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Prep time
1 hour 10 minutes
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Cook time
25 minutes
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makes
16 to 20 bars, depending on the pan you use (see headnote)
Author Notes
Salty, nutty, and a little bit sweet, these bars are here to shake up your snack routine and set you up for any daily schedule. Whether you're working from home, commuting, or traveling, these bars will be there for you. Not only are they deliciously flavorful and moreish, they’re also packed with protein and nutrient-dense fats. Oh, and they last weeks—which means they really do save you whenever you need something you can grab and go.
The savory flavors are thanks to the addition of dukkah—a scrumptious Egyptian condiment made from seeds, nuts, and spices. Although it’s pretty easy to purchase, when made fresh, dukkah is intensely flavorful and possesses the ability to transform anything with just a sprinkle. Included here is my favorite way to make it, with hazelnuts, black pepper, sesame, coriander, cumin, and fennel. The dukkah recipe also gives you some leftovers to play with, so I’m hoping this is the nudge you need to spend a little time making it first.
The bars are held together and very lightly sweetened with brown rice syrup. Made from boiled and fermented brown rice, it looks a little like honey, but this mild sweetener tends to have a less dramatic effect on blood sugar levels than many others. You’ll also find it used in all my granola recipes, as it adds a malty flavor and wonderful crunch when baked.
Note: It can take up to 10 minutes to blend the nuts and seeds into a liquidy nut butter. The exact amount of time depends on the sharpness of your food processor blade. Just be sure that the nut and seed mixture is smooth, shiny, and quite loose before continuing with the recipe.
You can use almost any pan you have on hand for these bars. Using different-shaped pans keeps things interesting. Here are the pans I like to use and the yields they will give you:
8-inch (20-centimeter) round cake pan: 20 (1-inch) wedges
8-inch (20-centimeter) square cake pan: 16 (1¾-inch) squares
5x9½-inch (13x24-centimeter) loaf pan: 18 (½-inch) slices
13x4-inch (33x10-centimeter) rectangular tart pan: 18 (1½-inch) wedges
Adapted from Whole Food Cooking Every Day by Amy Chaplin (Artisan Books). © 2019.
A variation of this recipe was featured on our new cook-along podcast Play Me a Recipe. Listen as Amy cooks her way through this recipe, offering insider tips and backstory along the way. —Amy Chaplin
Ingredients
- Hazelnut Dukkah Bars
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1 cup
(4 1/2 ounces | 130 grams) raw hazelnuts
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1 cup
(5 ounces | 140 grams) raw pumpkin seeds
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1/2 cup
(2 1/2 ounces | 70 grams) raw unhulled sesame seeds
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2 cups
(3 1/2 ounces | 100 grams) unsweetened flaked dried coconut
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1/2 cup
(1 3/4 ounces | 50 grams) Hazelnut Dukkah, see recipe below
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1/2 teaspoon
fine sea salt, plus more to taste
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1/2 cup
(80 milliliters) brown rice syrup
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1 teaspoon
vanilla extract
- Hazelnut Dukkah
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1/2 cup
(2 1/4 ounces | 65 grams) raw hazelnuts
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1/2 cup
(2 1/2 ounces | 70 grams) raw unhulled sesame seeds
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2 tablespoons
(1/3 ounce | 10 grams) coriander seeds
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2 tablespoons
(1/3 ounce | 10 grams) cumin seeds
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1 tablespoon
fennel seeds
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1 teaspoon
flaky sea salt
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1 teaspoon
freshly ground black pepper
Directions
- Hazelnut Dukkah Bars
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Heat the oven to 300°F (150°C). Choose your pan (see headnote) and line the bottom and sides with parchment paper.
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Spread the hazelnuts on a parchment lined sheet pan and toast for 14 to 16 minutes or until fragrant and golden brown. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool. Remove the skins with your finger tips and pick the nuts off the tray, leaving the skins behind. Compost the skins and return the parchment to the sheet pan. Coarsely chop the hazelnuts and set aside.
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Place the pumpkin and sesame seeds in a large strainer and rinse well under cold running water. Set over a bowl to drain thoroughly.
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Spread the seeds out over the parchment-lined sheet pan. Toast for 15 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and sprinkle the coconut over top. Return to the oven for another 8 minutes, or until the coconut is lightly browning and the seeds are toasted. Transfer the mixture to a bowl, add the chopped hazelnuts, prepared Hazelnut Dukkah, and salt and mix well. Transfer 2 cups of the mixture to a food processor and process, scraping the sides as necessary, until the mixture is smooth and liquid (this can take up to 10 minutes); set aside.
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Place the rice syrup in a small pot over medium heat. Once it simmers, stir in the vanilla and remove from the heat. Add the ground seed mixture to the syrup mixture and stir until smooth. Pour into the bowl with the remaining toasted seeds and coconut and stir until thoroughly combined; you may need to use your hands to do this. Using clean, damp hands, press the mixture firmly and evenly into the parchment-lined pan.
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Put the bars in the fridge for 1 hour or in the freezer for 30 minutes, or until thoroughly chilled and set. Cut into wedges, slices, or squares, depending on your pan shape, and store in an airtight container at cool room temperature for up to 4 weeks; in warmer weather, store in the fridge. The bars can be frozen for up to 3 months.
- Hazelnut Dukkah
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Heat the oven to 300°F (150°C).
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Spread the hazelnuts on a parchment lined sheet pan and toast for 14 to 16 minutes or until fragrant and golden brown. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool. Remove the skins with your finger tips and pick the nuts off the tray, leaving the skins behind. Compost the skins and save the parchment paper for another use.
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Warm a large skillet over medium-low heat. Add the sesame, coriander, cumin, and fennel seeds and toast, stirring frequently, for 4 to 5 minutes, until deeply fragrant. Transfer to a food processor and grind until the spices are cracked. Add the hazelnuts and pulse until crushed. Add the salt and pepper and pulse to combine, then transfer to a jar. Secure with the lid once the dukkah has cooled and store in a cool, dark place for up to 3 months. (Makes 1³/₄ cups | 5¹/₂ ounces | 155 grams.)
Amy Chaplin is a two-time James Beard Award-winning cookbook author and vegetarian chef. Amy's approach to cooking is inspired by nature and the healing benefits of whole food ingredients. Her recipes have been featured in T Magazine, the Wall Street Journal, the Washington Post, and Vogue, among other publications. She divides her time between Brooklyn and Upstate New York.
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