By Kelly Bogard
Food allergies are an inconvenience, at best, and a gluten allergy can be a major pain. For the one in 133 Americans with celiac disease, everyday foods like cereal and cookies usually are off limits, and finding gluten-free recipes – that taste good – can be really difficult. (For more information about celiac disease, read Amanda Hill’s “Living gluten free” post.) But guess what? I found a delicious recipe for Gluten Free Nirvana Bars from a fantastic blog, Gluten-Free Goddess. With her permission, Gluten-Free Goddess has allowed us to share this recipe with you.
For Gluten Free Nirvana Bars, you will need…
1 1/2 cup gluten free chocolate cookies
1/2 cup butter
1 can (14 oz.) sweetened condensed milk
1 cup (heaping) chocolate chips
1 cup sweetened flaked coconut
1 cup roasted almonds (salted), chopped
These sweet bar cookies are super gooey, and you’d never know they were missing gluten unless someone told you. They don’t taste any different than a regular cookie and can be enjoyed by all.
First things first, preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Then add your butter to a 9-by-13 glass baking dish and place it in the warming oven. The butter melts by the time you’re ready for the next step.
Now, take your gluten free chocolate cookies and pulse them in a food processer until they are all crumbled. Once the cookies are crumbled, remove them and use the same process to chop your almonds.
Sprinkle your cookie crumbs into the baking dish and mix together with the butter. Press the cookie and butter mixture to the bottom of the dish to make a crust. It may look like you have too much butter at this point, but it cooks away and keeps the bottom of the bars from getting too dry after baking. 
Pour the sweetened condensed milk into the dish and spread evenly over the cookie mixture.
Sprinkle with chocolate chips.
Add a layer of coconut.
Follow with a layer of chopped almonds. Press them to the other layers so the bars pack down.
Finish off by sprinkling a few more chocolate chips on for good measure.
Bake for 20-25 minutes. Once the bars are finished cooking, allow them to cool before cutting.
These sweet cookies are gooey, moist and definitely a crowd pleaser. I brought them up to the office, and they brought smiles all around. So next time you’re looking for a treat, try these out and invite your friends with celiac disease to join you. It’s a treat they won’t have to worry about indulging in. And don’t forget to visit Gluten-Free Goddess for more gluten-free resources and yummy recipes.
From all of us at Texas Table Top, enjoy!
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Recipe: Gluten Free Nirvana Bars
Summary: Sweet, gooey bar cookies that are gluten free
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cup gluten free chocolate cookies
- 1/2 cup butter
- 1 can (14 oz.) sweetened condensed milk
- 1 cup (heaping) chocolate chips
- 1 cup sweetened flaked coconut
- 1 cup roasted almonds (salted), chopped
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Place the butter in a 9-by-13-inch baking pan and set it in the oven until the butter is melted. Tilt the pan to coat the bottom evenly.
- Crumble cookies in food processor; set aside. Chop almonds in food processor; set aside.
- Sprinkle the cookie crumbs in the buttered pan and toss them to coat; press them into a layer.
- Pour the sweetened condensed milk over the cookie layer.
- Add a layer of chocolate chips, then a layer of coconut, then almonds.
- Using the back of a spatula, press the mixture firmly into the pan.
- Sprinkle a few extra chocolate chips on the top, and gently press them in.
- Bake at 350 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes, until set.
- Cool completely on a wire rack. Chill before cutting.
Cooking time (duration): 25 minutes
Number of servings (yield): 15-20
Recipe courtesy of Gluten-Free Goddess, http://glutenfreegoddess.blogspot.com/2007/12/nirvana-bars.html.
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So what about the high amount of sugar in these cookies? You don’t even publish the amount of sugar in the recipe. Is there a cookie recipe that is both gluten free and does not contain artificial sugars or other sugar laden ingredients?
Hi, Laura. The goal of this recipe was to offer a gluten-free alternative to regular cookies for those with a gluten intolerance. Though there is sugar in this recipe, the amount is comparable to a bar cookie made with ingredients containing gluten. There are several websites and blogs, including Gluten-Free Goddess, with recipes that may fit both your gluten-free and low-sugar requirements. Thanks for reading.