Pies and Plots

Writing Never Tasted So Sweet

  • Home
  • About
  • Recipes
  • Press
  • Contact
  • Books

Caramel Almond Butter Cookie Bars

July 19, 2022

Share
Pin
Tweet
Email
Print
Jump to Recipe·Print Recipe

Caramel is one of my favorite dessert treats.  It’s kind of underrated because not many people think of it as a stand alone thing.  It tends to be baked into cakes or brownies or cookie bars like these.  Or slathered on top of cake or drizzled over ice cream.  Sure now and then ooey gooey chewy caramel candies get their moment in the sun, but caramel is thought of mostly as the sidekick to a hero dessert.

That’s too bad because it’s rather finicky to make and always turns out a little differently depending on the weather or the exact heat of the stove since it has to be watched and cared for, unlike something to be popped in the oven and forgotten for some time.

And the flavor of caramel is so rich and complex.  It’s sweet and bitter, rich and just a little salty if you add a nice amount of sea salt.  It changes the flavor of anything it comes in contact with (I’ve even had caramel chicken wings) and on its own can be quite the finish to a meal.

I love caramel so much, I almost named my blog caramel and characters instead of Pies and Plots, but I only liked the ring of it when pronounced care-a-mel and most people just say car-mel, so I took another path.  That’s a writer’s brain for you 😉

Caramel is a sidekick in these cookie bars, I suppose, but they also wouldn’t be the same without the bittersweet complexity playing with the almonds and a hint of spice given I used Carrot Cake Almond Butter from Big Spoon Roasters, one of my favorite places to buy almond butter in unique flavors that aren’t too weird but are just plain tasty and addictive.

You can see the perfectly crackly top on these bars and the dense, almost gooey interior.  Now imagine deep, dark caramel, nutty almond butter, and just a hint of spice, accented by carob chips for a cookie bar that deserves a spot at every picnic and party and random rainy afternoon sitting at home.  Just make sure you put more caramel on top!

Print
clock clock iconcutlery cutlery iconflag flag iconfolder folder iconinstagram instagram iconpinterest pinterest iconfacebook facebook iconprint print iconsquares squares iconheart heart iconheart solid heart solid icon

Caramel Almond Butter Cookie Bars


★★★★★

5 from 1 reviews

  • Author: Laura
  • Prep Time: 20 minutes
  • Cook Time: 1 hour
  • Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
  • Yield: 18 bars 1x
Print Recipe
Pin Recipe

Description

Crispy on the outside, dense and chewy on the inside, these cookie bars are loaded with caramel, almond butter, and a hint of warm spice.


Ingredients

Scale

½ cup coconut oil

½ cup olive oil

¼ cup maple sugar

½ cup coconut sugar

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 tablespoon espresso powder

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

½ teaspoon ground ginger

2 large eggs

2 ¼ cup paleo flour blend (2 cups almond flour, 1 ¼ cup tapioca starch, ¾ cup coconut flour)

1 teaspoon baking soda

¾ cup almond butter

¾ cup homemade salted caramel sauce

¾ cup carob or dark chocolate chips


Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F/325 degrees F convection.  Oil a 9 by 13 inch pan.

In a large bowl, beat oils, sugars, vanilla, espresso, cinnamon, and ginger until light, fluffy, and fully combined.  Beat in the eggs one at a time.  Stir in the flour and baking soda.  Stir in the carob chips.  Spread half the batter in the prepared pan.

In a small bowl, stir together the almond butter and caramel.  Spread into an even layer over the batter.  Dollop the remaining batter on top, spreading it out as much as possible.  Bake about 25 minutes until golden brown and set on top.  Cool completely in the pan before slicing and serving.  Cookie bars may be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days or frozen, wrapped in parchment and foil, and placed in a zipper bag for up to 3 months.  Thaw about 1 minute in the microwave.

Notes

Recipe adapted from Dinners, Dishes, and Desserts

Did you make this recipe?

Tag @piesandplots on Instagram

Filed Under: Bars Tagged With: almond, Caramel, grain free

Don’t Miss a Bite!

« A Sky Full of Stars #FashionFriday
Up, Up, and Away: Balloon Wonderland »

Comments

  1. John / Kitchen Riffs says

    July 20, 2022 at 10:23 am

    Love cookies. And bars. And most of all, the combination of the two! This looks great — tons of flavor. Definitely my kind of recipe. Thanks!

    Reply
    • Laura says

      July 23, 2022 at 1:00 pm

      Dessert mashups really are the best! Thanks, John!

      Reply
  2. Debbie+Eccard says

    July 26, 2022 at 11:34 am

    Scott loves caramel! These wouldn’t last a day! Sounds wonderful.

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Laura says

      August 9, 2022 at 5:02 pm

      Caramel is always a hit! Thanks, Debbie!

      Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe rating ★☆ ★☆ ★☆ ★☆ ★☆

  • Bloglovin
  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter

Welcome to Pies and Plots. I’m Laura Dembowski, writer, baker, and fashionista sharing recipes, reviews, and tips to inspire you to enjoy life both inside and outside the kitchen.
…Read More

Pre-Order My First Book!

Don’t Miss a Bite!

my foodgawker gallery
TODAY.com Parenting Team FC Contributor

The Latest

Categories

piesandplots

Fashion 👡 👗Florida ☀️🌴 Fiction 🖋📚 Food 🎂🥩
Cause of Death is available now! 🥳
#ootdshare #floridavibes #amwriting #bakersofinstagram

Laura Dembowski
Summers and sunsets just go together, and this is Summers and sunsets just go together, and this is one of my favorites of all time 💛 It happened to be at one of my favorite places of all time too: @fsorlando 😍 All the details for this outfit are on the blog right now!

#ontheblog #linkinprofile #fashion #fashionista #fashioninspo #fsmemories #orlandofl #orlandoflorida #thecitybeautiful #orlandoinfluencer #disneyworld #disneygram #sunsetlovers #sunsetvibes #summervibes #blondehairdontcare #patbo #bluedress #fsorlando #fourseasonsresort #fourseasonsorlando #floridagirl #sunsetlover #sunsetstream #happygirl #smile #behappy #strikeapose #lookgoodfeelgood
I'm taking on a couple new and exciting baking pro I'm taking on a couple new and exciting baking projects today. If you want to make something, I highhhhhhlllllyyy recommend this almond butter cup cake. It is so rich and decadent - perfect for any special occasion. Would you believe it's also grain, gluten, dairy, and refined sugar free???? 🤯 Head over to the blog to get this recipe asap!

#ontheblog #linkinprofile #ambaking #bakedfromscratch #grainfree #glutenfree #dairyfree #refinedsugarfree #paleocake #paleodessert #cakecakecake #imsomartha #thekitchn #bakefeed #yahoofood #todayfood #buzzfeedfood #huffposttaste #buzzfeastfood #bonapetit #carob #almondbutter #layercake #browniecake #makewithlove #eatdessertfirst #eatrealfood #devilsfoodcake #almondbutteraddict
Perhaps it's fitting my very first Instagram reel Perhaps it's fitting my very first Instagram reel 🥳 is for my very special, perhaps once in a lifetime, evening at Victoria and Albert's inside the Grand Floridian 🌟 It just reopened last week after being closed since the beginning of the pandemic, so it was quite a treat to snag a reservation and enjoy this experience. I will share all the details this week on @tastychomps but here is a quick look at the evening and each of the courses 💖

#disneygram #disneyworld #waltdisneyworld #orlandofoodie #orlandoeats #orlandorestaurants #orlandoinfluencer #orlandofl #lakebuenavista #floridagirl #diningout #finedining #fancy #foodnerd #victoriaandalbert #grandfloridian #resortstyleliving #resortlife #specialoccasions #youonlyliveonce #yolo #eatingfortheinsta #tastingmenu #wagyubeef #eatdessertfirst #cheers #ballgown
I'm thinking back to my first visit to the Grand F I'm thinking back to my first visit to the Grand Floridian earlier this year because I'll be heading back for something super special. I can't wait to share my next adventure there with you all!

#ontheblog #linkinprofile #orlandofl #orlandoflorida #thecitybeautiful #disneyworld #disneyworld50 #disneyworldresort #grandfloridian #grandfloridianresort #floraldress #lookgoodfeelfood #floridagirl #floridalife #orlandoblogger #orlandoinfluencer #orlandofoodie #blondehairdontcare #happygirl #blueskyandsunshine #baylake #magickingdom #cinderellascastle #nevergrowup #centralflorida #strikeapose #model #havefun #behappy
I'm feeling all the fun, flirty floral vibes of th I'm feeling all the fun, flirty floral vibes of this dress going into the weekend. It's going to be hot and sunny here in Orlando and that makes me want to wear all the ruffled, patterned dresses. You can find all the details for this outfit on the blog right now! Happy Friday 💜

#ontheblog #linkinprofile #fashion #ootdshare #fashionista #strikeapose #model #fashionblogger #rosegoldhair #blondehairdontcare #orlandofl #thecitybeautiful #lakenona #patbo #floraldress #minidress #manoloblahnik #diorbag #sunshineandsummertime #summervibes #floridavibes #floridagirl #dogwoodtree #dressupfriday #fashionfriday #lookgoodfeelgood #pinklipstick #styleinspo #fashioninspo
One more Christmas in July post for you before we One more Christmas in July post for you before we have to wait for December to really kick the season off 🎄Okay maybe November 😛 This brandy soaked fruitcake will change EVERYTHING you think you know about fruit cake. It's nutty, chewy, sweet, a little spicy and definitely not your grandma's fruitcake. Head over to my blog to get the recipe and make a batch for yourself.

#ontheblog #linkinprofile #ambaking #bakersofig #christmasinjuly #christmasvibes #christmasfood #christmasrecipe #fruitcake #thekitchn #bakefeed #imsomartha #huffposttaste #buzzfeedfood #todayfood #yahoofood #bonapetit #bonapetitmag #bakedfromscratch #bakedwithlove #grainfree #glutenfree #driedfruit #peachjam #raisins #fruitcakerecipe #fruitcakes #cinnamonspiceandeverythingnice #boozy
Load More... Follow on Instagram
  • Bloglovin
  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter

Privacy Policy

Copyright © 2022 · Pies and Plots · Web Design by Viva la Violet