Sometimes I miss super random things.
Soap from Bath and Body Works. The foamy kind, preferably in Moonlit Path.
Quiet Saturday mornings watching cartoons like Recess and Pepper Ann.
Listening to trashy morning radio that was too old for my young ears on the way to school.
Walking to Starbucks even when I realized to late it was a little too cold or too hot.
Helping Dad clean out and carve pumpkins with patterns like Pikachu and Winnie the Pooh.
Playing video games about war that were far too old for me, but probably helped me build critical thinking skills.
Going to work with Mom and feeling so grown up … also sometimes getting to skip school.
The crinkle of candy bar wrappers and the instant delight of devouring one or five.
These little cashew coconut carob twix bars might not have crinkly wrappers, although parchment or even foil would get close, but I could still eat five.
In fact, I actually think these are a lot better than those Twix at the grocery store. They are made with care and love and real ingredients, starting with that vanilla flecked shortbread that melts in your mouth.
Then there’s the creamy topping that has all those caramel and vanilla notes with some nuttiness too. And the coating is carob for me, but feel free to be all normal and use chocolate. These don’t hold up super well at room temperature since they tend to be extra gooey, but they are good straight from the refrigerator or even the freezer where the filling turns into a chewy toffee like thing that is other worldly.
There are always going to be things to miss, but there will always be awesome new discoveries to make the distant memories fond instead of biting.
Cashew, Coconut, and Carob Twix Bars
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 30 bars 1x
Description
Grain, gluten, dairy, and refined sugar free candy bars that are way tastier than the original.
Ingredients
Shortbread
1 cup almond flour
1/3 cup coconut flour
1/3 cup coconut oil, room temperature
2 tablespoons honey
1 teaspoon vanilla bean powder
½ teaspoon sea salt
Filling
¾ cup cashew butter (I really like Artisana Mac-Coconut Butter to make it super creamy!)
¼ cup creamy almond butter
¼ cup melted coconut oil
¼ cup pure maple syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla bean powder
Coating
½ cup melted coconut oil
2/3 cup carob or cocoa powder
Instructions
Make the shortbread crust. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F/ 325 degrees F convection. Line an 8 or 9 inch square pan with parchment.
In a medium bowl, stir together the almond and coconut flours, vanilla, and salt. Stir in the honey and work in the coconut oil until the dough comes together. There can still be some small pieces of coconut oil, but the dough should be workable. Press into the prepared pan and bake about 15 minutes until golden brown. Cool completely.
Make the filling. In a medium bowl, stir together cashew and almond butters, coconut oil, syrup, and vanilla until well combined. Pour over the cooled crust, smooth into an even layer, and refrigerate until set, at least two hours.
Once bars are set, remove from the pan using the parchment and slice into small candy bar shapes using a serrated knife.
Make the coating. Stir the oil and powder together until completely combined. Using a fork, dip each candy bar, allow the excess to drip off, and place on a parchment lined baking sheet to set. You may want to dip them again depending on how thick the coating is.
Bars may be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or frozen, wrapped in parchment and foil and placed in a zipper bag for up to 3 months.
Notes
Recipe adapted from Half Baked Harvest
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
These look super good!
★★★★★
Thanks, Debbie!