Healthier Vegan No Bake Samoa Bars
Irresistible healthier vegan no bake Samoa bars! Made with date caramel, dark chocolate and almond flour shortbread crust. NO baking and ready in 30 minutes!
Equipment
- You Will Need: an 8x8 baking dish, parchment paper and a food processor
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup vegan dark chocolate chips
- 1/2 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
Vegan Shortbread Crust
- 2 cups blanched almond flour
- 3 tbsp melted coconut oil somewhat cooled before mixing
- 3 tbsp pure maple syrup
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/8 tsp salt
Vegan Date Caramel
- 1 cup medjool dates, packed your dates should be moist, plump and somewhat sticky. If they are dry, soak them in hot water for about 10 minutes.
- 2 tbsp coconut cream from a can of full-fat unsweetened coconut milk
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 pinches salt
- 1 or 2 tbsp water to thin
Instructions
- The layers are as follows from bottom to top: shortbread crust, dark chocolate, date caramel, shredded coconut, dark chocolate drizzle. Grab a large mixing bowl and line your 8x8 baking dish with parchment paper.
- First, start on your shortbread crust as this is the bottom layer. Combine all of the shortbread crust ingredients into the bowl and stir well (make sure the melted coconut oil has somewhat cooled). The mixture should be crumbly, but easily hold its form when pressed together. See photos above. Note: make sure to evenly distribute the wet ingredients when adding them to the almond flour. This will ensure the dough mixes properly.
- Add the shortbread crust to the lined 8x8 baking dish in an even layer (again, this will be crumbly but don't worry!). Now, get those hands ready and start pressing! You want to press down on the crust really well so that it sticks together. Use a spatula to get in between the outside edges of the crust and the parchment paper to form straight even edges, like in my photo above.
- Put the crust in the freezer for 10 minutes while you make your date caramel and melt your chocolate chips.
- First, make your date caramel. Simply add all of the ingredients to a food processor and pulse until smooth. Set aside.
- Next, melt your dark chocolate chips. Add 1/2 cup dark chocolate chips to a microwave safe bowl and microwave in 30 second increments, stirring well in between, until melted. Mine usually take about 1 minute to fully melt. Note: make sure to stir really well before you put the chocolate chips back in the microwave. Sometimes all they need is a good stir to fully melt and you don't want to burn them!
- Take the crust out of the freezer and add your melted dark chocolate on top of the crust (layer #2). Leave a little extra melted dark chocolate in the bowl for drizzling on top of the bars. Use a spoon or spatula to spread the melted chocolate over the crust in an even layer.Put this back in the freezer for 5 minutes so the chocolate can set.
- Next, once the chocolate has set, add your date caramel on top of the chocolate layer (layer #3). Spread evenly. Then top the date caramel with the shredded coconut (layer #4).
- Put this back in the freezer for about 10 minutes ( I know, bare with me!) so that it firms up before you slice it into squares (you will add the chocolate drizzle after slicing).
- Once the chocolate is firm enough to cut, slice into threes both ways so you have 9 bars. Add melted dark chocolate drizzle on top (layer #5) and then place in the fridge until ready to eat. Keep the bars covered in the refrigerator. I like to keep these refrigerated for several hours, even overnight, before serving. Enjoy!
Notes
- Keep the bars covered in the refrigerator. I recommend making these ahead of time before serving- either several hours or the day before. While they are totally fine to eat right away, I personally like waiting to eat these because the layers set nicely in the fridge the longer they are in there.