Healthier Chocolate Candy Bars (Vegan + GF)

When I took a few days off last week, I completely forgot to bring healthy(er) snacks with me, so when I got hungry, I reached for the closest vending machine. I know, bad habit. The thing is, I couldn’t find a single bar that was 1) vegan and 2) healthy, meaning, for me, no white sugar or palm oil. So I decided to make my own Healthier Chocolate Candy Bars!

Think of these bars as a mix of Twix and Kinder Bueno. You get a crunchy shortbread base with smooth hazelnut “milk” cream. The difference between this and a simple date “caramel” is that I used hazelnut butter combined with tahini to give it a milky flavor. Adding cocoa butter makes the filling soft and creamy, with a pleasant melt-in-your-mouth texture. I only use shelf-stable ingredients here to keep the bars at room temperature for several weeks.

The shortbread base can be made in two ways: baked or no-bake. I tried both, and while I prefer the baked one, the no-bake version is easier and faster. Baking the base will give you a shortbread-like texture, a bit more crunchy and crumbly.

It requires only 5 ingredients to make the shortbread: oat flour, maple syrup, coconut oil, almond butter, and vanilla extract. Mix everything together until you get a dough, press it down into a baking dish and bake for 18 minutes.

The top layer consists of hazelnut butter, maple syrup for a caramel flavor, and tahini for a light milky taste. Then stir in melted cocoa butter to help firm up everything as it cools. I highly recommend using hazelnut butter. It gives the bars a nutty flavor that pairs very well with the chocolate coating. Hazelnut + Chocolate: You know what I mean…

Regarding the maple syrup, I usually go with Dark Amber because it has a more intense flavor and a thicker consistency but regular maple syrup will work great too.

Once everything is smooth and well combined, pour it over the shortbread base and cool in the refrigerator. After about 2 hours, the hazelnut layer will have hardened a bit.

When the hazelnut layer is firmer, cut it into 8 bars and generously dip it in melted chocolate!

I think I already mentioned this in a previous recipe, but if you want a thinner coating, you can “liquify” the chocolate with cocoa butter. To do that, melt the chocolate with additional cocoa butter; use about 1 ounce of cocoa butter for 10 ounces of dark chocolate. I don’t recommend using chocolate chips here; the cocoa butter content is too low to make a thin coating.

If you are looking for a healthier alternative to store-bought snack bars, this recipe won’t disappoint! They have a crunchy shortbread base, a creamy and melt-in-your-mouth hazelnut layer, and a crispy chocolate coating. Plus, they are designed to keep at room temperature for up to 3 weeks (probably more).

Let me know in the comments if you try this Healthier Chocolate Candy Bars recipe!

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Healthier Chocolate Candy Bars (Vegan + GF)

5 from 6 votes

Author: Thomas Pagot

Delicious snack bars with a crunchy shortbread base, a creamy hazelnut layer, and a thin chocolate coating. You won't believe these candy bars are vegan and gluten-free!

Print Pin Review Text Recipe

Prep Time : 30 minutes mins

Cook Time : 20 minutes mins

Resting Time : 2 hours hrs 10 minutes mins

Total Time : 3 hours hrs

Servings 8 Bars

Calories 314 kcal

Ingredients

 

US CustomaryMetric

Shortbread

• ▢ 1/2 and 1/3 cup cup oat flour
• ▢ 1 tbsp almond butter
• ▢ 2 tbsp maple syrup
• ▢ 2 tbsp melted coconut oil (or cocoa butter)
• ▢ 1/4 tsp vanilla extract

Creamy Hazelnut Layer

• ▢ 1/2 cup hazelnut butter
• ▢ 1/3 cup maple syrup
• ▢ 2 tbsp tahini
• ▢ 1/4 cup melted cocoa butter
• ▢ 1/8 tsp sea salt

Coating

• ▢ 10 ounces dark chocolate
• ▢ 1 ounce cocoa butter (optional, yields a thinner coating)

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Instructions

 

Shortbread

• Preheat oven to 300°F (150°C). Line the bottom of a 4×7-inch baking dish with parchment paper.
• Combine the oat flour, almond butter, maple syrup, coconut oil, and vanilla extract in a mixing bowl. Mix until you get a slightly crumbly dough. Transfer to the prepared baking dish and press it down firmly using the bottom of a glass.
• Bake for 18-20 minutes or until golden brown. Let cool completely and keep the shortbread in the baking dish.

Creamy Hazelnut Layer

• Whisk together the hazelnut butter, maple syrup, and tahini In a small bowl. Slowly pour in the melted cocoa butter and whisk gently until fully incorporated. Stir in the salt.
• Pour over the shortbread base and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or until the hazelnut layer is firmer. You can speed up the process by placing the baking dish in the freezer.
• Run a knife around the edges of the baking dish. Remove the preparation from the baking dish and slice into 8 thin bars.
• Melt the dark chocolate with the cocoa butter over a double boiler. Using a dipping tool, dip each bar into the melted chocolate. Place the dipped bars on a silpat or parchment paper and refrigerate 10 minutes, or let cool at room temperature to set the chocolate.
• You can then wrap each bar individually with plastic film and keep them at room temperature for up to 2 weeks. For a firmer hazelnut layer, keep the bars in the refrigerator.

Nutrition

Serving: 1 Bar (coated with dark chocolate) | Calories: 314 kcal | Carbohydrates: 22 g | Protein: 4.9 g | Fat: 23.9 g | Fiber: 3 g | Sugar: 12.6 g

Course : Candy, Snack, Sweets

Cuisine : American

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About the Author

Thomas Pagot is the founder, photographer, and recipe developer behind Full of Plants. He created the blog in 2016 as a personal cookbook for vegan recipes. Through years of recipe development, Thomas has successfully grown Full of Plants into a trusted resource for plant-based recipes.

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