Gluten-free Kinder cookie bars recipe – they’re super simple to make! Did you know that cookie bars are even easier and quicker to make than cookies? No rolling into balls or chilling required!

Gluten-free Kinder cookie bars recipe, anyone? Of course, they’re not just good because they’re easy and quick… they taste bloody amazing!! So let me first tell you all about what’s in them…

First of all, yes – this is a twist on my classic gluten-free cookie bars recipe!

But instead of using chocolate chips, I’ve gone for a mix of my favourite Kinder chocolate bars… well, not quite, actually!

Of course, as I’m sure you all know by now: a Kinder bueno is definitely NOT gluten-free. But guess what? A Schar Melto is essentially a gluten-free mini Kinder Bueno – sorry if you didn’t know that and unexpectedly just had your mind blown.

You’ll need 4 of them them for this recipe, so head down to your local free from aisle and grab a few when you next see them.

So yep, I’ve thrown a few of those in but ALSO… those cute little Kinder bars too. Yep, they’re gluten-free too! But don’t take my word for it – you can read the ingredients for those here.

The best part about those is that they’re so cheap too! You’ll find them with all the other chocolate in the supermarket.

In case you’ve never had one of those mini Kinder bars, they’re basically like a chunkier version of the chocolate you’d get in a Kinder Surprise egg.

(wow, didn’t realise I’d spend the next 30 minutes of my life looking at all the ‘prizes’ you’d find inside a Kinder Surprise on eBay)

And of course, the main event here is the cookie bars! Not only are they easier to make than cookies, but they’re even chunkier.

That means even more chewy, gooey cookie middle and more chocolate in every bite. How does that sound?! They’re absolutely heavenly in my totally unbiased opinion!

Gluten-free Kinder cookie bars recipe: Ingredients

butter
caster sugar
light brown sugar
large egg
vanilla extract
gluten-free plain flour
xanthan gum
bicarbonate of soda
salt
cornflour
Kinder chocolate, chopped (2 packs of 8)
Schar Melto, chopped (4 individual bars)

So I thought I’d kick things off with a little frequently asked questions section – if you just want the recipe, then keep scrolling.

But I’ve thrown in some tips here that will be really helpful if this is your first time making this, or you want to adapt it. So here they are!

Gluten-free Kinder cookie bars recipe: Frequently asked questions

Can I make this recipe gluten-free? Is it suitable for Coeliacs?

It is gluten-free, though nobody would know just by tasting it – trust me!

Bear in mind that minimising cross-contamination is hugely important if you’re Coeliac or making this for someone who is. Here’s some tips from Coeliac UK on minimising the risk of cross contamination.

Also, make sure that all ingredients used don’t have any gluten-containing ingredients. Then make that that they also don’t have a ‘may contain’ warning for gluten, wheat, rye, barley, oats (which aren’t gf), spelt and khorasan wheat (aka Kamut).

Here’s some more info from Coeliac UK on identifying safe gluten-free products.

Can I make your gluten-free Kinder cookie bars dairy free?

Whilst the cookie bars itself can easily be made dairy free by using hard margarine instead of butter, sadly the Kinder/Schar chocolate is not dairy free.

If you’re still interested in making them with dairy free chocolate chips, head over to my original recipe and make that instead!

Is your gluten-free Kinder cookie bars recipe nut free?

Sadly, the Schar Meltos contain hazelnuts, so this recipe isn’t nut free. You can always replace them with more Kinder bars which don’t contain nuts and don’t appear to have a ‘may contain nuts’ warning.

Please be sure to triple check the ingredients on everything you use in this recipe. Don’t take any chances!!

Can I make this recipe vegan?

You can, but it’d be quite different! As the Kinder/Schar chocolate isn’t dairy free, you’d need to replace them with a suitable vegan alternative of the same quantity – dairy-free chocolate bars for example.

Then all you’ve got left to swap out is one egg. Here’s a few ideas you can use as egg replacements, so each of these = 1 egg.

3 tablespoons of aquafaba (whisked until frothy) – water from a can of chickpeas. Keep the chickpeas for a future dinner!
Egg replacement powder – I’d recommend using Orgran as it’s gluten-free.
1 tablespoon of chia/flax seeds mixed with 2 tablespoons of water and left for 10 minutes in the fridge.
3 tablespoons of applesauce.
1 small, mashed ripe banana

Is this recipe low FODMAP?

Due to the dairy in the Kinder/Schar chocolate, this recipe would not be suitable for the elimination phase of the low FODMAP diet.

Check out my classic gluten-free cookie bars recipe which are simple to make low FODMAP by using lactose-free chocolate chips.

What chocolate should I use to bake your gluten-free Kinder cookie bars?

You’ll need 4 bars of Schar Melto and 2 packs of Kinder bars.

Can I make your gluten-free Kinder cookie bars in a food processor or standing mixer?

Of course you can but it’s a little overkill! I always make this just by hand because there’s no need to whisk loads of air into cookie dough.

But to be honest, there’s something so satisfying about when it comes together and you’re using your hands. And less washing up – hooray!

Do I need any special equipment to bake your gluten-free Kinder cookie bars?

You’ll just need a 9″ square baking tin – here’s the one I use. Apart from that, a little baking paper too!

Do I need weighing scales to bake your gluten-free Kinder cookie bars?

In short… yes, yes and yes! And I wouldn’t advise attempting any my recipes without them.

A lot of work went into fine tuning ratios and quantities and for me, baking is all about consistency and precision. I want you to make this recipe and for it to turn out EXACTLY like mine did.

For example, adding too much flour can make things dry and crumbly, whereas not adding enough sugar means it’ll lose its crisp exterior. I don’t want you to be disappointed, so please weigh your ingredients!

I’d recommending using digital cooking scales like these so you know you’re getting an accurate measurement and replicating my recipe as accurately as poss.

Can I bake your gluten-free Kinder cookie bars with less sugar?

I can definitely understand the need to reduce sugar in our foods, but this is one of the recipes where I wouldn’t advise it at all!

Of course, the sugar isn’t just for sweetness. It’s integral to the structure of the cookies once baked and is sooo important.

The sugar caramelises to produce a nice, crispy exterior on the outside and without that… they’re not gonna be nice, crisp out the outside, soft in the middle cookie bars at all are they?!

Can I make this recipe without xanthan gum?

In some of my recipes, yes, but I wouldn’t recommend leaving xanthan gum out of this one. You’ll see xanthan gum in a lot of my recipes as it’s an essential ingredient in gluten-free baking.

Since we’re using gluten-free plain flour in this recipe, which has no xanthan gum in it all (self-raising flour has a little in), it’ll make it even more important.

Some people have asked if they can use psyllium husk powder instead of xanthan gum, which would work here too. It can make cakes a little crumbly, but it shouldn’t make a different here.

So TLDR: definitely use xanthan gum if you can!!

Can I make this recipe using other gluten-free flours like buckwheat flour or coconut flour?

There’s a big difference between ‘gluten-free plain/self-raising flour’ and a *singular* type gluten-free flour. When I say ‘gluten-free plain or self-raising flour’ in a recipe, I mean a BLEND of gluten-free flours, not just one, singular flour.

Most gluten-free flour you buy in the supermarket typically contains a blend of rice flour, potato flour, maize flour, tapioca flour AND buckwheat flour. That’s a lot of different flours!

In gluten-free self-raising flour, there’s usually even a little baking powder and xanthan gum in it too which always helps.

So to replace it with just one specific type of flour… that’s not going to cut it at all. Definitely go for a gluten-free flour blend.

How long can I keep your gluten-free Kinder cookie bars for?

I’ve kept my gluten-free cookie bars for around a week. They still taste as good as they day they were made! Obviously store them in an air-tight container too.

You can always reheat them for 20-30 seconds in the microwave at 900W for the ‘fresh out of the oven’ feel too.

When they lose the crispiness on the outside, they’re probably starting to get past their best.

Can I freeze your gluten-free Kinder cookie bars?

Of course! I’ve frozen them for up to a month and after allowing them to fully thaw, you’d never know they were frozen. Each bar should take around 3-4 hours to thaw at room temperature.

After thawing, I’d recommend baking them in the oven for 5 minutes or so just to remove any excess moisture before enjoying them warm.

Can I eat your gluten-free chocolate chip cookie dough?

Well, I suppose the sensible answer is that they contain egg and eating raw egg isn’t the most advisable thing in the world…

Plus, did you know that you’re not supposed to eat uncooked, ‘raw’ flour either?

So the official answers is no, even though I may have tried it once or twice!

How can I tell when my gluten-free Kinder cookie bars are done?

They should look nice and golden, but not actually browned or browning at the edges.

Poking them doesn’t help much because they won’t be nice and crisp until they’ve cooled a little. So just aim for how mine look in the photos and if you take them out early – no bother!

Just pop them back in until you’re happy with the colour. Oh and make sure you leave them to cool before sampling them!!

Gluten-free Kinder cookie bars recipe: Method

Ok, so here’s a printable version of my gluten-free Kinder cookie bars recipe. Please remember to give it 5 stars if you tried it and enjoyed it as it helps people know it’s worth trying too! ⭐️ Feel free to leave your written reviews in the comments below this post.