Big thanks to Ashley Martens for this delicious recipe!

The summer season is finally here, which means backyard BBQs, community cookouts and picnics in the park with family, friends and neighbors. If you are looking for a dish to pass, there are a lot of delicious options such as a summertime salad, fresh fruit from the local farmers market or everyone’s favorite, a decadent dessert.

Whether you are looking for a gluten-free dessert, a refined sugar free dessert or a Vegan dessert, you are in luck because we have a tasty recipe for you that is all three. That’s right! This recipe for Cinnamon Oatmeal Raisin Rice Crispy Bars is gluten-free, refined sugar-free and Vegan.

Ingredients:

• 8 individual Cinnamon Oatmeal Raisin Cookies (or enough cookies to make 1 ½ cups of cookie crumbles) 
• 3 cups brown rice crispy cereal
• ⅓ cup nut/seed butter of choice (We used cashew butter)
• ⅓ cup natural sweetener of choice agave, *honey or maple syrup
• 4 tablespoons melted coconut oil or 4 tablespoons 

*If Vegan, choose agave, maple syrup or 4 pitted dates. If using dates, soak the dates in warm water for 15 minutes before blending.

Directions:

#1 Line an 8-inch square baking pan with parchment paper or wax paper. Set aside.

#2 Place Cinnamon Oatmeal Raisin Cookies in food processor and blend until cookies create 1 ½ cups of cookie crumbles, which is roughly 8 cookies. *If you want a thicker cookie crust for the bottom of your bars, make 3 cups of cookie crumbles or 16 cookies.

#3 Melt 4 tablespoons of coconut oil and pour over cookie crumbles then blend until cookie crumbles are well mixed with the melted coconut oil. *If using 3 cups of cookie crumbles, add 8 tablespoons of melted coconut oil instead of 4.

#4 Place cookie crumble mixture into an 8-inch square baking pan and press out evenly using a spatula.

#5 Grab a microwave safe bowl and add natural sweetener and nut/seed butter of choice. Heat for 30 seconds then stir. Continue this step until the natural sweetener and nut/seed butter begin to caramelize creating a delicious mixture. Depending on the strength of your microwave, you should only have to do this 2-3 times.

#6 Add cereal to nut/seed butter and natural sweetener mixture then fold together with a spatula until thoroughly combined. Be gentle so you don’t crush the cereal.

#7 Pour cereal mixture over cookie crust then gently press it down using a spatula.

#8 Place baking pan in the freezer for one hour to chill then remove and slice into squares before serving.

Be sure to tag us @maxinesheavenly so we can see your Cinnamon Oatmeal Rice Crispy Cookie Bars!