Ami Paleo Raspberry Coconut Bars – A Clean Energy Boost for the Trail
Looking for a clean, energy-packed snack that fuels your outdoor adventures? These Paleo Raspberry Coconut Bars are a perfect balance of tart and sweet, and are packed with real food ingredients. They are free of grains, dairy, and refined sugar, and designed to provide stable energy for your day out.
It’s Raspberry Season!
Mid-summer (which is now, at the time of writing) means it is raspberry season! There’s nothing better than baking with berries at their peak. It’s the perfect time to pick up a pint at your local farmers’ market or head out on a foraging adventure. If you’re lucky, you might find wild raspberries growing along trails or forest edges. Wild blackberries also make a delicious substitute.
Why You’ll Love These Paleo Raspberry Coconut Bars
- Nutritious Ingredients: These bars are made with almond flour, coconut oil, and shredded coconut, giving them plenty of protein, fiber, and healthy fats for sustained energy.
- A Lightly Sweetened Treat: Natural sweetness from maple syrup keeps added sugars to a minimum.
- Free of Gluten and Refined Sugars: There is no white flour or granulated sugar in this recipe.
- Paleo Compliant Snack – This recipe is paleo compliant.
- Anti-inflammatory: Read more about the anti-inflammatory and nutritional benefits of raspberries below.
Raspberries Are a Superfood
Raspberries are a powerhouse fruit, especially for athletes looking to support heart health, and optimize energy and recovery. Naturally low in sugar—containing approximately half of the sugar of blueberries—they offer flavor without spiking blood glucose levels. Rich in antioxidants, particularly anthocyanins, raspberries help fight inflammation and oxidative stress, supporting faster recovery. They’re also high in potassium, which is essential for proper heart function and helps lower blood pressure. The omega-3 fatty acids in raspberries may help reduce the risk of stroke and heart disease. Manganese supports bone health, glowing skin, and stable blood sugar.
Compared to blueberries, raspberries provide more magnesium and folate, making them especially beneficial for energy metabolism and cellular repair. Raspberries are also an excellent source of Vitamin C, giving your immune system a natural boost. With their potent anti-inflammatory properties and nutritional edge, raspberries are a smart choice for fueling an your adventure.
Some Sweeteners are Better Than Others
Using a small amount of maple syrup to sweeten your homemade energy bars can support stable blood sugar levels, especially when paired with fiber, healthy fats, and protein. As a paleo-compliant sweetener, maple syrup is minimally processed. It is naturally derived from tree sap, making it a better choice than refined sugars. It also contains trace minerals like manganese and zinc, which support metabolic health. When combined with slow-digesting ingredients like almond flour and nut butters, maple syrup helps provide a steady release of energy—without the spikes and crashes linked to high-glycemic sweeteners.
Nuts – A Powerhouse Ingredient
Nuts are the powerhouse ingredient in this homemade energy bar recipe. Almond flour offers high-quality plant-based protein that outdoor athletes need to support muscle repair and sustained energy. Rich in essential amino acids, healthy fats, and micronutrients like magnesium and vitamin E, nuts help fuel endurance activities while also aiding in recovery. The protein in nuts slows digestion, promoting a steady release of energy and helping to prevent blood sugar crashes. Whether it’s almonds, walnuts, or cashews, adding nuts to your homemade energy bar ensures you’re getting a nutrient-dense, portable source of strength and stamina on the trail.
Pro Tip for Trail Use
Wrap individual bars in parchment and store in a sealed container or silicone pouch. They hold up well at moderate temperatures and don’t melt like chocolate-based snacks.
Looking for other trail snack ideas? Check out the She Runs Far snack recipe collection.
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Paleo Raspberry Coconut Bars – Easy Home Made Trail Snack Recipe
- Total Time: 52
- Yield: 12
- Diet: Gluten Free
Description
Looking for a clean, energy-packed snack that fuels your outdoor adventures without weighing you down? These Paleo Raspberry Coconut Bars are a perfect balance of tart and sweet. Packed with real food ingredients and free of grains, dairy, and refined sugar, they’re designed to provide stable energy for your day out.
Ingredients
- 2 cups almond flour
- 4 tbsp coconut flour
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/3 cup coconut oil, melted
- 1/3 cup maple syrup
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 cups fresh or frozen raspberries (thawed and drained if frozen)
- 1 tbsp maple syrup
- 1 tbsp tapioca flour
- 1 tbsp water
- 1/3 cup shredded unsweetened coconut
Instructions
Prepare Shortbread Crust
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Line an 8×8-inch pan with parchment paper.
- In a bowl, mix almond flour, coconut flour, salt, vanilla extract, maple syrup, and melted coconut oil. Stir until well combined into a firm dough.
- Reserve 1/4 of the dough in a small bowl and refrigerate.
- Press 3/4 of the dough into the prepared pan, forming a firmly pressed crust on the bottom.
- Bake for 12 minutes, or until the crust is lightly browned.
- Allow the crust to cool.
Prepare Raspberry Compote
- In a sauce pan, mix the raspberries, maple syrup, tapioca flour, and water.
- On medium-low heat, warm the mixture until the raspberries have broken down (some lumps are okay), and the sauce has thickened a bit. This will take approximately five minutes. Add a small amount of additional water if needed to prevent scorching.
- Let the compote cool.
Assemble Bar
- Spoon the raspberry compote over the baked shortbread crust.
- Add the shredded coconut to the reserved shortbread dough. Mix well. Crumble the mixture over the raspberry compote layer, creating an even layer of crumble across the top of the bars.
Bake
- Bake in the oven for 20 minutes, or until the crumble is lightly browned.
- Remove from the oven and cool the pan on a rack.
Chill, Slice, and Serve
- Place the pan in the fridge to chill and firm up.
- Slice into bars. (If you slice the bars when warm, you will have more of a crumble, less of a bar.)
- Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to five days.
- Prep Time: 20
- Cook Time: 32
- Category: Trail snack
- Method: Baked
- Cuisine: North American
