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Chocolate Cashew Caramel Protein Bars

Who wants Chocolate Cashew Caramel Protein Bars?

Chocolate Cashew Caramel Protein Bars are delicious and easy to make at home. Gluten Free, Dairy free and many swap options.

Your hand better be up or you are going to miss out on the easiest, tastiest snack that is as good as a dessert…because who doesn’t want to enjoy a delicious bar filled with nuts, date caramel and chocolatey goodness?

I was inspired by the LCBO Food & Drink Spring 2017 magazine that I picked up earlier today while stocking up on my favourite Banrock Station Pink Moscato (try my raspberry lemonade moscato slush).  For anyone that isn’t familiar, this free magazine is chock full of mouth watering recipes for both food and drinks. Food & Drink is available online and I highly recommend taking a flip and trying a recipe or two.  As I was flipping through I came across a recipe for Packed with Protein Bars and decided I had to make a variation. And like now!

The recipe calls for a base and then a chocolate and cashew coating. I decided to take it a step further and add a date caramel layer.  Date caramel is such an easy thing to make and has no added-sugar.  It is essentially dates + hot water. If you want to follow a recipe you can try the one from Minimalist Baker. I highly recommend making it in your food processor.

Chocolate Cashew Caramel Protein Bars are delicious and easy to make at home. Gluten Free, Dairy free and many swap options.

These bars will hit both your sweet tooth and salty cravings. They are like the best of both worlds. While I used cashew butter and roasted cashews on top the variations are nearly endless. I can totally picture this with chopped pistachios sitting on top or even coconut.

You can also skip the date caramel for a simpler, less rich variation that is more true to the original recipe.

Chocolate Cashew Caramel Protein Bars are delicious and easy to make at home. Gluten Free, Dairy free and many swap options.

Chocolate Cashew Caramel Protein Bars are now on the top of our must-make again list.  Why not make a big batch and keep them in the freezer to enjoy when you need a snack? I even served these after dinner and no one protested or argued that this wasn’t a dessert.  Chocolate + Nuts + Caramel win every time.

chocolate caramel bars stacked on parchment paper

Chocolate Cashew Caramel Protein Bars

Yield: 12 bars
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 3 minutes
Additional Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 43 minutes

Ingredients

Bottom Layer

Middle Layer

  • 1/4 cup date caramel

Topping

  • 2 ounces vegan dark chocolate, melted
  • ¼ cup chopped roasted salted cashews

Instructions

  1. Line a 9'x9' baking pan with parchment paper.
  2. In a sauce pan, heat honey to a boil. Once boiling, allow to simmer for 30 seconds. Remove from heat and add cashew butter and coconut oil. Stir until well mixed and uniform.
  3. Pour mixture in a glass bowl. Add ground almond, protein powder, puffed rice and salt and mix. In order to get mixture uniform you may need to use your hands to mix. Chocolate Cashew Caramel Protein Bars are delicious and easy to make at home. Gluten Free, Dairy free and Vegan option.
  4. Pour mixture into the parchment lined baking pan and pack it in well. Place pan in fridge for 30 minutes.
  5. Remove pan from fridge and add a thin layer of date caramel to the top spreading with a spatula so it is evenly coated.
  6. Melt dark chocolate and pour over the top of the pan. Gently shift the pan from side to side so that the chocolate evenly coats the top of the bars.
  7. Add cashews to food processor and pulse 3-5 times to get a nice chop. (Alternatively, chop with knife) Sprinkle cashews over the top of the bars. Chocolate Cashew Caramel Protein Bars are delicious and easy to make at home. Gluten Free, Dairy free and Vegan option.
  8. Place pan back in fridge for 30 minutes or until chocolate is set. Cut and enjoy!

Notes

Inspired by Food & Drink magazine's Packed with Protein Bars.

Recommended Products

As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Nutrition Information:
Yield: 12 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 256Total Fat: 14gSaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 9gCholesterol: 1mgSodium: 148mgCarbohydrates: 30gFiber: 2gSugar: 22gProtein: 6g

Please note, that the nutritional details are an estimate only and may differ depending on the source of your ingredients. Optional ingredients may be included.

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