3tablespoonsgrass-fed butter, melted (ghee or coconut oil)
3tablespoonshoney or maple syrup
1teaspoonvanilla extract
1 ¾cupsblanched almond flour
2tablespoonsstarch; tapioca or arrowroot
¼teaspoonsea salt
¼teaspoonground cinnamon
Nut Topping
⅓cuppistachios, chopped
⅓cupwalnuts, chopped
¼cupcoconut sugar, or other granulate sugar
½teaspoonground cinnamon
⅛teaspoonground cloves
⅛teaspoonground nutmeg
3tablespoonsunsalted grass-fed butter, melted (ghee or coconut oil)
Honey Syrup
⅓cuphoney
3tablespoonswater
1tablespoonfresh lemon juice
1stick cinnamon
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350°F and line an 8-inch square metal baking pan with two pieces of parchment paper in either direction, allow the parchment to hang over on either side so it's easier to lift out.
In a small bowl, whisk together your melted fat or oil, with the honey and vanilla extract. In a larger bowl, whisk together the almond flour, starch, sea salt, and cinnamon, add the butter mixture to the flour and mix until incorporated. Press dough evenly into bottom of the parchment-lined pan. Before you bake the crust, start the syrup.
Make the syrup. Combine honey, water, and lemon juice and cinnamon stick in a saucepan over medium heat and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and let mixture simmer until syrupy, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool while you make the bars, should cool about 10 minutes, total.
While the syrup is coming to a boil, place the crust into the oven and bake for 8 to 10 minutes, until lightly golden and set. Do not over bake it, do not let it get super browned. If it isn't quite set, give it another minute or two.
While the crust bakes, make the nut topping. Combine nuts, coconut sugar, cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg in a small bowl; add melted butter and stir until incorporated. Spoon topping evenly over the warm crust and return pan to oven. Continue baking another 5 to 8 minutes, until golden. Watch it carefully so it doesn't brown too much or burn.
As the bars finish baking, remove the cinnamon stick from the cooled honey syrup.
Place the baked bars in the pan on a wire rack and drizzle syrup over the still-warm topping, tilting pan slightly to coat evenly. Cool bars completely in pan, allow to set. At least an hour, if not two (I know, I know, patience)
Carefully lift parchment and place bars on a cutting board; cut with a sharp knife. Cut into three even rows. Then cut each row into 3 squares. Then cut each square in half diagonally so you end up with triangles, similar to traditional baklava.
Add an additional drizzle of honey, if you'd like. Store leftover bars in an airtight container in the fridge up to 3 days, at room temperature up to 2 days or freeze for 3 months. Enjoy.