Coconut Date Caramel Snack Bars

These easy no-bake vegan coconut date caramel snack bars are made with 8 simple ingredients and make for an amazingly delicious energy bar or on-the-go snack! Refined sugar-free, no added oil and grain-free option included. Jump to Recipe

These Vegan Coconut Date Caramel Snack Bars are a wonderful thing. For anyone who hasn’t discovered the beauty of date caramel before, it’s just softened dates, pureed a little liquid like a splash of non-dairy milk and a bit of fat (in this case, I used almond butter). The rich, molasses-like notes of the blended dates is just so similar to cooked caramel, but way easier to achieve. I mean, blending dates is quite a bit easier than making caramel from scratch.

For this recipe, we use exactly that glorious combination of dates and almond butter to lend a gorgeous caramel note to these vegan date snack bars – no burnt pans, no endlessly waiting for sugar to melt.  There is still a tiny bit of stove-time involved as these vegan date caramel snack bars also involve toasting some shredded coconut. You will love the round nutty flavor the toasted coconut shreds add to these bars. Oats add a nice chew and make these more filling. These taste like a healthier samoa cookies! They can be made grainfree and Nutfree.

If you love caramel, coconut and chocolate try these out you will not regret it!

Print Recipe

5 from 2 votes

Coconut Date Snack Bars.

These easy no-bake vegan coconut caramel date snack bars are made with simple ingredients and make for an amazingly delicious energy bar or on-the-go snack! Refined sugar-free, no added oil and grain-free option included.

Prep Time10 mins

Cook Time4 mins

Total Time14 mins

Course: Snack

Cuisine: American

Keyword: date bars, energy bars with coconut, homemade vegan snack bars

Servings: 8

Calories: 272kcal

Author: Vegan Richa

Ingredients

• 1 cup (85 g) dried shredded coconut Use small shreds that are super fresh and white
• 10 soft dates pitted
• 1/2-1 cup (72 g) of nuts and seeds such as pecans, pumpkin, chia seeds, cashews, etc
• 1 cup (81 g) old fashioned oats
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 cup (62.5 g) almond butter
• 3-4 tsp maple syrup
• 1/4 cup (59.15 g) chocolate chips

Instructions

• Add the coconut to a skillet over medium heat, and toast until lightly golden. Once the pan is heated, the coconut toasts really quickly, so watch the pan closely for about 3-4 minutes. Cool for a few min s
• Transfer the coconut and dates to a food processor, and process until dates have broken down consistently.
• Add the seeds and nuts and process again until they are a coarse mixture and there are no large pieces. Add half of the oats and process again to break them down.
• Add the rest of the oats, almond butter, maple syrup, and salt. Pulse a couple of times for the mixture to completely mix in. If the mixture isn't sticky enough, add another tsp of maple syrup, and pulse a couple of times again, then transfer this doughy mixture to a parchment-lined brownie pan. Press it down really well using a spatula or a spoon.
• Melt the chocolate on a double boiler until completely melted, then drizzle all over. Let the brownie pan sit in the fridge for at least an hour to set, then slice.

  Store in the fridge for up to a week.

Notes

• These can be made grain-free by omitting oats. Add more nuts and seeds instead.
• to make these Nut-free, use seeds instead of nuts and sunflower seed butter instead of almond butter 
• If you want, add some vanilla essence.
• Any nuts and seeds work here. Pick your favorites.
• You could use agave or brown rice syrup in lieu of maple syrup. 
• Store these bars in the fridge for up to three weeks, or freeze for a few months

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts

Coconut Date Snack Bars.

Amount Per Serving

Calories 272 Calories from Fat 162

% Daily Value*

Fat 18g28%

Saturated Fat 8g50%

Cholesterol 1mg0%

Sodium 83mg4%

Potassium 276mg8%

Carbohydrates 25g8%

Fiber 5g21%

Sugar 12g13%

Protein 6g12%

Vitamin A 13IU0%

Vitamin C 1mg1%

Calcium 55mg6%

Iron 2mg11%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Ingredients:

•  dried shredded coconut. Go for the good stuff – you are looking for small shreds that are super fresh and white.
•  soft dates – any soft dates are easiest to blend and have a wonderful caramelly taste.
•  nuts and seeds, such as pecans, pumpkin, chia seeds, cashews, etc. Use your favorites. For extra flavor, toast them first. I like cashews and pecans in these. To make them without nuts, use pumpkin, sunflower and hemp seeds
• old fashioned oats – quick oats would work too.
• almond butter – or your favorite seed butter for a nut-free version
• maple syrup is added for some sweetness. We don’t need much as the dates lend lots of sweetness to these bars.
•  dark chocolate chips are my choice here but you can just chop up some vegan bar chocolate if you don’t have chips. Make sure your chocolate chips are vegan.

Tips & Substitutions:

• These can be made grain-free by omitting oats. Add more nuts and seeds instead.
• If you want, add some vanilla essence.
• Any nuts and seeds work here. Pick your favorites.
• Agave syrup or brown rice syrup can be used in lieu of maple syrup.

How to make Coconut Caramel Date Bars:

-Add the coconut to a skillet over medium heat, and toast until lightly golden. Once the pan is heated, the coconut toasts really quickly, so stand around the pan for about 3-4 minutes.

Transfer the coconut and dates to a food processor, and process until dates have broken down consistently.

Now, add the seeds and nuts and process again until they are a coarse mixture and there are no large pieces.

Add half of the oats and process again to break them down.

Add the rest of the oats, almond butter, maple syrup, and salt.

Pulse a couple of times for the mixture to completely mix in. If the mixture isn’t sticky enough, then add another tsp of maple syrup, and pulse a couple of times again.

Transfer this doughy mixture to a parchment-lined brownie pan. Press it down really well using a spatula or a spoon.

Melt the chocolate on a double boiler until completely melted, then drizzle all over. Let the brownie pan sit in the fridge for at least an hour to set, then slice.

How to store Caramel Date Bars

Store these bars in the fridge for up to three weeks, or freeze for a few months.

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