Raspberry Streusel Bars

SERVES 16 Ingredients Crust • ¾ cup almond flour • ⅓ cup packed palm sugar • ¼ cup pecans, toasted and chopped coarse • ½ teaspoon salt • ¼ teaspoon baking powder • 3 tablespoons (45 ml) coconut oil Filling • ¾ cup raspberry jam (see Fruit Jam recipe) • 2½ ounces raspberries • 1 tablespoon (15 ml) lemon juice • ½ cup almond meal • ¼ cup palm sugar • 2 tablespoons (30 ml) coconut flour • ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon • ⅓ teaspoon salt • 2 tablespoons (30 ml) coconut oil • Coconut oil for greasing foil Preparation 1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and preheat oven to 350°F (180°C). Make a foil sling for an eight-inch square baking pan by folding two long sheets of aluminum foil so each is eight inches wide. Lay sheets of foil in pan perpendicular to each other, with extra foil hanging over edges of pan. Push foil into corners and up sides of pan, smoothing foil flush to pan. Grease foil with coconut oil. 2. Pulse flour, palm sugar, pecans, salt, and baking powder in a food processor until combined (about 5 pulses). Sprinkle coconut oil over top and pulse until mixture resembles coarse cornmeal (about 8 pulses). Transfer mixture to prepared pan and press firmly into an even layer using wide metal spatula. Bake until crust is fragrant and beginning to brown (20 to 24 minutes), rotating pan halfway through baking. Let cool on wire rack for at least 15 minutes. 3. Increase the oven temperature to 375°F (190°C). Mash jam, raspberries, and lemon juice together in a bowl with a fork until just a few pieces of raspberry remain. In a separate bowl, combine almond meal, palm sugar, flour, cinnamon, and salt, then add melted coconut oil and toss gently with a fork. Spread berry mixture evenly over baked crust, then sprinkle with almond meal mixture. Bake bars until filling is bubbling and topping is deep golden brown (22 to 25 minutes), rotating pan halfway through baking. 4. Let bars cool completely in pan on wire rack for about two hours. Remove from pan using foil sling and cut into sixteen squares. Serve.

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These raspberry streusel bars layer a nutty toasted-pecan crust with jammy mashed raspberries and a cinnamon-crumb almond meal topping, all baked in one 8-inch pan. The foil sling makes lifting and clean slicing effortless once they've cooled. Sixteen little squares, every one buttery-tender without a speck of dairy or grains.

Pro Tips

• Toast the pecans before pulsing them into the crust — a few extra minutes in the 350°F oven wakes up their oils and the crust smells noticeably nuttier.
• Mash the jam, fresh raspberries, and lemon juice with a fork rather than a processor so a few berry pieces survive for texture.
• Don't shortcut the two-hour cool: the bubbling filling sets as it cools, and warm bars smear into a jammy mess when cut.
• Any thick paleo fruit jam works in place of raspberry — apricot or blackberry give the same glossy, bubbling layer.
• Store cut bars in an airtight container in the fridge for up to five days; the streusel topping stays snappiest when layers are separated with parchment.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use frozen raspberries instead of fresh in the filling?

Yes — thaw them first and drain off the excess liquid, or the filling turns soupy and soaks the crust. Two and a half ounces of thawed berries mashes into the jam exactly like fresh.

How do I store raspberry streusel bars?

Keep them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to five days. Bring to room temperature for about 20 minutes before serving so the coconut oil in the crust softens.

Can I substitute the palm sugar?

Coconut sugar works one-for-one in both the crust and the streusel. A liquid sweetener like honey would add moisture and make the crumb paste-like, so stick with dry sugars.

Are these bars Paleo-friendly?

Yes — almond flour, coconut flour, coconut oil, palm sugar, and fruit are all Paleo-compliant. Just make sure your jam is fruit-sweetened, as the Fruit Jam recipe is.

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