Healthy Salted Caramel Coconut Candy Bars are a party of sweet flavors that also happens to be paleo, gluten-free, and vegan! Healthy ingredients in this recipe combine to make a nutrient-packed dessert or snack.
I often get asked where my recipe inspiration comes from. Sometimes a beautiful ingredient will catch my eye at the farmers market, and I will build a recipe around that. I'll start thinking of complimentary flavors, maybe consult this book, and start cooking.
Other times, I'll eat a new dish at a restaurant and it will be so good that I just can't live without it! So, I will head into the kitchen and try to replicate the recipe. This is how these Healthy Salted Caramel Coconut Candy Bars came to life.
I tried a raw salted caramel cookie bite at a local store and after a quick peruse of the ingredient list, I knew I could make these easily and more cost effectively at home.
It took a few rounds of testing and a few tweaks, like covering them in chocolate, but I am happy to say these Healthy Salted Caramel Coconut Candy Bars are a success!
They are a candy bar lover's dream. The center is soft, sort of a combination of cookie dough and a mounds bar. The chocolate melts in your mouth and the salted caramel flavor explodes.
These are not for the flavor faint-of-heart. These are sweet, salty, caramely, and chocolaty. To which I say, "Pass me another bar!
And the ingredient list for these Healthy Salted Caramel Coconut Candy Bars could not be better. The salted caramel flavor comes from a combo of maple syrup, coconut sugar, and a touch of coconut oil.
Then this gets poured over unsweetened coconut and almond flour. The coconut provides texture and the almond flour gives the bars their body.
And a good dose of vanilla and salt bring in so much flavor. They make the caramel more caramely and the flavors really start to pop.
The final layer of sweet sweet flavor is a coating of chocolate. This is of course, optional, but omit at your own risk! Adding the chocolate coating takes these bars from an afternoon snack to a dinner party worthy dessert - that can still be eaten as a snack because Healthy Salted Caramel Coconut Candy Bars.
Healthy Salted Caramel Coconut Candy Bars
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 12 bars 1x
- Category: Sweet Things
- Method: No bake
- Cuisine: American
Description
Healthy Salted Caramel Coconut Candy Bars are a party of sweet flavors that also happens to be paleo, gluten-free, and vegan! Healthy ingredients in this recipe combine to make a nutrient-packed dessert or snack.
Ingredients
- ½ cup coconut sugar
- ½ cup maple syrup
- 2 tablespoons coconut oil
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups almond flour
- 1 ½ unsweetened shredded coconut
- 2 cups dark chocolate chips OR melted chocolate of choice
Instructions
- Add the coconut sugar, maple syrup, coconut oil and salt to a small sauce pan. Heat over low, stirring constantly, until the coconut sugar is melted and no longer grainy, about 2-3 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla extract. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, combine the shredded coconut and almond flour. Pour in the liquid mixture and stir to combine. Once well mixed (you may need to get in there with your hands!), press the dough into a 8x8 pan lined with parchment paper. Place in the freezer to chill for 15 minutes.
- Remove from the freezer and cut into bars. Return to the freezer while you melt the chocolate. Once the chocolate is melted, dunk the bars in the chocolate. Place on parchment paper to set. Once hardened, serve.
Notes
To keep this recipe raw, coat the bars in raw chocolate and store in the fridge.
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