A while ago when I made my coconut dulce de leche, I did so not only with nice cream in mind, but also with the idea of using it for things like keto candy bars and keto cookies. This recipe is kind of a hybrid of those two thoughts. I really like the combination of chocolate, coconut, macadamia nuts and caramel and figured they would be pretty tasty when combined into a cookie bar. I was not wrong.

Because I believe in vegan keto for everyone, these bars are soy-free and gluten-free. They can also easily be made nut-free by just replacing the macadamia nuts with sunflower seeds or pepitas, or just eliminating them completely. This recipe is also egg-free and dairy-free. You could also make this coconut-free by replacing the coconut flour with double the amount of almond flour and eliminating the coconut flakes. Whew.

I really enjoy eating these bars and have been making them as a little treat for myself lately while working on my upcoming vegan keto cookbook (update – it’s out!), and I hope that you enjoy them as well! If you make these vegan keto cookie bars, I’d love to hear about it in the comments. You can also tag me on instagram – it seriously makes my day when this happens. 🙂

Anywho, on with the recipe!

Notes on Making Vegan Keto Cookie Caramel Cookie Bars (gluten-free, soy-free, dairy-free, egg-free)

• I used my sugar-free coconut dulce de leche recipe for these, but if you can find a vegan and keto-friendly caramel out there, then you can use that as well!
• Alternatively, you can skip the caramel topping as it isn’t super necessary.
• For making cookie bars and other treats where you would traditionally use brown sugar, I’ve started using golden granulated sweetener, which somehow manages to mimic that taste without actual sugar.
• So, I know a lot of you have difficulties tolerating psyllium husk. If you are in this camp, you could replace the psyllium with ground flax seed or ground chia seed. The texture won’t be quite the same, but things will at least hold together.

Vegan Keto Cookie Caramel Cookie Bars (gluten-free, soy-free, dairy-free, egg-free)

Print Recipe

These vegan keto caramel coconut cookie bars are easy to make, and really hit the spot when you want a nice low-carb treat. They're gluten-free, soy-free, dairy-free, sugar-free, egg-free and still absolutely delicious!

Course Dessert

Cuisine vegan keto

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 30 minutes mins

Total Time 40 minutes mins

Servings 9

Calories 253

Ingredients

• ½ cup coconut oil (112g), softened
• ½ cup unsweetened coconut milk or preferred non-dairy milk
• 2 tablespoons whole psyllium husks
• 2 tablespoons golden granulated sweetener
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ½ cup coconut flour (56g)
• ½ cup unsweetened coconut flakes (30g)
• ½ cup raw macadamia nut halves (56g)
• 1 ounce unsweetened baking chocolate (30g)
• ¼ cup Coconut Dulce de Leche (60ml)

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C) and line an 8”x8” (20cm x 20cm) brownie pan with parchment paper, leaving at least 2” (5cm) extra on two opposing sides to help with removal.
• In a medium mixing bowl, stir together the coconut oil, coconut milk, psyllium, granulated sweetener, salt and vanilla until completely combined and smooth. This takes about a minute of stirring.
• Add in the coconut flour, coconut flakes, macadamia nuts and chocolate and stir until everything is evenly distributed. The dough will resemble a drop cookie dough batter.
• Press the dough evenly into the brownie pan and bake for 30 minutes, until the peaks begin to turn golden, and the dough is firm to the touch.
• Remove from the pan using the extra parchment as handles and let cool for an hour so the bars have time to set up. You could always speed up this process by putting the bars in the freezer for about 15 minutes - just don’t forget them!
• Once cooled, slice into 9 equal portions and either drizzle or pipe the Quick Coconut Dulce de Leche on top.
• To store: Refrigerate in a covered container for up to four days or freeze for up to a month.

Notes

To calculate net carbs - subtract the grams of fiber and sugar alcohols (if applicable) from the total grams of carbohydrates in the recipe.

For sweeteners, I prefer to use Lakanto. It’s the brand I’ve found that works best for baking, and doesn’t upset my stomach. You can save 15% if you shop on their site using the code MeatFreeKeto.

Nutrition

Serving: 1 | Calories: 253kcal | Carbohydrates: 6.6g | Protein: 2.1g | Fat: 24.9g | Fiber: 4.2g