If you're looking for the cinnamon bun taste without the downside of all the processed ingredients, give these a try. We've even included a sweet potato frosting for them that might surprise you.
Adapted from Chef AJ
Cinnamon Bars
- 2 tablespoons almonds
- 8 dates
- 2 cups rolled oats
- 1 ripe banana
- ¾ cup applesauce
- 1 tablespoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon vanilla powder or 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup raisins
- 2 tablespoons baking powder
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
Preheat oven to 350º F.
Add almonds and dates to a food processor and process to a fine chunkiness.
Add the oats, bananas, applesauce, cinnamon and vanilla and blend into a thick dough.
Add the dough to a mixing bowl and fold in the raisins.
Sprinkle the baking powder on the dough and pour the apple cider vinegar over it. It will start foaming. Fold thoroughly into the dough.
Spoon the dough into an 8” x 8” baking dish and bake for 35-40 minutes. When cool, cut into bars.
You can also bake this as muffins or mini muffins, but this dough is very sticky so be sure to use silicone muffin pans, not regular muffin pans or paper liners.
Frosting
- 2 dates
- 2 cups baked sweet potato
- 2 tablespoons (or more) almond milk (as needed)
Add dates to a food processor and chop very well.
Add the sweet potato and blend until smooth, adding almond milk one to two tablespoons at a time as needed to create a stiff but smooth frosting.