Description

Easy to make XL Salted Caramel Chocolate Bars with a nutty base, a salted caramel filling, and dipped in dark chocolate. Vegan, gluten-free, and naturally sweetened.

Ingredients

Scale

BASE:

25 gr ground sunflower seeds
80 gr ground walnuts
80 gr ground oats
60 gr ground almonds
15 gr / 1 tbsp coconut sugar
30 gr / 2 tbsp coconut oil
½ tsp sea salt
40 ml maple syrup
1–2 tbsp water (see notes)

CARAMEL FILLING:

200 gr pitted Medjool dates
15 gr / 1 tbsp coconut oil (melted)
20 ml maple syrup
½ tsp sea salt
½ tsp vanilla extract (or almond – or orange extract)
½ cup /125 ml almond milk
¼ cup / 60 ml water

CHOCOLATE DIP:

7 oz / 200 gr vegan chocolate (85%)

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark

Instructions

The base

First, decide the size of the bars. For chunky thick XL bars, I use a small loaf pan (21 x 7x 7 cm) and this allowed me to create 9 bars.

If you want thinner bars or squares, use a wide loaf pan. The recipe will stay the same, but since you are spreading out the base and the caramel layer the bars will be thinner. I prefer to double the caramel recipe when I use a larger loaf pan.

Mix the ingredients for the base in a large bowl with a spoon. I ground the nuts, seeds, and oats in a small blender. Once the sunflower seeds, ground walnuts, ground oats, ground almonds, coconut sugar, coconut oil, sea salt, and maple syrup are mixed add 1 tablespoon water.

I’m doing this with a spoon so that I’m able to keep an eye on the consistency. Once the base is combined, dry, and a bit sticky you are done. If the base is way too dry and doesn’t stick, add one more tablespoon of water.

Press the mixture in your loaf pan. I use a silicone mold as this makes it super easy to remove the loaf after the freezing process. If you don’t have a silicone mold line a baking tray with greaseproof paper/ parchment paper.

Make sure the base is pressed well in the loaf pan as an even layer. Use the back of a spoon or your fingers to press the base in the loaf pan.

Set aside and make the caramel filling.

Caramel filling

In a blender add all the ingredients for the caramel filling and blend until silky smooth. Add a layer of caramel filling on top of the base in the loaf pan. Be generous if you want to create a thick bar. If you want to create a thinner bar and have caramel sauce left, keep it for later. I love adding it to my breakfast or dipping apple slices in it as a snack.

Place in the freezer for 3-4 hours or overnight.

Chocolate dip

Melt any dark vegan chocolate in the microwave or a bowl over boiling water (au bain marie)

Remove the loaf pan from the freezer and cut it into bars.

Line a baking tray with parchment paper and dip and cover each bar in the melted chocolate.

Place on the lined baking tray to set.

After you have covered all bars, place the bars in the fridge to further set.

Notes

These salted caramel chocolate bars will keep five days in the fridge and up to three months in the freezer.
You can use pumpkin seeds instead of sunflower seeds. And pecans instead of walnuts.
Instead of oats, you can use buckwheat, quinoa flakes, puffed quinoa, or puffed millet.
Hazelnuts are also a delicious substitute for almonds.
If you decide to use a loaf pan (like in this recipe) with a thick caramel layer, it will melt quickly outside of the fridge. Keep that in mind if you want to serve it. If you want to make this an on-the-go snack I would use a wide baking dish.
I double the caramel filling recipe so I can use it as a dip, spread, or oatmeal breakfast topping.