Cookie Butter Nanaimo Bars

I've never had a homemade Nanaimo bar. I had a weird packaged version when I was in the Toronto airport and it was good but just too sweet. We just happened to have some graham crackers and a package of instant pudding so I decided to try and make my own version. I wanted to tone down the sweetness a bit so I used a higher cacao percentage chocolate. I also didn't want to add a bunch of confectioners sugar to the pudding just to thicken it up, so I opted to reduce the amount of milk and added in some cookie butter as my technique to make it thicker.

Ingredients:
¼ cup + 1 tablespoon butter
2 tablespoons cocoa powder
2 tablespoons sugar
1 egg
12 graham crackers
⅓ cup pecans
¼ cup sweetened coconut flakes
1 package instant vanilla pudding
1 cup milk
½ cup cookie butter
¼ teaspoon salt
2 oz. 60% cacao chocolate

I started by toasting the pecans and setting them aside to cool.

Once they were cool, I blitzed them in a food processor with the graham cracker crumbs.

For the crust layer, start by melting together butter, cocoa powder, and sugar until it all dissolves and comes together. While it's still warm, stir in the coconut flakes, crushed graham crackers, and pecans. Press into the bottom of a greased and parchment-lined 8" x 8" pan. Chill while you work on the custard layer.

Combine instant pudding, milk, cookie butter, and salt and whisk to combine until smooth. Spread in a layer over the crust and chill for 15 minutes.

Melt chocolate in a double boiler and then spread on top of the custard layer. Tap the pan on the counter a couple of times to evenly distribute the chocolate and get rid of any potential air bubbles. Allow to set completely before cutting into squares and serving.

It's so satisfying to pull a product out of a pan when it's been lined with parchment.

These bars are really decadent so cutting them into smaller squares is prudent. However, they're also really yummy so encourage everyone to take more than one piece. The crust is chewy, the custard is creamy, and when the chocolate chills, it has a nice snap so it all comes together into a delicious bite.

Here's the recipe page: