This recipe for vegan raspberry streusel bars is based on one by Brittany at Real Sustenance. Ever since she posted her delicious looking recipe last year during the holidays I’ve been wanting to make it.
I adjusted her recipe by removing the sweetener from the crust and by increasing the amount of high protein items in the streusel so the topping would be a bit less sweet as well. I hope you like these gluten free dessert bars as much as we did.
Raspberry Streusel Bars
Ingredients
Crust
- 2 cups blanched almond flour (not almond meal)
- ¼ teaspoon celtic sea salt
- 2 tablespoons coconut oil, melted
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon water
Filling:
- 1 cup raspberry jam
Topping
- ¼ cup coconut oil
- ¼ cup blanched almond flour (not almond meal)
- 2 tablespoons xylitol
- ½ teaspoon celtic sea salt
- 1 cup walnuts, chopped
- ½ cup unsweetened shredded coconut
Instructions
- Pulse together almond flour, salt, coconut oil, vanilla, and water in a food processor until dough forms a ball
- Press dough into an 8 x 8 inch baking dish
- Bake at 350°F for 12 minutes
- Pulse oil, almond flour, xylitol and salt together in food processor until creamy
- Briefly pulse in walnuts and coconut, so they are left coarse, not pulverized
- Set streusel aside
- Spread raspberry fruit spread over warm crust
- Sprinkle streusel topping over raspberry fruit spread
- Bake at 350°F for 15 minutes
- Cool for 10 minutes, then refrigerate for 2 hours to set up
- Serve
Recently I was fortunate enough to meet a wonderful couple, Pepi Gramshammer and his lovely wife Sheika. Pepi is one of the founders of Vail –“Pepi’s Face” is a run on the mountain; Sheika, his awesome wife, is the genius behind many of their business ventures. They are the quintessential close knit hardworking European couple.
In any event, Sheika asked me what I had done earlier that day, and I told her that I had spent the afternoon making streusel. She had no clue what I was talking about which I thought was funny since she is from Austria and German is her native language. Finally, I got my point across through various descriptions and she said, “Oh! STREUSEL!” Rolling her “r’s” in that wonderful way that only she can.
Whatever your accent, I hope you enjoy these vegan Raspberry Streusel Bars!
Chris says
Made nearly as written. Only minor changes were that I made a quick jam with blueberries and cranberries I had on hand then added more cinnamon, a little nutmeg, and some almond extract all trying to make sure I had good flavor. I love recipes like this, but I find they tend to be very flat flavor-wise. While this recipe had good consistency as written and certainly wasn’t terrible, even my additions to boost flavor did not really help. A couple thoughts coming to mind for next time will be to try with brown sugar Swerve in the topping (instead of xylitol) and maybe lemon juice or something instead of water in the crust. Like I said…it is definitely not a bad recipe, just does not really have flavor except for the jam.
Elana says
Chris, agreed, I can’t imagine this working with a blueberry-cranberry jam. I think you’ll love this and it will be perfect if you follow the recipe, rather than experimenting with different ingredients :-)
Angie says
You are just so condescending and rude to people who might have a different option or opinion on your recipes. That person was merely trying a different jam and adding ingredients. You are nothing but another person in this world, so try being kind for once. Get over yourself! Really?!?!
Elana says
Angie, thanks for your feedback. I see that this is your first comment on my website; I hope you’ll stick around ’cause we are a great community and have a lot of fun and share a lot of love chatting here. I hope that during this challenging time (COVID-19 pandemic) you and yours are well and staying very safe!
Joellen Wilson says
Just wondering about possible substitutions for xylito as I’m allergic to it (like throat closing allergic)
Would you recommend agave or maple syrup?
Same quantities of xylitol?
Thank you
Elana says
Joellen, I haven’t tried that so not sure :-)
Abigail Gripshover says
Please keep this recipe also, it is my go-to for holidays and exactly like a traditional recipe we used to make every Christmas before we had to make dietary changes. My family always argues over the last piece!
Elana says
Abigail, you are so awesome! Thanks for voting for this recipe and letting me know it is your holiday go-to! For others wanting to join the conversation we are referring to this post:
https://elanaspantry.com/the-pantry-remodeled/
And thanks for letting me know your family argues over the last piece of these bars!
Elana
Yemaya says
Hello Elana….your website is a lifesavor. So much great stuff!
I have a question on this recipe. It is unclear about what ingredients you are referring to for the first processing instruct. Are you saying to pulse the crust ingredients first? I am pretty sure that is how it reads, but before I start I want to be sure. :-)
Thank you!
Elana says
Yemaya, thanks for your comment! I’ve updated the instructions for this recipe, providing the needed detail :-)
Vickie Georges says
Can I just omit the coconut? Is there something else I could/should substitute. DH and I despise coconut.
Elana says
Vickie, I haven’t tried that so not sure :-)
Anne says
These look so awesome I just have to make some. Like. NOW! I am plum out of almond flour, do you think I can make these with coconut flour?
Elana says
Anne, thanks so much. Unfortunately almond flour and coconut flour are not interchangeable. For more on that please go here:
https://elanaspantry.com/paleo-baking-almond-flour-vs-coconut-flour/
Enjoy!
Elana
Debra says
After being diagnosed with celiac a few months back, I was devastated. The day I got the dx. I pushed my uneaten apple turnover across my desk to a colleague; “take it” I cried, yes cried.
Then I found this website! My gloom has changed to hope. I’ve made the raspberry streusel bars and the vegan chocolate chip cookies. The best! Who needs gluten?! I have bookmarked the streusel coffee cake and will be making that tomorrow for Sunday breakfast. Thank You Elana for giving me hope. Before celiac I was an amateur baker; I can’t wait to get back to it!
Elana says
Debra, I’m so sorry you were diagnosed with celiac disease, but I’m very happy to meet you here and be on this healing path with you. Thanks for letting me know that these streusal bars are the best and I know you’ll love the coffee cake!
Joylene says
Thanks so much for all your wonderful recipes!! I’ve enjoyed so many of your recipes.
I made this for a book club and everyone loved them. I used honey for the sweetener. I made them again today this time with 1 tablespoon of coconut sugar and almonds instead of walnuts as that’s what I had on hand. I used a wonderful local mixed berry jam.
Just wanted to say thank you. :)
Elana says
So glad you like these Joylene. You’re welcome!
Laurie says
ooooohhhh these look great!
Would love to make these streusel bars but my son is sensitive to almonds. Anyone use any other kind of flour and how much did you use!
Thanks
Talia says
I just made these cookies… with a few modifications because I didn’t want to run to the store. They are delicious at any rate! I used 3/4 cup coconut sugar instead of agave/honey, 2 tablespoons hazelnut milk, 1/4 cup chocolate chips, and sunflower oil instead of shortening. They turned out great! Excellent recipe, Elana!