Vegan No-Bake Snickers Bars (Gluten-Free)
Okay, so I’m not the first person on the internet to make homemade “Snickers bars” and I certainly won’t be the last, but what I can tell you is that these cute little bars are one of the best desserts I’ve made in a loooong time. Plus, you don’t have to turn on your oven to make them, which is extremely appealing considering that summer has decided to come on very suddenly and very strongly here in Toronto (no complaints at all, just stating the facts!)
I made these on a whim to bring to an outdoor dinner last Friday and they turned out to be quite incredible. I will admit that I haven’t had a *real* Snickers bar in many years, but after jogging my memory and doing a little research, I knew that I wanted a simple, soft and chewy base, almost like a cross between nougat and cookie. Using a mixture of a few gluten-free ingredients and some cashew butter, the dough came together very easily with the perfect texture. For the caramel, I used my go-to vegan caramel from my Twix bar recipe (a tried-and-true favourite) and since these are Snickers-esque, I sandwiched a generous layer of dry roasted peanuts in between the cookie and the caramel. Once frozen, you just chop them into little squares, dip each one in chocolate (I used melted dark chocolate but you could also do the homemade chocolate from that same recipe) and top with peanuts and flakey salt! If you’re not feeling like spending a few extra minutes dipping, you can also just pour the chocolate layer directly overtop - they will still be delicious :)
I hope you make and love these for your next summer gathering! They were certainly a crowd pleaser last weekend. One important note: store them in the freezer until about 10 minutes before serving, as they will melt at room temperature. ENJOY!
Vegan No-Bake Snickers Bars (Gluten-Free)
Ingredients
For the base:
1/4 cup cashew butter
1/4 cup pure maple syrup
1/2 cup almond flour
1/2 cup oat flour
1/4 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
For the vegan caramel:
Heaping 1/4 cup cashew or peanut butter
3 tbsp coconut oil
2 tbsp pure maple syrup
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
Pinch of fine sea salt
For the rest:
1/2 cup dry roasted peanuts
3/4 cup chopped dark chocolate (I like at least 60-70%)
1 tsp coconut oil
Flakey sea salt
Method
Line a standard loaf pan with parchment. In a medium bowl, add all of your base ingredients and mix with a spatula until you have a firm dough. Press this into the base of your loaf pan and top with 1/2 cup of peanuts, pressing down slightly so they stick to the cookie base. Place in the freezer to set.
Make the caramel by melting your cashew or peanut butter, coconut oil and maple syrup together in a small saucepan. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer and let it cook for 1-2 minutes until bubbly and combined. Remove from the heat and stir in your salt and vanilla. Pour the caramel over the cookie/peanut base and place the pan back in the freezer to set for at least 40 minutes.
Once the layers in your pan are nice and firm, melt your chocolate in a double boiler with the coconut oil. Remove your pan from the freezer and cut in half lengthwise, then horizontally into small rectangles (you should get about 16-20). Working quickly so they don’t melt, use a fork to dip each bar into the melted chocolate, top with 1-2 peanuts and a sprinkle of flakey salt, and place them onto a parchment-lined surface that will fit in your freezer. Repeat with the remaining bars, then return them back into the freezer to set for at least 45 minutes.
If you like, you can drizzle them with a bit of leftover melted chocolate once they have set. Remove the vegan snickers bars from the freezer a few minutes before serving and enjoy! Store leftovers in the freezer (or the fridge for softer bars).
Makes 16-20 small bars
