These salted caramel chocolate chip cookie bars are made with two main components ; the chocolate chip cookie bar which is used as the base and the salted caramel which is used as the filling . This recipe is so good and easy to make, it’s vegan, can be made gluten free and refined sugar free.
Those cookie bars taste like a combination of chocolate chip blondies and Twix Bars! They’re soft, sticky, chocolatey, gooey with crispy edges and a delicious salted caramel filling.
To make this recipe, you will need the below (I also added some substitute ingredients that you can use) ;
1 – Homemade salted caramel ; I made it using coconut cream, coconut sugar, coconut oil, vanilla and sea salt. It’s better to make the sauce ahead of time and let it set one night in the fridge to thicken.
2 – All Purpose Flour , you can also use the gluten-free all purpose flour 1:1 ratio.
3 – 2 Flax Eggs made with 2 tablespoons ground flax seeds and 6 tablespoons warm water . Mix and put in the fridge for 10 minutes at least. You can sub using two eggs for the non-vegan version
4 – Melted Coconut Oil + Apple Sauce or you can sub with vegan butter
5 – Light Brown Sugar or Coconut Sugar
6 – Chocolate Chips – Vegan or dark
To assemble, press about 2/3 of the cookie dough into the bottom of your prepared baking pan. Pour over the salted caramel and finally, drop the remaining cookie dough over the caramel filling in small clumps. Bake the bars until the center is set . Allow to cool then slice and enjoy!
Ingredients (to make approximately 14 bars )
Cookie Bars
– 2 Flax Eggs (2 tbsp ground flax seeds + 6 tbsp warm water) – or 2 eggs for non vegan
– 2 1/2 cups all purpose flour (or gluten free 1:1 all purpose flour)
– 4 tsp baking powder
– 3/4 cup melted coconut oil
– 1/4 cup unsweetened apple sauce (check note below)
– 1 cup brown or coconut sugar
– 1 tsp vanilla
– 1 cup chocolate chips (Vegan or dark)
** instead of melted coconut oil and unsweetened apple sauce, you can use 1 cup vegan butter
Salted Caramel
– 1 can Coconut Cream
– 1/2 cup Coconut Sugar (or light brown sugar)
– 1 tbsp Coconut oil
– 1 tbsp Vanilla
– 1/2 tsp Sea Salt
Instructions
1) Prepare the salted caramel ahead of time (I made it the day before and kept it in the fridge to set). You just need to combine the coconut cream, coconut sugar and salt in a sauce pan over medium-high heat. Bring to boil then immediately lower the temperature , keeping the sauce at a light simmer for 30 to 40 minutes. Stir frequently. Once sauce has a darker color and thickened, remove from heat then add the tablespoon of oil and vanilla. Let it cool then refrigerate.
Prepare the cookie dough
1) Prepare the flax eggs ; Mix the ground flax seeds with 2 tbsp warm water then whisk and let it set in the fridge for at least 10 minutes.
2) Grease an 11*6 baking pan and preheat the oven to 180 degrees.
3) In a bowl, combine the flour and baking powder.
4) Add the coconut oil and apple sauce (or the butter) into a mixing bowl and mix with the sugar using electric mixer until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the flax eggs and vanilla and mix to combine.
5) Add the flour 1/2 cup at a time and mix with a spatula then add the chocolate chips.
6) Form the cookie dough into a disc , cover with plastic wrap and put in the fridge for 15 minutes.
7) Press 2/3 of the cookie dough into the bottom of your prepared pan then add the salted caramel and then on top, add the remaining cookie dough . add more chocolate chips if you want.
8) Bake for 30 minutes , then when done, let it cool before you cut it
Enjoy xxx
Ellys Treats 