Cranberry Orange Bars No Bake (Paleo, Vegan, Gluten Free)

Cranberry Orange Bars No Bake (Paleo, Vegan, Gluten Free)

I am in charge of bringing the desserts at our holiday festivities. I was just starting to plan my Paleo Thanksgiving dessert menu when I received a package at my doorstep. It was the Real Life Paleo Cookbook – perfect timing!

I flipped through the gorgeous cookbook and found these delicious looking No Bake Cranberry Orange Bars. I couldn’t wait to make them to see if they would be a good fit for my Paleo Thanksgiving menu.

They were a cinch to make and wow did we love them. They require zero baking and contain only a minimal amount of natural sweetener. I especially enjoy bold and contrasting flavors and these bars had just that. There’s the crunchy walnut crust, creamy coconut middle followed by a tangy cranberry and orange layer that has just the perfect amount of tang and sweetness. Perfection! I know my family is going to swoon over these no bake cranberry orange bars at Thanksgiving 🙂

 Matt and Stacy, the authors of Real Life Paleo, are generously letting me share their No Bake Cranberry Orange Bars recipe with you. You’ll definitely want to make them, trust me.

And while you’re at it, order a copy of Real Life Paleo for yourself and one for a friend who wants to begin the transition to eating real food. This is the perfect guide and cookbook for those that are desperately wanting to transition to an unprocessed and real foods lifestyle but have been struggling to do so. 

No Bake Cranberry Orange Bars Recipe

Cranberry Orange Bars No Bake (Paleo, Vegan, Gluten Free)

 

Author:

Paleo Parents via Real Life Paleo

Serves: 16 2-inch bars

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"Cranberry Orange No Bake Coconut Bars" from Real Life Paleo Cookbook Recipe shared with permission from the authors.

Ingredients

• ¾ cup soft Medjool dates, pitted
• 1½ cups raw walnuts
• 1 cup unsweetened coconut flakes
• ¼ cup honey (or other sweetener of choice)
• 1 cup coconut cream concentrate or 1 cup coconut butter blended with 1 tablespoon coconut oil until loose and almost liquid
• 3 cups fresh cranberries
• 1 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
• zest of 1 orange

Instructions

1. In a food processor, pulse the dates and walnuts until a thick paste forms. Press into an 8-by-8-inch baking dish by hand to form an even crust layer at the bottom.
2. In a small mixing bowl, fold the coconut flakes into the honey and coconut cream concentrate until fully incorporated. Press this mixture on top of the crust.
3. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, stir together the cranberries and orange juice. Bring to a simmer, while stirring frequently. The cranberries will begin to "pop" and release their juices.
4. When all the cranberries have popped and a thick jelly forms, about 10 minutes, pour over the top of the coconut layer and smooth the top with a spatula. Top with the orange zest.
5. Refrigerate for 1 hour to set the cranberry jelly before cutting into squares and serving.

Notes

If you're not able to obtain fresh cranberries, you can use any fruit (strawberries work wonderfully), but add a dash of gelatin powder. As with the cranberries, heat the fruit and orange juice together until thickened.

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