Decadent, fudgy, chocolaty, rich, and creamy Caramel Chocolate Brownies! This vegan, gluten-free no-bake dessert will literally melt in your mouth and you will have a hard time to stop eating it.
The Perfect Sweet Treat
Where do I start?! Well, I have no idea because this fudgy deliciousness blew my mind. Seriously, this dessert is so good and if you have a sweet tooth you have to give it a try! Sometimes we all need a sweet treat and therefore I love to be prepared when the chocolate craving kicks in!
These bite-sized caramel chocolate brownies are perfect as a sweet treat and after eating just one you won’t feel as full as after eating a big piece of cake. But you will be satisfied because the combination of chocolate and caramel will make your taste buds very happy. So without further ado let’s get started.
No-Bake Recipe
This recipe is a no-bake recipe which means you don’t need an oven to make it! That’s awesome, right? It isn’t a raw recipe though, mainly because of the caramel. However, it’s also possible to make the middle layer of these brownies with dates.
This would also make the dessert much healthier. Therefore, I will include the recipe for the date version in the recipe notes! Then you can choose which version you want to try. You could also make both versions and decide which one you like more.
Gluten-Free Vegan Dessert
As you know all my recipes are always vegan and gluten-free and so is this one. The no-bake brownie base contains ground flax seeds, dates, powdered peanut butter (you can use almond flour instead), cocoa powder, vanilla extract, and salt. And that’s it! It’s actually one of my most popular dessert recipes which currently has 50 (almost) 5-star ratings which proof that the recipe is very good!
The caramel layer makes this dessert even more delicious. As mentioned before, I will give you a second (healthier) option in the recipe notes. The third layer is just melted dairy-free chocolate which means it’s really easy to make!
How To Store?
I prefer to store these caramel chocolate bars in the freezer and once I have those sweet cravings I take one out and let it thaw for about 20 minutes. Eating just one of these bite-sized caramel brownies will satisfy my taste buds!
If you store them in the fridge you might have a hard time to stop eating them, haha, therefore I recommend storing some in the freezer as well!
These Caramel Chocolate Brownies are:
- Vegan
- Gluten-free
- Fudgy
- Chocolaty
- Great as dessert or snack
- A yummy no-bake recipe
- Freezer friendly
- Healthier than most caramel brownies
Should you recreate these caramel chocolate brownies, please leave a comment below and don’t forget to tag me in your Instagram or Facebook post with @elavegan and #elavegan because I love to see your recreations. If you love brownies, definitely also check out my other healthy brownie recipes.
Caramel Chocolate Brownies
Ingredients
Brownie Layer:
- Wet ingredients:
- 3/4 cup (130 g) dates (should be soft and moist)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract or vanilla bean
- Dry ingredients:
- 1/3 cup + 1 tbsp (65 g) flax seeds
- 1/4 cup + 1 tbsp (30 g) cocoa powder or raw cacao powder
- 4 tbsp (32 g) powdered peanut butter or almond flour (ground almonds)
- Pinch of sea salt
Caramel Layer:
- 1/4 cup (80 g) maple syrup (or agave syrup)
- 1/3 cup (80 ml) coconut milk (canned)
- 4 tbsp (40 g) cane sugar
- 2 heaped tbsp (40 g) peanut butter (or sunflower seed butter)
- Pinch of sea salt
Chocolate Layer:
- 3/4 cup (135 g) chocolate chips dairy-free (or dark chocolate, chopped)
- 2 tsp (10 g) coconut oil
Instructions
Brownie Layer:
- Grind the whole flax seeds in an electric coffee/spice grinder (or blender) until they turn into flour. You can also use 65 g of store-bought GROUND flax seeds but make sure it's fresh.
- Process all dry ingredients in a food processor, then add the dates and vanilla extract and process until the dough sticks together when you press it between your fingers. It might take some minutes until the dough comes together. If it's still too dry after a while then add a few dates in addition or a little bit of maple syrup or raw agave syrup. The dates should be very soft and juicy. If they are rather dry you should soak them in warm water first, until they are soft.
- Line a 6-inch square baking pan (double the recipe if you have an 8-inch or 9-inch baking pan) with parchment paper and leave about a 2-inch overhang on both sides. Grease the parchment paper with a little bit of oil.
- Transfer the brownie dough into the pan and press it down firmly. Set aside.
Caramel Layer:
- Put all ingredients for the caramel layer into a saucepan and bring to a boil. Stir with a whisk and let simmer on low heat for about 10-15 minutes until the mixture gets thicker.
- Pour the caramel layer onto the brownie layer, and put the pan into the freezer for about 30 minutes. Check the recipe notes below for a healthier version with dates!
Chocolate Layer:
- For the chocolate layer, melt dairy-free chocolate chips with coconut oil in a water bath (or double boiler).
- Once the chocolate is melted pour it on top of the caramel layer and put the pan back into the freezer for 5 minutes.
- Cut into mini bars (works best with a hot knife!).
- Store in the refrigerator. You can also freeze these caramel chocolate brownies in zip-lock bags! Enjoy!
Notes
- Recipe serves 16. Nutrition facts are for one serving.
- 130 g dates, soaked in hot water
- 1/3 cup (80 ml) coconut milk
- 1 1/2 tbsp (25 g) smooth peanut butter or sunflower seed butter
- Pinch of salt
Nutrition information is an estimate and has been calculated automatically
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Is there a healthier version fir the chocolate layer using unsweetened chocolate or cocoa powder plus a natural sweeter?
Hi Andy! Yes, you can make a healthier chocolate layer, by following this recipe: Cookie Dough Bars With Chocolate or this recipe: Vegan Snickers Bars