What would happen if a snickers bar married a twix? This. One of my good friends brought a similar recipe by Hu Kitchen for vegan twix and I was inspired to make this! Yes, I know the name is long, but I think it pretty much explains it! It’s a layer of almond flour shortbread, followed by a layer of date-cashew butter “caramel” followed by a layer of vegan dark chocolate, topped with chopped peanuts for crunch! So decadent!
This recipe calls for no added sugar. It is refined sugar free, vegan and gluten-free. However, dates do have a good amount of natural sugars, so you will want to check your portions! Even though it will be hard!
What I did differently
This recipe is quite similar to the hukitchen recipe with a few exceptions. I added 1 flax egg to the shortbread to help bind it a bit. I also cooked the shortbread for a little bit longer to make it a bit more crispy. Finally, I topped the chocolate layer with chopped peanuts for an added crunch. I also was not able to find Hukitchen chocolate bars, so I used regular vegan dark chocolate, which is any chocolate that is at least 72% or higher cacao.
Here’s the Recipe!
Chewy Vegan Date-Caramel Cookie Bars
Ingredients
Almondflour Crust
- 1 /2 tbsp almond flour
- 2-3 Dates for sweetness
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 2 tbsp coconut oil
Caramel layer
- 1 cup fresh dates pitted
- 1/4 cup unsweetened cashew butter or almond butter
- 3 tbsp unsweetened almond milk
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Chocolate layer
- 1/2-3/4 cup vegan dark chocolate chips
- 1/4 cup peanuts chopped
Instructions
To Make the Crust
- Preheat the oven to 350° F.
- Combine all the crust ingredients into a food processor, including the flax egg.
- Pulse food processor until the mixture becomes a dough and it is nicely combined.
- Press the mixture into an 8×8 baking tray (line with parchment if it is easier) .
- Bake for around 20 minutes, until the crust is golden-brown and crispy.
- Allow to cool for at least 15 minutes.
To Make the Caramel
- While the crust is baking combine the caramel layer into a cleaned food processor: dates, cashew butter, almond milk, salt and vanilla extract.
- Blend until it becomes a smooth caramel. You will find it hard not to eat this with a spoon!
- Spread this caramel on the shortbread once it is out of the oven and cooled
To Make the Chocolate Layer
- Chop up 1/4 cup of peanuts.
- Lightly toast them on a pan (optional)
- On the stovetop, create a double boiler by filling a pot with a few inches of water, and placing a bowl on top, ensuring that the bowl is not touching the water.
- Add the chocolate and coconut oil to the bowl and stir until it is melted. (You could also do this in the microwave)
- Spread the chocolate on top of the caramel, followed by the peanuts.
- Allow to set in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour!
Notes
- Store in the refrigerator for a longer shelf life.
- Feel free to use a nut butter of choice!
- The peanut layer on top is optional!
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