Vegan, Gluten Free Switch Bars
Here’s how it works: I have a craving. I think it will be easy to make this craving a reality in a vegan version. I decide that I should make this craving slightly healthier so that I can feed it to my children with less guilt. Enter Gluten Free, Vegan Switch Bars. These are almost free from refined sugar (besides the chocolate chips). The base of the cookie is almond flour along with gluten free flour, and the caramel is a combo of dates, maple syrup, and brown rice syrup, along with plant milk and chia seeds! They are so freaking addictive. I can’t even handle having them in the house because I can’t just eat one.
While you’re at it, you could double the cookie recipe and make these Thumbprint cookies. They’re so good too!
Vegan, Gluten Free Switch Bars
Crunchy cookie topped coated in chocolate with a date based caramel filling.
Ingredients
Caramel
- 1 cup Dates Soaked it acv & plant milk for 15 minutes to an hour
- 1 Cup Plant Milk
- 1 Tbs Chia Seeds optional--soak with dates
- 2 tsp ACV
- 1/2 Cup Maple Syrup
- 1/4 Cup Brown Rice Syrup
- 1/2 tsp Salt
Cookie
- 1/2 cup Vegan Butter Refined Coconut Oil will work too. Make sure it's refined!
- 1/4 cup Maple Syrup
- 1/2 tsp Vanilla
- 1/2 cup Almond Flour
- 1 1/4 Cup Gluten Free Flour
Chocolate
- 2 Cups Chocolate Chips
- 4 tsp Refined Coconut oil
Instructions
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Preheat oven to 350°. Line cookie sheet with parchment paper.
Caramel
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Soak dates and chia seeds in milk mixed with apple cider vinegar
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Blend date mix until smooth in blender.
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Add all ingredients except vanilla to medium pan
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Cook on medium high until mixture begins to bubble and cooks down to a bit thicker of a consistency. Temperature should reach 215°. This may take 20 to 30 minutes.
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Caramel will not be completely thick while it is cooking. It will thicken once you remove from heat.
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Place in refrigerator for until cooled
Cookie
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Soften vegan butter to room temperature.
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Add butter or coconut oil, maple syrup, and vanilla to mixing bowl. Mix until completely smooth
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Add almond flour and mix. Scrape down sides
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Slowly add gluten free flour, scraping down sides.
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Mixture should be crumbly, but still sticky.
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Shape cookies into long rectangles (or whatever shape you would like).
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Place on parchment paper lined cookie sheet
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Bake at 350° for 15 minutes
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Remove from oven and let cool. Cookies should be slightly brown on the underside.
Chocolate
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Melt chocolate chips and refined coconut oil in double boiler. If you do not have a double boiler, just use two pans, one slightly larger than the other.
Put it all together!
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Once cookies are cooled, work caramel on top of cookie.
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Drop cookie caramel side down into the chocolate.
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Use tongues to flip the bar. Lift from chocolate and let excess chocolate drip.
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Place back on cookie sheet.
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Place in refrigerator.
Recipe Notes
*Layer nut butter or preserves on top of caramel too!