Vegan Paleo Twix Bars
These vegan paleo Twix bars are made with only 8 wholesome ingredients and are free from dairy, gluten, soy, and refined sugar. You can either make a no-bake version by freezing the layers or bake the shortbread for a crunchier texture.
Servings: 16
Ingredients
Shortbread Crust
- 1 1/2 cups almond flour
- 4 tablespoons coconut oil
- 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
- 1 tablespoon water (optional)
Caramel Layer
- 1/2 cup dates , pitted and soaked
- 1/2 cup almond butter (or other nut/seed butter)
- 1/4 cup coconut milk (or other non-dairy milk)
- Pinch of sea salt
Chocolate Coating
- 1/2 cup raw cacao butter or cocoa butter {See Notes}
- 1/2 cup raw cacao powder
- 3-4 tablespoons pure maple syrup
- Pinch of sea salt
Instructions
- For a baked version: Preheat oven to 350 F.
- For the Shortbread Crust: Line a 5x7 inch baking dish with parchment paper. Add all crust ingredients into a mixing bowl and stir to combine. Add a bit of water if the dough is not sticking together. Press the dough down onto the lined container and smooth it out with a spatula. Place in the freezer while you prepare the caramel (for a no-bake version) or bake in the oven for 13-15 minutes until golden around the edges. Remove from the oven and let it cool down for at least 20 minutes.
- For the Caramel Layer: Soak pitted dates in hot water for 15 minutes or longer to help them soften. Discard the soaking water, add dates to the mixing bowl, and mash with a fork. Add almond butter and mix in with the fork. Pour in coconut milk and stir to get an even mixture. Pour on top of the cooled crust, sprinkle with sea salt, and place in the freezer to firm up for about 1 hour.
- For the Chocolate Coating: Chop cacao butter into small chunks and place in a clean bowl secured on top of a pot of boiling water. Once melted, stir in the cacao powder and mix until there are no lumps left. Add maple syrup (to taste) and sea salt and stir to combine. Let it cool down for 10 minutes.
- Assemble: Remove the dish from the freezer, lift out the parchment paper, and cut the batch into 16 slices. Either drizzle chocolate on top or dip each bar into the liquid chocolate, flipping over to coat all side. Set aside on a cooling rack or parchment paper-lined container. Place bars into the freezer for about 15 minutes or in the fridge for 1 hour to set. Enjoy and store the remainder in the fridge for about 2 weeks or in the freezer for months.
Notes
You can use coconut oil instead of cacao butter, but your chocolate would have a slight coconut-y aftertaste and melt at room temperature. If using coconut oil, you can melt it directly in a pot over low heat and then mix in the cacao powder and maple syrup.