Vanilla Caramel Cookie Bars

December 10, 2020 Megan Matthews and Patricia Schroeck, Sweets You Can Eat

Vanilla Caramel Cookie Bars

Ingredients

2 cups pecan halves
3 cups oats
4 tablespoons coconut oil, solid or at a cool room temperature
1/2 cup maple syrup
1 tablespoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
Caramel
7 fresh dates
3 tablespoons maple syrup
3 tablespoons coconut oil, melted
2 teaspoons vanilla
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 cup cashew or almond butter
large crystal salt

Makes 24 cookie bars

Instructions

1.  Preheat oven to 350ºF/180ºC. Coat 2 cupcake tins with coconut oil for a non-stick surface. 24 total.
2.  Toast pecans for 8 minutes. Watch carefully that they do not burn. Set aside.
3.  Crust: Using a blender, rough chop whole oats into a coarse flour. Place oat flour in a bowl, add coconut oil, maple syrup, vanilla, salt and baking powder. Stir to combine into a chunky dough.
4.  Scoop 1 tablespoon cookie dough into each cupcake tin. Press down firmly with your fingers to compress into cookie bar crusts. Bake for 12 minutes. Refrigerate to cool completely before adding next layer.
5. Caramel: Place caramel ingredients, except nut butter, into a blender or food processor and puree until smooth. Scoop date mixture into a bowl. Add the nut butter and stir together until completely smooth.
6. Assemble: Once the oat layer is cooled, spread 2 tablespoons date caramel layer evenly over the top of each base. Sprinkle large crystal salt and press down into caramel to stick. Finally add pecan halves to make a pretty finish. Refrigerate for 30 minutes to set.

Check out these gorgeous pecans from a small family farm in Lousiana: Calianna Pecan Farms

We also love the large crystal salt from Maldon. The crystals keep their shape while baking.

Photos by Milkshake Creative

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