Vegan Chocolate Candy Bars (healthier)
These vegan candy bars have a nougat base, caramel filling, chopped cashews, and are covered in a crunchy chocolate coating. You would never guess these are dairy-free, gluten-free, and refined sugar-free. Best part? They're made with pantry staples you ~hopefully~ already have on hand!
Ingredients
Coconut caramel option
- 1 cup + 2 tbsp coconut sugar
- 1 cup canned coconut cream
- 1 tsp vanilla extract & good pinch sea salt
Date caramel option
- 1 cup 1 cup medjool dates, pitted *soaked in hot water for 15 minutes
- 1 tbsp melted coconut oil or avocado oil
- 2 tbsp nut butter
- 2 tbsp maple syrup
- 1/3 Cup milk, of choice *i warm mine up a bit to help the caramel blend easier!
- 1 tsp vanilla extract & pinch sea salt
Nougat base
- 1 1/2 cups old fashioned rolled oats
- 1/3 cup cashew butter, almond butter, or other nut/seed butter
- 1/3 cup maple syrup or honey
- 3 medjool dates, pitted
- 3 tbsp water, if/as needed
- 1 tsp vanilla extract & pinch of sea salt
Coating
- 1 1/3 cups chocolate chips or chopped chocolate bars
- 1 tbsp coconut oil
- 1/2 cup raw cashews, chopped *for the filling
Instructions
Coconut caramel option
- Add the coconut sugar, coconut cream, and salt to a saucepan over medium heat. Allow the mixture to come to a bubble/boil, stirring frequently, for about 6-8 minutes.
- As soon as it's boiling, stir constantly for about 5-10 minutes. It'll reduce/thicken and become a thicker/darker texture. This may take longer depending on certain brands you use, your oven, etc. be patient! Don't turn up the heat as this can cause burning.
- Once it's thickened up, set it aside to cool.
Date caramel
- After soaking the dates in hot water, drain them, then add to your food processor along with the remaining ingredients, starting with just 2 tbsp of milk. After blending for a minute or so, scrape the sides and blend more, adding another tablespoon or two of milk, as needed, until it reaches a creamy consistency. Careful not to thin it out too much!Once it's done, store in an air-tight container in the fridge.
Nougat base
- Line a loaf pan with parchment paper.
- Add all of the ingredients to a food processor. Process a minute or so, scraping down the sides as needed until a dough forms. It shouldn't be sticky, but shouldn't be dry. It should hold together. Add the water, as needed!
- Press the dough into the bottom of the pan. Pour the caramel over the base layer, using a spatula to help spread it out evenly. Sprinkle over the chopped cashews.
- Place the pan in the freezer for 2-3 hours, to allow the bars to firm up enough to cut/dip in chocolate.
- Once they are firm and ready to dip, line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Melt the chocolate and coconut oil together in a shallow bowl, stirring until smooth. Remove the bars from the pan. Cut into slices or smaller bites.
- Dip each bar/bite in the chocolate, using a fork to help allow extra chocolate to drip off. Place on the cookie sheet. Top with sea salt. Return to the freezer for another hour or two to firm up completely before moving the bars to an air-tight container.
- Store in the freezer! You can let them thaw a couple of minutes prior to eating if you'd like, but the insides never get too firm!
Video
Notes
Small saucepan: I cannot recommend Quince stainless steel pans more! They make healthy, non-toxic cooking practical, easy, and beautiful!
*If you don't want to use all of the caramel, store extras in an air-tight container in the fridge. You can use on pancakes, to drizzle over apples or yogurt bowls, etc. For the coconut caramel, you may need to heat it slightly to get it thinner again as it'll firm up in the fridge.