Wholesome & Delicious: Two-Nut Maple Bars with Dark Chocolate and Maple Syrup
First and foremost, a heartfelt thank you to everyone who shared their wonderful comments and enthusiasm for our recent giveaway! Your engagement truly fuels our passion for baking and sharing new creations. Speaking of delicious recipes and community spirit, we have something truly special to unveil today: a wholesome and remarkably flavorful cookie bar that’s perfect for the autumn season and beyond. This recipe takes a delightful turn towards a healthier approach, incorporating whole wheat flour, an abundance of rich nuts, decadent dark chocolate, and the natural sweetness of pure maple syrup. It’s a bar cookie that offers both indulgence and a touch of goodness, making it an ideal treat for yourself or to share with loved ones.
Inspired by a recipe from Better Homes and Gardens, these maple nut bars were designed with a distinct “healthy slant.” The original concept caught our eye due to its use of whole wheat and maple syrup as a primary sweetener, moving away from refined sugars. However, when we first encountered the recipe, it had a solitary review, which, rather surprisingly, claimed the bars lacked flavor. This immediately piqued our interest and led us on a culinary journey of exploration and adaptation. We believe that even the most promising recipes can sometimes benefit from a few thoughtful tweaks to unlock their full potential, especially when aiming for a truly memorable taste experience. This particular challenge presented an exciting opportunity to enhance the flavor profile and create a bar cookie that truly shines.
The Culinary Journey: Refining a Wholesome Recipe
Upon reviewing the original recipe, the single negative comment about a lack of flavor made us pause. Our first thought went straight to a fundamental baking principle: salt. It’s often the unsung hero in baking, crucial for enhancing and balancing flavors, not just making things “salty.” If a recipe omits salt and doesn’t specify salted butter, we almost always add a pinch or two to ensure the flavors pop. For these two-nut maple bars, we instinctively incorporated a small amount of salt, convinced it would make a significant difference in bringing out the rich notes of the maple, nuts, and chocolate. This small but mighty addition proved to be a game-changer, transforming the bars from potentially bland to beautifully balanced.
Beyond the salt, we also decided to scale down the recipe to fit an 8-inch square pan, which is a more manageable batch size for home bakers or smaller households. This adjustment ensures that you get perfect, thick bars without needing to bake an excessively large quantity. Our baking process always involves careful consideration of pan size and ingredient ratios to achieve optimal results. Then came the deliberation over the chocolate-hazelnut frosting. Initially, we found ourselves quibbling over its sweetness, fearing it might overpower the delicate flavors of the bar. There was also a moment of hesitation about omitting butter from the frosting, as it’s a common ingredient for richness and texture. However, we decided to stick largely to the frosting recipe as written, with one delightful addition: a little extra Nutella to boost that irresistible chocolate-hazelnut essence.
Ultimately, we opted for a different application method for the frosting. Instead of spreading a thick layer, which might have indeed been too sweet or heavy, we piped it over the cooled bars. This technique allowed for a lighter, more glaze-like finish, enabling us to control the amount applied and ensuring it complemented rather than overshadowed the bars. This subtle modification transformed the frosting into a decorative and flavorful drizzle, adding an extra layer of deliciousness without overwhelming the wholesome nature of the cookie. The result was a set of maple nut bars that were not only visually appealing but also perfectly balanced in flavor and texture, truly a testament to thoughtful recipe adaptation.
Spotlight on Key Ingredients: Health, Flavor, and Texture
What truly makes these Two-Nut Maple Bars stand out is their thoughtful selection of ingredients, each contributing to both the health benefits and the remarkable flavor profile. Let’s delve into why these components are so essential:
The Goodness of Whole Wheat Flour
Unlike traditional bar cookie recipes that often rely on all-purpose flour, these maple nut bars proudly feature whole wheat flour. This choice isn’t just about a “healthy slant”; it’s about adding a nutty depth of flavor and a significant boost in nutritional value. Whole wheat flour retains the bran and germ of the wheat kernel, which are packed with fiber, vitamins (like B vitamins), and minerals (such as iron, magnesium, and zinc). Incorporating whole grains into your diet is known to support digestive health, help manage blood sugar levels, and provide sustained energy. In these bars, whole wheat flour contributes a pleasant, hearty texture and a subtle, earthy flavor that beautifully complements the other ingredients, elevating the bar beyond a simple sweet treat.
Pure Maple Syrup: Nature’s Sweetener
Moving away from refined sugars, pure maple syrup serves as the primary sweetener in this recipe. Beyond its delightful, distinct flavor, maple syrup offers a more complex sweetness compared to granulated sugar. It’s also rich in antioxidants and contains various minerals like manganese, zinc, calcium, and potassium. Its unique caramel-like notes perfectly enhance the nutty flavors of the hazelnuts and pecans, while also creating a wonderfully moist and tender crumb in the bars. Using maple syrup not only contributes to the “healthy slant” but also infuses the bars with an authentic, natural sweetness that is incredibly satisfying and comforting, especially during cooler months.
A Medley of Nuts and Rich Dark Chocolate
Our recipe specifically calls for two types of nuts: hazelnuts and pecans. This combination isn’t arbitrary; it’s a careful choice to maximize flavor and texture. Hazelnuts bring a distinct, earthy, and slightly sweet flavor with a satisfying crunch, while pecans offer a buttery, rich taste and a slightly softer texture. Together, they create a harmonious blend that adds incredible depth and complexity to each bite. Nuts are, of course, a powerhouse of nutrition, providing healthy fats, protein, and fiber, contributing to satiety and overall well-being. The addition of dark chocolate pieces or chips introduces a welcome bitterness that cuts through the sweetness of the maple syrup and complements the richness of the nuts. Dark chocolate, known for its antioxidant properties, adds a luxurious touch and a delightful melt-in-your-mouth experience, making these bars truly irresistible.
The Unforgettable Flavor Profile and Serving Suggestions
So, what’s the verdict on these Two-Nut Maple Bars? While they might not be the flashy, super-sweet showstoppers you’d bring to a traditional cookie exchange (though they certainly could hold their own!), they are, without a doubt, a superb creation for personal enjoyment. The whole wheat flour provides a robust, satisfying base, while the toasted hazelnuts and pecans infuse every bite with a deep, earthy, and buttery crunch. The dark chocolate melts delicately, offering pockets of intense cocoa flavor that beautifully contrast with the natural sweetness of the maple syrup. The resulting texture is perfectly balanced – chewy and moist, with just the right amount of structure from the nuts.
These bars are more sophisticated than your average cookie. They possess a comforting, wholesome character that makes them an ideal companion for a quiet moment. Imagine a crisp autumn afternoon, a warm cup of coffee or a fragrant Earl Grey tea, and one of these delightful maple nut bars. The subtle, nuanced flavors truly shine when savored slowly. They’re perfect for a quick breakfast on the go, a midday pick-me-up, or a satisfying dessert after a meal. The optional chocolate-hazelnut frosting, applied sparingly as a drizzle, adds a final touch of richness and a hint of extra sweetness without overwhelming the bar’s inherent goodness. We encourage you to try them and discover their unique charm for yourself; they are certainly a recipe we will be making again and again for our own enjoyment.
For those interested in the original source of inspiration, the Better Homes and Gardens recipe, featuring four nuts, is titled BHG’s Four Nut and Maple Bars. Our version focuses on the harmonious blend of hazelnuts and pecans, with a few personal modifications to enhance flavor and texture in a smaller, more home-friendly batch, including that essential dash of vanilla and a pinch of salt. Here’s our adapted recipe, ready for you to bake and enjoy!
Recipe
Two Nut Maple Bars
Cookie Madness
Pin Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup whole wheat flour
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 large egg white
- ¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
- ¼ cup canola oil or light tasting olive oil
- ¼ cup milk
- ¾ teaspoon vanilla
- ¾ cups toasted hazelnuts and pecans
- ½ cup dark chocolate pieces or dark chocolate chips
- Chocolate-Hazelnut Frosting
- 2-3 tablespoons chocolate-hazelnut spread Nutella!
- 1 ½ tablespoons milk
- ½ tablespoon pure maple syrup
- ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- ½ cup plus 2 tablespoons powdered sugar
Instructions
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Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line an 8 inch square metal pan with foil and spray with flour-added cooking spray.
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Combine flour, baking powder, soda and salt in a large mixing bow; set aside.
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In medium bowl whisk together egg whites, maple syrup, oil, milk and vanilla; add to flour mixture. Stir to combine. Stir in the cooled toasted nuts and the chocolate. Spread in prepared pan.
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Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near center comes out clean. Cool on wire rack and then lift from pan. Spread with Chocolate-Hazelnut Frosting or put the frosting in a freezer bag, snip off the bottom corner, and pipe stripes of it over the top.
Notes