Description
Amazing vegan dessert bars with a cookie dough base and rich, chocolate topping.
Ingredients
For the Cookie Dough Base
- 2 1/2 cups (350 g) raw cashews
- 3/4 cup tightly packed (225 g), soft pitted dates
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
For the Chocolate Ganache Topping
- 1/2 cup (110 g) coconut oil, melted
- 3/4 cup (67 g) cocoa powder
- 1/4 cup (80 g) pure maple syrup
Instructions
- Add the cookie dough ingredients to a food processor and mix until it forms a thick, sticky dough. You should easily be able to press the dough together between your fingers. If not, add 1 tsp warm water and process again. That should do the trick but if your dates were too dry, you may need to repeat with another 1-2 tsp of water.
- Line a 7-8 inch square baking pan with parchment paper so the paper sticks out over the edges of the pan. This is an optional step but it will help you lift the bars out once they’re finished.
- Use your hands to firmly press the dough into the pan. Take a few minutes to really work it into the pan, especially into the corners.
- To make the chocolate ganache, gently whisk together the melted coconut, maple syrup and cocoa powder until you have smooth, uniform mixture that resembles melted chocolate.
- Pour the liquid chocolate mixture over the cookie dough base and put the entire pan in the freezer for 2 hours to firm.
- If you lined the pan with parchment, use the edges of the paper to lift the bars out of the pan. If not, you can slice them right in the pan.
- Run a sharp knife under hot water for 30 seconds then slice into 16 squares.
- Enjoy right away or follow the recommendations for storing in the notes section.
Notes
Storing: Sealed container in the fridge for up to 2 weeks or freezer for up to 3 months. The chocolate will melt at room temperature to keep cool until just before serving.
Dates: You’ll need to use soft, sweet dates in this recipe. If your dates are hard and dry, you can try soaking them in hot water for 15 minutes and draining before using however I recommend using a fresh, soft date such as medjool or sayer dates.
Chocolate: If you prefer, the chocolate ganache can be made with 3/4 cup melted, chopped dark chocolate or dairy-free chocolate chips instead of coconut oil, maple syrup and coconut oil. Follow the tips from these chocolate coconut bars if using melted chocolate.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1
- Calories: 242
- Sugar: 14 g
- Fat: 17 g
- Carbohydrates: 23 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 5 g