Pumpkinseed Caramel ‘Twix’ Bars
Ingredients
Instructions
-
1Line an 8 x 8-inch rimmed pan with parchment paper and set it aside. Combine the coconut flour, salt and beet powder, if using, in a medium bowl. Set aside.
-
2Combine the coconut butter with the maple syrup in a small saucepan and melt over low heat, stirring until mixed thoroughly.
-
3Add the coconut butter mixture to the bowl with the coconut flour and mix until combined, using your hands towards the end. Transfer the mixture into the prepared pan and press against the bottom into an even layer. Set aside while making the caramel layer.
-
4Combine the pumpkinseed butter with the maple syrup in a small saucepan and warm it over low heat, stirring, until thoroughly mixed. If your butter is quite soft and creamy, you can mix in the maple syrup without heating it up.
-
5Evenly spread the pumpkinseed butter mixture over the cookie layer. Sprinkle with the toasted pumpkin seeds and bee pollen, if using, slightly pressing them into the caramel.
-
6Place the pan into the freezer until firm to the touch, for about 2 hours.
-
7Gently melt the cacao butter in a medium heatproof bowl on a double boiler. Whisk in the maple syrup, sift in all the powders, if using, and whisk to combine thoroughly.
-
8Allternatively, melt about 1½ cups chopped dark chocolate or chocolate chips in a medium heatproof bowl on a double boiler. Add 1 tablespoon neutral coconut oil and whisk to combine until smooth.
-
9Remove the pan from the freezer. Pull the bar cookie out of the pan onto a cutting board by the sides of the parchment paper. Slice in half lengthwise and crosswise and continue slicing each piece in half until you have 16 slim bars.
-
10Working with one bar at a time, dip them into the melted chocolate using two forks. Turn to coat evenly, remove from the coating and gently shake over the bowl to let most of the chocolate excess drip back into the bowl. Place the coated bars on a drying rack over a piece of parchment paper. Optionally, drizzle with more chocolate and sprinkle with flaky salt.
-
11Transfer the coated bars into the freezer for about 10 minutes, until the chocolate is set. From here, you can enjoy them right away or store in an airtight container in the freezer. Remove 5 minutes prior to enjoying.
-
12Preheat the oven to 350° F (180° C). Line a rimmed baking tray with parchment paper.
-
13Combine the pumpkin seeds with the oil and salt and toss to coat. Toast for 7 minutes, until slightly golden.
-
14Transfer the pumpkin seeds into a food processor, add the moringa/matcha powder, if using, and grind into a fine meal.
-
15With the motor still running, add the olive oil, 1 tablespoon at a time, until a smooth, slightly runny butter forms. Stop the processor and scrape the sides periodically during the process. Keep refrigerated in an airtight glass container.
This post was created in partnership with Nuts.com
Wow, am I excited to finally be sharing these bars here today! They are sort of like a much healthier, more colorful and plant-based version of Twix bars, they’re also no-bake and easy to make at home. The recipe was born out of a collaboration with Nuts.com, our favorite online bulk foods supplier that carries pretty much every magical whole food ingredient, from nuts to dried fruit, spices to superfood powders and snacks. They sent me a mystery ‘Pantry in a Box,’ and I had the fun challenge of coming up with a recipe using the ingredients in the box. The stand-outs were plump pumpkin seeds, the freshest coconut flour, electric pink beet powder, and flaky sea salt. It took me a while to simmer on the recipe. First, I wanted to go savory and tested out a few dishes in that direction, but I ended up arriving at these bars, and I’m so glad I did.
The bottom, ‘shortbread’ layer is made with coconut flour and colored pink with beet powder, which is totally optional, but contributes to the bars’ stunning appearance (and nutrition!). No baking required there. The green ‘caramel’ layer is made with sweetened, homemade pumpkinseed butter, but you can pretty much use any nut or seed butter in its place. Everything is covered with chocolate and generously sprinkled with flaky salt. So good! The recipe looks long because I give directions for making your own seed butter and chocolate coating, but those two can easily be store-bought for a quicker prep time. We made a step-by-step video to show the fun of the process, too :)
Pumpkinseed Caramel 'Twix' Bars
Serves: 16
Ingredients
for the shortbread cookie layer
- ½ cup coconut flour
- small pinch of sea salt (optional)
- 2 teaspoons beet powder (optional, you can also use any colorful berry powder)
- ½ cup coconut butter/manna (not oil)
- ¼ cup maple syrup
for the pumpkinseed caramel layer
- 1½ cups pumpkin seed butter (recipe follows) or any nut/seed butter of choice
- ¼ cup maple syrup
- ⅓ cup toasted pumpkin seeds (optional)
- 1-2 tablespoons bee pollen (optional)
for the raw chocolate coating
- 100 g (about 1 cup) shredded raw cacao butter
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup
- ½ cup raw cacao powder
- ¼ cup mesquite powder (optional)
- 2 tablespoons maca powder (optional)
- flaky sea salt - for sprinkling (optional)
for the homemade pumpkinseed butter
- 2 cups raw pumpkin seeds
- 1 tablespoons neutral coconut oil, melted
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- 2 teaspoons moringa or matcha powder - for color, (optional)
- about ¼ cup olive oil
Instructions
to make the shortbread cookie layer
- Line an 8 x 8-inch rimmed pan with parchment paper and set it aside. Combine the coconut flour, salt and beet powder, if using, in a medium bowl. Set aside.
- Combine the coconut butter with the maple syrup in a small saucepan and melt over low heat, stirring until mixed thoroughly.
- Add the coconut butter mixture to the bowl with the coconut flour and mix until combined, using your hands towards the end. Transfer the mixture into the prepared pan and press against the bottom into an even layer. Set aside while making the caramel layer.
to make the pumpkinseed caramel layer
- Combine the pumpkinseed butter with the maple syrup in a small saucepan and warm it over low heat, stirring, until thoroughly mixed. If your butter is quite soft and creamy, you can mix in the maple syrup without heating it up.
- Evenly spread the pumpkinseed butter mixture over the cookie layer. Sprinkle with the toasted pumpkin seeds and bee pollen, if using, slightly pressing them into the caramel.
- Place the pan into the freezer until firm to the touch, for about 2 hours.
to make the raw chocolate coating
- Gently melt the cacao butter in a medium heatproof bowl on a double boiler. Whisk in the maple syrup, sift in all the powders, if using, and whisk to combine thoroughly.
- Allternatively, melt about 1½ cups chopped dark chocolate or chocolate chips in a medium heatproof bowl on a double boiler. Add 1 tablespoon neutral coconut oil and whisk to combine until smooth.
to make the bars
- Remove the pan from the freezer. Pull the bar cookie out of the pan onto a cutting board by the sides of the parchment paper. Slice in half lengthwise and crosswise and continue slicing each piece in half until you have 16 slim bars.
- Working with one bar at a time, dip them into the melted chocolate using two forks. Turn to coat evenly, remove from the coating and gently shake over the bowl to let most of the chocolate excess drip back into the bowl. Place the coated bars on a drying rack over a piece of parchment paper. Optionally, drizzle with more chocolate and sprinkle with flaky salt.
- Transfer the coated bars into the freezer for about 10 minutes, until the chocolate is set. From here, you can enjoy them right away or store in an airtight container in the freezer. Remove 5 minutes prior to enjoying.
to make the pumpkinseed butter
- Preheat the oven to 350° F (180° C). Line a rimmed baking tray with parchment paper.
- Combine the pumpkin seeds with the oil and salt and toss to coat. Toast for 7 minutes, until slightly golden.
- Transfer the pumpkin seeds into a food processor, add the moringa/matcha powder, if using, and grind into a fine meal.
- With the motor still running, add the olive oil, 1 tablespoon at a time, until a smooth, slightly runny butter forms. Stop the processor and scrape the sides periodically during the process. Keep refrigerated in an airtight glass container.
3.5.3226
Recipe Gallery
Reader Comments (14)
See what other home cooks are saying about this recipe