No-Bake Vegan Chocolate and Peanut Bars

Holly Jade, who contributed this recipe says, “Snickers are one of my favorite chocolate bars: nougat, peanuts, caramel, and chocolate—heaven. This is my vegan version, with a peanut base, creamy nut butter filling, even more peanuts, and a dairy-free chocolate coating. If you love peanut butter, you’ll be nuts about these no-bake vegan chocolate and peanut butter bars!”

Holly also suggests that you can customize the recipe by using gluten-free oats, to make it gluten-free.

Recipe is from The Essential Book of Vegan Bakes: Irresistible Plant-Based Cakes and Treats by Holly Jade, ©2022, Countryman Press/W.W. Norton. Photo by Holly Jade. Reprinted by permission.

More about Vegan Bakes by Holly Jade

Holly Jade, the creator of The Little Blog of Vegan, has released her first book, The Essential Book of Vegan Bakes: Irresistible Plant-Based Cakes and Treats.

Holly has made plant-based baking easier and better than ever for her growing audience. Her unabashedly decadent treats never sacrifice flavor and texture, from cakes and cookies to pastry and puddings. The Essential Book of Vegan Bakes has a recipe for every craving, whether readers are vegan veterans or newcomers to the plant-based scene.

Here, Holly veganizes classics like Shortbread, Key Lime Pie, and Hot Cross Buns. But she also provides unique originals like her Neapolitan Celebration Cake and Mini Passionfruit Pavlovas.

Holly’s recipes are accompanied by her own gorgeous photography, as well as specialized tips on baking with vegan ingredients, from aquafaba to coconut cream. Colorful, lively, and utterly irresistible, The Essential Book of Vegan Bakes is a must-have cookbook for the vegan shelf.

The Essential Book of Vegan Bakes
is available wherever books are sold

• Here are more sweet and savory peanut butter recipes.
• Explore more vegan gluten-free dairy-free desserts and sweets.

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Yield: 16

No-Bake Vegan Chocolate and Peanut Bars

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If you love peanut butter, you’ll be nuts about these vegan no-bake chocolate and peanut butter bars!

Prep Time 20 minutes

Additional Time 20 minutes

Total Time 40 minutes

Ingredients

Base

• 2 cups plus 1 tablespoon whole or rolled oats
• 1 cup shelled peanuts
• ⅓ cup plus 1 tablespoon smooth or crunchy peanut butter
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 4 1/2 tablespoons coconut oil, melted
• 2 tablespoons maple syrup

Filling

• 1 cup smooth or
• crunchy peanut butter
• ½ cup shelled peanuts, whole or chopped (optional)

Chocolate topping

• 1⅓ cups plus 2 tablespoons dark chocolate

Instructions

1. For the base: Line a 9-inch (22 cm) square baking pan with parchment paper. Allow the paper to hang on either side of the pan so it’s easy to remove once the bars are ready.
2. In a food processor or blender, blend all of the base ingredients until they come together—this will take a few minutes. Press the mixture into the lined pan, using your hands, until it is compact, smooth, and even.
3. For the filling: Spread the peanut butter over the base and level with a spoon or spatula until even. Sprinkle over the peanuts, if using, and lightly press down. Place the pan in the freezer to allow the peanut butter to firm up.This will take around 15 to 20 minutes.
4. For the topping: Melt the chocolate using a bain-marie (see Notes) or you can temper the chocolate to make it more stable.
5. Pour the melted chocolate over the filling, level it out with a spoon or spatula, then pop the pan back into the freezer for a few minutes to firm up. Cut into bars just before the chocolate fully sets. Then place the bars in the fridge in a sealed container until ready to serve.

Notes

A bain-marie is used to melt ingredients gently, without burning. To melt chocolate in a bain-marie, add a small amount of water to a pan and place a heatproof bowl on top, with the chocolate inside. Turn the heat to medium and the steam will melt the chocolate.

Tip: As these bars contain coconut oil, they will soften at room temperature. They can be stored in the fridge for up to a week. Leave at room temperature for 5 minutes before eating.

If you like the no-bake chocolate & peanut butter combination,
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