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Cookies and Bars

No-Bake Chocolate Caramel Shortbread Bars

May 20, 2021 by Alexandra Daum
Easy no-bake chocolate bars with a crisp almond flour shortbread base, date caramel filling, and dark chocolate coating. Egg, dairy, and gluten free, and no oven needed. Thanks to Bob's Red Mill for sponsoring this post!
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Close up showing halved date caramel chocolate bar with lilac flowers.

With summer quickly approaching in the northern hemisphere, we need some no-bake treats on hand! There’s always a point when it gets too hot to bake, but I don’t want to stop making healthy-ish desserts no matter what the weather’s like.

These easy shortbread caramel bars definitely fit the bill, and they’re kept in the freezer, so the almond flour base stays nice and crisp. It’s a bit like a date caramel twix bar, or a no-bake millionaire, and delicious.

Gluten-free, grain-free, and vegan (fully if using maple syrup) it’s also a good pantry treat that doesn’t need any outlandish ingredients. Even including salt and vanilla, you need just nine ingredients altogether.

Chocolate coated bars topped with coconut and lilacs in a row.

Ingredients

  • Almond Flour: the superfine flour from Bob’s. You can also use almond meal.
  • Coconut: my shredded coconut is very fine, tiny pieces. If yours is a bit larger, you can blend it up a bit before making the base.
  • Vanilla: powder, extract, or paste. Double the amount if using extract.
  • Sea Salt: both the base and filling are a bit bland without.
  • Nut Butter: almond butter will give a nice strong almond flavour, but use whatever you prefer.
  • Honey or Maple Syrup: use the latter for fully vegan bars.
  • Coconut Oil: no sub here – it helps with the good crisp crack of the base.
  • Dates: soak beforehand if needed so that they blend properly.
  • Dark Chocolate: for coating, use whatever cacao percentage you like (mine is 70%).
No-Bake Chocolate Caramel Shortbread Bars ingredients.

Step by Step

  • Close up of chopped dark chocolate.
  • Dates soaking in a bowl of water.
  • Base layer after mixing, in a bowl.
  • Base layer pressed into a lined loaf tin.
  • Date caramel before blending.
  • Date caramel after blending.
  • Caramel scooped onto shortbread base.
  • Date caramel spread into an even layer over the shortbread base.
  • Layers cut into bars, after freezing.

Notes and Substitutions

Try hazelnut flour in place of almond for a slight twist. Change up the nut butter as you like, based on your personal preference. Peanut butter will make the bars taste only of peanut.

Substitute cinnamon or another common spice for vanilla if you’d like. Cardamom is nice.

If needed, add a splash of non-dairy milk to the caramel mixture. Start with a tablespoon and work your way up if it’s not smooth enough.

If you don’t have a food processor, I recommend coconut sugar caramel instead of the date caramel. This can be made on the stovetop and doesn’t require a mixer. Alternatively, use very soft dates and plenty of elbow grease, and mash with a fork.

This recipe was adapted from my dark chocolate coconut bars.

More No-Bake Desserts

Chocolate Puffed Quinoa Bars
Edible Vegan Cookie Dough
Vegan Chocolate Mousse
Dreamy Peanut Butter Banana Popsicles
Chocolate Mousse Tart

Close up of halved shortbread chocolate bar.

Let’s connect! For more OE, follow along on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest, purchase the Occasionally Eggs cookbook, or subscribe for new posts via email. If you make this recipe, I’d love to see! Tag your instagram versions with @occasionallyeggs.

Yield: 16

No-Bake Chocolate Caramel Shortbread Bars

Prep Time 10 minutes
Freezing Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes
5 from 1 vote

Ingredients

Metric – American

Shortbread Base

  • 100 grams almond flour
  • 80 grams shredded coconut (unsweetened)
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla powder or 1 teaspoon extract
  • ¼ teaspoon sea salt
  • 60 grams nut butter
  • 3 tablespoons coconut oil softened
  • 2 tablespoons honey or maple syrup

Date Caramel

  • 200 grams soft dates*
  • 2 tablespoons nut butter
  • ¼ teaspoon vanilla powder or 1/2 teaspoon extract
  • ¼ teaspoon sea salt

Chocolate Coating

  • 150 grams dark chocolate, finely chopped
  • 1 teaspoon coconut oil

Instructions

Shortbread Base

  • Start by making the shortbread. Line a large loaf tin or other container with parchment paper.
  • Add the almond flour, coconut, vanilla, and salt to a large mixing bowl. Whisk to combine.
    100 grams almond flour, 80 grams shredded coconut (unsweetened), 1/2 teaspoon vanilla powder, 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
  • Add the nut butter, coconut oil, and honey or syrup. Use your hands to mix until very well combined and the mixture holds when pressed together.
    60 grams nut butter, 3 tablespoons coconut oil, 2 tablespoons honey or maple syrup
  • Tip the mixture into the lined loaf tin and use your hands to press firmly into an even layer.
  • Set the tin in the freezer to set for at least 30 minutes.

Date Caramel

  • To make the caramel, add the dates, nut butter, vanilla, and salt to the bowl of a food processor fitted with the blade attachment.
    200 grams soft dates*, 2 tablespoons nut butter, 1/4 teaspoon vanilla powder, 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
  • Blend, scraping down the sides as needed, until a smooth paste forms. If the caramel is too thick, add a splash of non-dairy milk.
  • Scoop the caramel onto the frozen shortbread base and spread as evenly as possible.
  • Place the bars back into the freezer for another 30 minutes (or longer).

Chocolate Coating

  • Melt the chocolate and coconut oil in a double boiler or in a small saucepan over very low heat. Set aside to cool slightly before dipping.
    150 grams dark chocolate, finely chopped, 1 teaspoon coconut oil
  • Take the frozen shortbread layers out of the freezer. Carefully cut into 16 small bars. If the caramel is still a little soft, they can be frozen for a few minutes again before dipping in chocolate.
  • Use a fork to lift the individual bars and dip them into the melted chocolate, turning to fully coat.
  • Place the coated bars onto a rack or a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Top with another drizzle of chocolate if desired.
  • Once all of the bars are coated, place them back into the freezer in a sealed container to store. They’ll keep for up to a month this way and are best served directly from the freezer.

Notes

* Soak the dates in very hot water for at least 30 minutes before mixing if they’re quite dry.
• The size of the tin doesn’t really matter – either the layers will be a bit thinner or thicker. My bread tin is 30cm long. You can also use a square baking tin (the bars don’t need to be long and narrow, they can be squares or whatever you like).

* For American cup measurements, please click the pink link text above the ingredient list that says ‘American’.


Nutrition

Serving: 1 Calories: 220kcal Carbohydrates: 20g Protein: 4g Fat: 16g Saturated Fat: 8g Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g Monounsaturated Fat: 3g Sodium: 77mg Potassium: 159mg Fiber: 4g Sugar: 14g Vitamin A: 19IU Vitamin C: 1mg Calcium: 43mg Iron: 1mg

Nutrition is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate. If this information is important to you, please have it verified independently.

© Alexandra Daum
Course: Cookies and Bars
Cuisine: American
Print
Chocolate coated bars topped with coconut and lilacs in a row, top down.

More Cookies and Bars:

Ginger nuts on a plate with greenery around.Vegan Gingersnaps
Cookies scattered on baking paper.Hazelnut Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
Three date squares stacked on a small plate.Gluten Free Date Squares
Top down view of chocolate quinoa bars.Chocolate Puffed Quinoa Bars

Previous Post: « How to Make Cashew Milk
Next Post: Lilac Lemonade »

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Comments

  1. Kim says

    October 16, 2021 at 7:07 pm

    I’m trying to eat less sugar. Trying. Saw these, and I had everything in my house (little short on chocolate). They. Are. Delicious. I made them with peanut butter. I picture myself making these bite-sized for a Christmas treat platter. Thanks for the recipe!!

    Reply
  2. Susan says

    May 28, 2021 at 5:38 am

    Where can I find a recipe for coconut sugar caramel, please? Thank you!

    Reply
    • Alexandra Daum says

      May 28, 2021 at 8:02 am

      Hi Susan, I don’t have one that I’ve tried (if I do, I’ll link in the post!) but this recipe looks like it might be helpful: https://lexiscleankitchen.com/paleo-and-vegan-caramel/

      Reply
  3. Maria says

    May 28, 2021 at 3:21 am

    Can you make them without dates? I am on a low FODMAP diet? What can you sub in for the dates. These sound delicious.
    M

    Reply
    • Alexandra Daum says

      May 28, 2021 at 8:01 am

      Hi Maria, unfortunately I don’t know much about the fodmap diet. Any caramel recipe you have that’s appropriate for it can be used in place of the date caramel layer, but I’m afraid I don’t know one.

      Reply
  4. Ramya says

    May 20, 2021 at 11:30 am

    will be making this soon can i grate the dates as am not a big fan of dates but i will like date caramel with grated dates let me know perfect for my home snacks while i work on the computer and phone pl i love your new website looks better than your old one also i will be buying your cookbook for my birthday on 19 September will dm you if i make this and let you know how it goes Thanks Ramya

    Reply
    • Alexandra Daum says

      May 20, 2021 at 1:53 pm

      Hi Ramya! I have never tried grating dates, but it might work that way! Good luck and hope you love the bars : )

      Reply

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