey is cooked through, add in mushrooms, scallions, garlic, ginger, and water chestnuts. Cook 2-3 minutes or until mushrooms are soft.
  • Add in coconut aminos and rice vinegar, stir and cook for about 1 minute then remove from heat.
  • Fill butter lettuce leaves with ground turkey mixture and top with peanut sauce, shredded carrots, bean sprouts, and fresh cilantro.

Recipe Video

Notes

  • Coconut Aminos: If you don’t have coconut aminos, you can use soy sauce instead!

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