These chocolate chip cookie dough bars are slathered with a thick layer of healthier homemade caramel, chocolate, and a good sprinkle of flaky salt.
This recipe is basically a combination of edible vegan cookie dough, and a healthy version of a caramel slice.
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📖 Recipe Overview
- Easy To Make - These cookie dough caramel bars don't require any baking, so no need to preheat the oven! The recipe comes together in a few simple steps with about 20 minutes of prep time and is suitable for novice bakers to seasoned chefs.
- Minimal Ingredients - Made with simple plantbased ingredients that are generally pretty wholesome too. A lot of them are pantry staples that you may already have to hand.
- Vegan - As well as being naturally eggless and dairy-free, they can be made gluten-free with GF oats. They're also made without butter and refined sugar like most cookie dough recipes.
For more cookie dough recipes, try my vegan cookie dough ice cream, cookie dough fudge, and cookie dough cheesecake.
🧾 Ingredients Needed
You only need 8 simple ingredients to make easy cookie dough bars. Here's what to grab:
Ingredient Notes
Here are a few things to bear in mind when selecting your ingredients to make these vegan cookie dough bars:
- Cashew Butter - If you want to keep these caramel slices cashew-free, you can swap this out for peanut butter, almond butter, or tahini. Make sure you choose a spread without added oil.
- Rolled Oats- Also sold as “old-fashioned oats,” these have the best, chewiest consistency. You can swap in instant oats which also work perfectly. You can also use ground almonds or almond flour, but I would just use half the nut butter in this case as it won't be as thirsty as the oats!
- Vanilla Bean Paste - Vanilla extract will also do, just make sure you opt for a brand that is vegan-friendly such as Neilsen Massey pure vanilla extract and Taylor and Colledge vanilla bean extract.
- Pure Maple Syrup: This adds sweetness, and flavor, and helps bind the cookie dough ingredients. You can use brown rice syrup or agave syrup if preferred.
- Coconut Oil: This is what sets the cashew caramel layer as coconut oil solidifies at around 74°F (23°C).
- Vegan Chocolate Chips - If you can’t find vegan chocolate chips, finely chopped vegan milk chocolate or dark chocolate will also work.
- Sea Salt - Cookie dough just would not be the same without that salty edge. The salt enhances and balances the flavors and sweetness of the dough, so I don't recommend skipping it.
🥣 How To Make Cookie Dough Bars
Find the complete list of ingredients, quantities, and instructions in the recipe card at the end of this post.
This easy no-bake dessert comes together in just a few simple steps. The hardest part is waiting for the caramel to set! Here's how it's done:
Step 1: Blend. Blitz the oats in your food processor until finely ground. Then add in cashew butter, maple syrup, vanilla, and salt and blend again until combined.
Step 2: Add chocolate chips. Transfer the cookie dough to a bowl and mix in vegan chocolate chips with your hands or using a spatula.
Step 3: Press the cookie dough into a pan. Press the cookie dough into the base of a pan lined with parchment paper. Use the back of a spoon or spatula to smooth it out in an even layer.
Step 4: Make the caramel. This easy caramel is made in one simple step, literally. Just add the maple syrup, cashew butter, coconut oil, and salt to a bowl and melt over a double boiler (bain marie) and stir until smooth.
Step 5: Add caramel layer. Spread the caramel on top of the cookie dough base, using a spatula to get an even layer. Place in the fridge for a few hours until the caramel hardens and sets.
Step 6: Top with chocolate and set. Melt the vegan chocolate and pour it on top of the set caramel. Allow it to firm up in the fridge before slicing and serving.
🍪 Optional Variations
I love this easy cookie dough bar recipe as it's written, but there's plenty of room to add your own spin:
- Make It Nut-Free - If you're sensitive to nuts, swap out the cashew butter for tahini or sunflower seed spread.
- Gluten-Free - If you have a gluten intolerance, go for certified gluten-free oats.
- Add Fruit - Sprinkle freeze-dried raspberries or strawberries on top of the chocolate before it sets for a layer of fruity flavor.
- Switch The Chocolate - Feel free to use dairy-free milk chocolate, white chocolate, or dark chocolate for the topping.
- Add Crunch - Add toasted hazelnuts, flaked almonds, shredded coconut, or some granola on top of the chocolate before it sets.
📝 Recipe Tips
Line your pan with parchment. This makes life MUCH easier when it comes to lifting out your freshly made cookie dough bars.
Don't skip the nut butter in the chocolate topping. This helps to make the chocolate that little bit more pliable and helps prevent cracking when you slice the bars.
Wipe your knife between each cut when slicing the bars to ensure clean, sharp, professional-looking slices.
💬 FAQs
These easy cookie bars will keep for up to 5 days in a covered container in the fridge.
Absolutely! Store them in a freezer-safe container for up to 2 months. To serve, simply defrost them in the fridge overnight.
In this case, yes! Because these bars are eggless and made without flour, they are totally safe to eat without baking.
❄️ More No-Bake Recipes
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*This recipe was originally published in June 2021. The recipe has since been improved to minimize the ingredients used and simplify the instructions. The original cookie dough recipe can be found in the notes section of the recipe card below.
š Recipe
Easy Cookie Dough Bars (No-Bake)
Ingredients
Oat Cookie Dough - see recipe notes for almond flour version
- 220 g (2¾ cups) rolled oats
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 200 g (¾ cup) cashew butter or almond butter without added oil
- 100 ml (⅖ cup) pure maple syrup
- 1 tablespoon (10 ml) vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract
- 120 g (⅔ cup) vegan chocolate chips
Caramel
- 250 g (1 cup) cashew butter or almond butter
- 160 ml (⅔ cup) pure maple syrup
- 65 g (⅓ cup) coconut oil solid
- 1 teaspoon (5 ml) vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
Topping
- 200 g (7 oz) vegan chocolate
- 30 g (2 tbsp) cashew butter or almond butter
- flaky sea salt for garnish
Instructions
- Prepare: Lightly grease the base and sides of a square 8" pan with some oil, then line with parchment paper.
- Blend: Blitz the oats in your food processor until finely ground. Then add in cashew butter, maple syrup, vanilla, and salt and blend again until combined.
- Add chocolate chips: Transfer the cookie dough to a bowl and mix in vegan chocolate chips with your hands or using a spatula.
- Press the cookie dough into a pan: Press the cookie dough into the base of a pan lined with parchment paper. Use the back of a spoon or spatula to smooth it out in an even layer.
- Make the caramel: This easy caramel is made in one simple step, literally. Just add the maple syrup, cashew butter, coconut oil, and salt to a bowl and melt over a double boiler (bain marie) and stir until smooth.
- Assemble and set: Spread the caramel on top of the cookie dough base, using a spatula to get an even layer. Place in the fridge for 3 hours until the caramel hardens and sets.
- Chocolate coating: Melt the vegan chocolate with the cashew butter over a double-boiler and stir until smooth. Pour it on top of the set caramel. Allow it to firm up in the fridge for 30 minutes before slicing and serving.
- Serving: To slice, place a sharp knife in a jug of boiling water to heat it. Wipe the knife dry and gently cut, allowing the heat from the knife to melt through the slices. Garnish with sea salt and serve.
- Storage: Store these slices in an airtight container in the fridge and consume them within 5 days. Alternatively, you can freeze any unused portions and defrost them as nein the fridge overnight as needed.
Notes
- For almond flour cookie dough, use these ratios and ingredients instead: 3 cups (335g) ground almonds, ⅓ cup (55g) coconut sugar, 1 tsp salt, ½ cup (128g) cashew butter, 1 tbsp vanilla, 1 tbsp maple syrup, 1 tbsp coconut oil, 100g chocolate chips
- Don't skip the nut butter in the chocolate topping. This helps to make the chocolate that little bit more pliable and helps prevent cracking when you slice the bars.
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These are delicious. I wanted to confirm that 1g =26g of fat? Is this due to the nut butter? I weighed 1 gram and itās tiny!
Hi Lillian,
Apologies, this is per 1 serving/slice based on 16 portions, I will amend that now š
I love your recipes, but some of the ingredients, such as cashew or almond butter and vanilla bean paste, aren't super affordable. Do you think I could use peanut butter instead? š
Hi Lydia,
Thank you so much! I totally hear you, you could definitely use peanut butter instead. You can actually swap it in most times across the board in my recipes, but please if you're ever unsure just ask š
I donāt have cashew or almond butter. Can I use peanut butter?
Hi Lucia, yes you can peanut butter without added oil in it.
I made these yesterday and chilled overnight, very easy and delicious! Only problem is both my cookie dough layer and especially my caramel layer came out gooey-er than they look in your pictures, so they are difficult to slice and a bit messy to eat. My cashew butter is a little on the runny sideā¦do you think that was the problem?
Hi Eve-Marie,
That sounds like it could have been the cashew butter, did it have any added ingredients in it? Also, did you measure with grams or cups?
I didnāt add anything and used gram measurements. Must be the cashew butter, or possibly I mis-measured something. I cut the recipe in half, and although I think I was careful, I have been known to accidentally forget to cut one of the measurements in half in the pastā¦. But they still taste great and will definitely not go to waste!
Oh wait I just realized you were asking about the cashew butter - I just looked and it has added oil! I would not have bought it if Iād known that š¢. Thanks for your diagnosis!
Hi Eve-Marie,
It happens to us all, but I'm glad to hear that they won't go to waste. Thanks so much for trying the recipe x
This recipe is spectacular, magical! My husband and kids love it! Thank you so much! š¤
P.s. we are not vegan, but try to eat healthy.
Hi Bia,
I'm so happy you and your family enjoyed the recipe! Thank you so much for trying it and sharing your positive feedback x
This will be the fourth time making these babies! They are just so amazing
Love the recipe, thanks heaps š
Hi Toni, thank you so much for your amazing feedback! So happy to hear you've been making them regularly š
Made this today
Absolutely loved it!!
Will be making again
Thanks for a great recipe
Hi Toni,
I'm so happy you enjoyed the recipe, thank you so much for sharing your feedback š