These Chocolate Berry Bars have an almond flour crust topped with vegan chocolate ganache and fresh raspberries and blueberries. These dessert bars are beautiful, delicious, and better for you – they’re gluten-free, vegan, refined sugar-free, and Paleo.
I got a new camera! And these photos are the first photos I’m posting that I took using it. What do you think?!
I went pro, and bought myself the Canon 6D and the 100mm f/2.8L Macro Lens (those are affiliate links). It cost a whole lot of money and it sort of hurt to pay it, I was due for an upgrade and I’m glad I splurged and got a really great camera and lens. I still barely know how to use it, but since I’m coming from another Canon (the Rebel T3 – discontinued, here’s the newer version; and 50mm f/1.8 lens), the learning curve isn’t too steep.
I was struggling when I was trying to photograph with the new camera when I was at my dad’s in San Diego, but once I got home and back to my set up, I’ve been able to figure it all out pretty quickly.
The Chocolate Berry Bars are also a beautiful subject, so it was hard to do them wrong – I just had to capture the natural beauty of those berries! As much as I love sprinkles, some of the most beautiful desserts I’ve posted have raspberries as the star. Case in point: no-bake chocolate raspberry tart, chocolate berry tart + mocha raspberry cake).
These bars are as delicious as they are beautiful! The bottom layer is an almond flour crust that lightly crunchy and sweetened just enough to completely the bittersweet chocolate. The chocolate layer uses coconut milk to create a luscious and creamy vegan chocolate ganache, and then fresh berries are arranged on top of the chocolate ganache.
I opted to use raspberries and blueberries, but any other kind of berry that you prefer or have on hand would be great. After letting the bars set in the fridge for about an hour, cut into sixteen squares and enjoy! These will satisfy any chocolate craving, and you can enjoy them pretty guilt free thanks to their gluten-free/vegan/refined sugar-free/Paleo status.
Whip up a batch of these and keep them stored in your fridge or freezer – you’ll be happy to have them when a late night chocolate craving hits. Enjoy :D
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Chocolate Berry Bars (Paleo + Vegan)
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 12 minutes
- Total Time: 27 minutes
- Yield: 16 bars 1x
Ingredients
- 1 cups (4 oz.) almond flour
- 1 teaspoon coconut flour
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons coconut sugar
- ¼ cup coconut oil (melted)
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup
For the chocolate layer
- ½ cup canned full-fat coconut milk
- 5 oz. bittersweet chocolate (finely chopped)
- About 1 cup of assorted fresh berries (I used raspberries and blueberries)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line an 8×8-inch pan with parchment paper or foil and grease lightly.
- In large bowl, combine the almond flour, coconut flour, baking soda, salt, and coconut sugar. Whisk to combine. Add the coconut oil and maple syrup and toss to combine until the mixture sticks together.
- Press the crumb mixture evenly into the bottom of greased pan. Bake at 350°F for 11-13 minutes, or until golden brown around the edges. Let cool completely.
- Place finely chopped chocolate in a large bowl. In a small saucepan or in the microwave, just bring coconut milk to a boil (took about 30 seconds in my microwave). Pour hot coconut milk over chocolate and let stand 1 minute, then stir until smooth and creamy.
- Pour warm chocolate mixture over cooled crust. Arrange the berries on top as desired. Chill for at least one hour. Cut into 16 squares with a sharp knife.
- Category: Dessert
Gayle @ Pumpkin 'N Spice says
Yay for getting a new camera! Your pictures are just gorgeous, as always! And these bars look amazing! I was drooling after seeing them on your instagram account. Love the berries in here!
Rachel says
Thanks so much, Gayle!! :)
Jen | Baked by an Introvert says
Don’t you just love the new camera?! I recently got the same one. It’s taking me a bit more time to learn it though. I was using a Nikon. But you have it down pat. These bars look so delicious. Love the pop of color with the raspberries!
Rachel says
Thanks so much, Jen! I’m seriously loving the new camera even though it still baffles me a bit – I can’t imagine coming from a Nikon! I’m sure we’ll both get the hang out it pretty quick though :)
Phi @ The Sweetphi Blog says
Absolutely love the ingredients in these, and I just so happen to have a can of coconut milk in my fridge that I was thinking of what to do with, these bars are definitely happening this weekend!!
Abby says
Oh my goodness, these bars look INCREDIBLE, Rachel. And your photos are PERFECTION! <3
Stacey @ Bake.Eat.Repeat. says
Those bars look just fantastic – I love raspberries and chocolate together, so good! I got the same lens for Christmas and am so excited to use it – if only the sun would come out! I tried it out the other day but it was snowing out so I didn’t love anything! I still have the Rebel T3 body though – maybe one day I’ll upgrade that too! :)
Melanie @ Melanie Cooks says
What gorgeous bars! The layers are beautiful! And chocolate and raspberries is one of my favorite dessert combos – delicious! Your new camera is awesome – maybe one day I’ll get a DSLR as I’m still using the iphone :)
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Rachelle @ Beer Girl Cooks says
Congrats on the new camera! Your pictures are gorgeous and so are those berry bars! I love the vegan chocolate and the beautiful colors of the berries!
[email protected] says
You must hear this all the time but these are almost too pretty to eat..almost! Congratulations on your new camera! I know how exciting that is! I must say – I’ve always enjoyed your photography so it’s just a whole lot more of what we’re accustomed to! Have a lovely weekend, my dear!
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Medha (Whisk and Shout) says
These bars are stunning! Love how wholesome that crust layer is- I”m such a fan of baking with almond/coconut flour! Pinning :)
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[email protected] says
You boughtthe 100 2.8 lens!!! Wow lucky girl! It’s on my wish list for 2016 :-) I have the Canon EOS 600 and also love it :-)
This recipe looks amazing, I love the idea of an almond crust!!
Meghan | Fox and Briar says
I’ve always thought your photos were beautiful, but these are looking extra pretty! Congrats on the new camera! I am still getting the hang of my Rebel. And these bars are gorgeous! I want to eat them right now. Pinning!
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Rachel says
Thanks so much for love and the pin, Meghan!!
Patricia says
What a lovely recipe. Very impressed by your rows of berries – they’re perfect! Well done.
Shadi says
These look gorgeous and OMG that camera is awesome Rachel! You must be having so much fun using it!
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Rachel says
Thank you Shadi!! I am :) I’ll let you try it at the photography workshop!
Shadi says
Wonderful!! Can’t wait!
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genevieve @ gratitude & greens says
These berry bars are gorgeous! How do you like the Canon 6D? I really want to upgrade my camera (currently shooting with a 60D) but the cost of upgrading is just so painful! I’ve had mine for 6-7 years now and I’ve been thinking about upgrading for a while now. Have fun with the new camera!
Rachel says
Hi Genevieve! I’ve only shot two shoots so far with my new camera (this being one of them) but so far, I LOVE it! The pictures are just so clear and have such a high resolution, I feel like I barely had to edit at all. The cost definitely hurt but I just went with the camera/lens combo I had been dreaming of for years and figure I probably won’t have to upgrade again for a WHILE. As bloggers, we can also write off the cost as a business expense, which helps :) thanks so much!!
marcie says
These bars are gorgeous, Rachel, and once again you’ve made healthy look insanely delicious! Pinning to try!
Lisa @ Chocolate Meets Strawberry says
I don’t think I’ve ever seen anything so gorgeous in my life! I will DEFINITELY be making these – how could I not?? YUM! :)
Bethany @ Athletic Avocado says
I wouldn’t imagine that these bars are paleo and vegan at first glance, they look too good to be true! I need to make them asap! Love me some chocolate and berries:)
Kelly says
Yay for a new camera! These bars look gorgeous and I always love your photos! :) The chocolate and berry combo sound SO delicious!
Judith says
Oh my, I’m hooked on these gorgeous looking bars – great photos! I want to make some but I don’t want to buy a whole packet as it will probably not be used. Is there a substitute I could try for the 1 teaspoon of coconut flour? (Yes, I know I could use it for lots of other recipes, but I’m being realistic here!!)
Rachel says
Hi Judith, thanks for asking! I totally get that, and honestly, you could probably just leave it out with little consequence – the crust will just be a bit softer. If you want a crunchier crust you can sub the maple syrup for more coconut sugar. Hope this helps! Enjoy :)
karrie @ Tasty Ever After says
Congrats on the new camera! I would LOVE to own a 6D :) I also love this recipe and am excited to make it. Healthy, easy, and delicious means it’s a definite keeper :)
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[email protected] says
Congratulations on the new camera! Your pictures are gorgeous. I love the way those beautiful berries look on top of the bars!
Jessica @ Sweetest Menu says
You would never guess these are healthy! They look so incredible beautiful! Amazing Rachel!
Marissa | Pinch and Swirl says
So fun to get a new toy…especially when it’s a camera! Such beautiful shots too…
These bars look incredible. I love that crumbly crust.
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Cailee says
Oh.my.gosh. This recipe tho :) WOW! looks so delicious. I can’t believe these are vegan and paleo!! You’re so amazing! Thanks for sharing! Hope that you have a great week!
Michelle @ Modern Acupuncture says
Delicious! Can’t wait to give these a try!
Melanie @ Food Heals Me says
These bars look beautiful. I was scrolling down the pages on Finding Vegan and I saw the picture for these and thought “wow, I want to eat that”. It took me some time too when I got a new camera to figure out its settings and how to use it, but then when you get the hang of it it’s a lot of fun.
Rachel says
Hi Melanie, thank you so much! It’s definitely fun learning how to use it, and I think I’m finally starting to get the hang of it :)
Amri says
Hi did you use coconut milk in the cans or drinkable coconut milk?
Rachel says
Hi Amri, I specify to use full-fat, canned coconut in the recipe. Drinkable is too thin for this recipe!
Tina says
Is the crust supposed to be chewy? I was expecting it to be firmer, but now I’m not sure if I just didn’t bake it long enough.
Rachel says
Hi Tina, the crust of mine were crispy and I did bake until the crust was a pretty deep golden brown. If you’d like a crispier crust, you can also add an extra 1/2 to full teaspoon of coconut flour. Hope you’re still enjoying them!
Amy says
Hey just wondering could you use gluten free flour instead of almond flour?
Rachel says
I haven’t tried it, but I assume it would work just fine. Happy baking, Amy!
Rachel says
These pictures are stunning. I think you are doing that new camera justice.
Rachel says
Thank you so much, Rachel!
Eden Passante says
Looks like a great recipe! It’s hard to find good vegan desserts!
Kirsty says
Just wondering can I sub in non-paleo/gluten free/dairy alternative like cow’s milk, wheat flour etc
Rachel says
Hi Kirsty, yes for sure. I haven’t tested it that way but it should be fine. I would use brown sugar in place of the coconut sugar, all-purpose flour instead of the almond (and skip the coconut flour entirely), butter for the coconut oil, and heavy cream for the coconut milk. Hope this helps!
Susana says
I don’t have almond flour on hand. Is it okay to use whole wheat instead? Would it be the same amount?
Rachel says
Hi Susana! I haven’t made this recipe with wheat flour, so I can’t 100% guarantee that it will work, but it should be totally fine and I imagine it will work perfectly. Yes, you will use the same amount. You can also skip the coconut flour – it’s there to help bind the almond flour. Hope this helps – enjoy! :)
Hansika Iyer says
Tried these and they came out amazing! Super easy and super yummy! Can’t wait to make them again :)
Rachel says
So glad you enjoyed them, Hansika!
Gabrielle says
Confirming the amount of almond flour – is it 4oz (1/2 cup) or 1 cup and 4 oz?
Thanks
Rachel says
Hi Gabrielle – it’s 1 cup of almond flour, which weighs out to 4 oz.
mira says
These look gorgeous! Pinning to try them!
Rachel says
Thanks for the love, Mira!
Averill says
Hello,
These look delicious!!
Just wondering if almond meal is the same as almond flour ? I seem to only be able to purchase almond meal in the supermarket.
Thanks, Averill
Rachel says
Hi Averill, usually almond meal is unblanched and almond flour is blanched…I generally prefer almond flour, but almond meal will do the trick if it’s all you can find. Enjoy!
Anna says
Hi Rachel,
This is absolutely divine. My 3 year old help me to bake it. So easy and something you can do with your little ones just mixing the ingredients and laying on the berries. Thank you once again for this wonderful and gorgeous recipe.
Rachel says
I’m so happy to hear you’re loving the bars, Anna! How fun to make them with your 3 year old too. Enjoy, and thanks for your feedback!
Lisa says
These were awesome. Relatively easy and tasted delicious. My friends were impressed with how gorgeous they were and went back for seconds and thirds. Thanks for this recipe!
Rachel says
Thanks so much for the love, Lisa! So glad they were a hit and thanks for your feedback.