Sourdough Almond Maple Pecan Protein Bars
These Sourdough Almond Maple Pecan Protein Bars are the ultimate bridge between seasons: soft, chewy, warmly spiced, and packed with good-for-you ingredients like oats, flax, sourdough discard, and plenty of protein to keep you going through cooler days. Enjoy the flavors of maple and pecan combined with decadent white chocolate!
Equipment
- 8x8 or 9x9 baking pan
- Parchment paper
- Mixing bowls
- Rubber spatula or spoon
- Digital kitchen scale (optional)
- Sharp knife
- Baking Sheet
Ingredients
Sourdough Almond Maple Pecan Protein Bars
Dry Ingredients:
- 2 ¾ cups (275g) rolled oats
- 1 cup (100g) vanilla or unflavored protein powder
- ¼ cup (25g) ground flaxseed
- ½ cup (75g) chopped toasted pecans
- 3 tbsp (30g) roasted pumpkin seeds (optional)
- ¾ tsp fine sea salt
- ½ tsp cinnamon
- ⅛ tsp ground cardamom
Wet Ingredients:
- ¾ cup (180g) lightly salted almond butter
- ⅓ cup (80g) raw honey
- ⅓ cup (80g) pure maple syrup
- ½ cup (120g) sourdough discard
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 ½ tsp maple flavoring
Add-In's:
- ½ cup (100g) white chocolate chips
White Chocolate Bottom:
- 1 ½ cups (225g) white chocolate chips
- 1 -2 tbsp (30g) coconut oil
Instructions
Step 1: Combine the Base
- Preheat oven to 300°F (150°C). Line an 8x8” or 9x9" square baking pan with parchment paper. Lightly spray with cooking oil.
- In a large bowl, add oats, protein powder, pecans, pumpkin seeds, flaxseed, sea salt, cinnamon, and cardamom. Stir with a spoon until combined.2 ¾ cups (275g) rolled oats, 1 cup (100g) vanilla or unflavored protein powder, ¼ cup (25g) ground flaxseed, ½ cup (75g) chopped toasted pecans, 3 tbsp (30g) roasted pumpkin seeds (optional), ¾ tsp fine sea salt, ½ tsp cinnamon, ⅛ tsp ground cardamom
- Add in almond butter, honey, maple syrup, sourdough discard, maple flavoring, and vanilla. Use a spoon to bring the base together. It will be very thick, so if needed use your hands to combine the dough.¾ cup (180g) lightly salted almond butter, ⅓ cup (80g) raw honey, ⅓ cup (80g) pure maple syrup, ½ cup (120g) sourdough discard, 1 tsp vanilla extract, 1 ½ tsp maple flavoring
- Add in the white chocolate chips if using and mix into the dough until evenly distributed.½ cup (100g) white chocolate chips
- Transfer your dough to the prepared baking pan, and evenly distribute dough all over the pan. You'll want to really press the dough down into the pan to get a nicely shaped protein bar. You can do this with your hands, or use a piece of parchment or wax paper over the top of the dough and use a rolling pin to firmly pack the bars into the pan.
- Overnight Fermentation: If you want to ferment your base overnight, simply cover your pan with plastic and allow it to rest on the counter at room temperature overnight. Proceed with baking in the morning.
Step 2: Bake The Bars
- Transfer the pan to the preheated oven, and cook for 17-18 minutes. If you overcook these bars, they won't be quite as chewy. If you want a more crisp bar, extend the baking time to 22-25 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and allow bars to cool for about 30 minutes before transferring the the refrigerator for another 30 minutes to an hour. Chilling the bars helps them hold their shape when you cut them, and avoids the chocolate chips melting everywhere.
Step 3: Prepare White Chocolate Base
- While bars are chilling, prepare your white chocolate dipping base.
- In a microwave-safe bowl or double boiler, melt white chocolate chips and coconut oil. I recommend if using the microwave to do 30 seconds, whisk, and heat for another 30 seconds. Avoid over heating the chocolate or you'll burn it. Add more coconut oil as needed to thin the white chocolate to the desired consistency. Be aware that if you overheat white chocolate, it can get really thick. Just add more coconut oil to thin it.1 ½ cups (225g) white chocolate chips, 1 -2 tbsp (30g) coconut oil
- When chocolate is smooth and silky, its ready to be used.
Step 4: Cut and Dip Bars
- Remove bars for refrigerator, and transfer to a cutting board. Cut square in half, then cut each half into 6 even bars. Prepare a baking sheet lined with parchment for the bars to set after dipping in chocolate.
- Dip each bar into the chocolate, submerging the bottom fully. Remove from the chocolate, and use a spatula to smooth the bottom. Transfer FACE DOWN with the chocolate side up to the prepared baking sheet. Avoid anything touching the freshly dipped chocolate. Repeat this step with all of the bars.
- After all of the bars are dipped, transfer the baking sheet with the bars to the refrigerator for another 30 minutes to set the chocolate. After this 30 minutes, you can rotate the bars face up and drizzle additional chocolate over the tops if desired. Chill again to set the chocolate.
- Yields 12 protein bars