No-Bake Peanut Butter Cookie Dough Bars
These tender peanut butter cookie dough bars are sweetened with dates and are a no-bake dessert! Gluten free and vegan.
Servings: 4 large bars
Ingredients
Peanut Butter Filling:
- 6 Medjool dates
- ½ cup peanut butter, creamy/salted (softened)
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste (optional)
- 3 tablespoon virgin coconut oil, melted
- ⅓ cup warm water
- 2-3 tablespoon coconut flour
Chocolate:
- ¾ cup vegan chocolate chips
- 1 tablespoon virgin coconut oil
Topping:
- reserve 1-2 tablespoon of filling for crumbly top.
- optional: sprinkle of coarse or fine sea salt (fleur de sel would be perfect!)
Instructions
- Remove the pits from your dates and soak in warm water for 2 minutes. Drain water and add dates to blender.
- Add peanut butter, vanilla extract and water. Blend from low to high until smooth - this will take a few minutes. If the mixture is too thick for your blender you may need to add a few more spoonfuls of either oil or water.
- Pour the peanut butter mixture into a medium bowl and add the coconut flour. Fold and stir until a cookie dough-like texture forms. You want it nice and moist though - not too dry.
- Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Pour the cookie dough onto the parchment and smooth out with your palms. You can make the bars as thick or thin as you'd like. (Remember to reserve a bit of the filling for the crumbly top.)
- Place the peanut butter baking sheet in the freezer for about five minutes, just to cool a bit.
- Chocolate: Warm your coconut oil and chocolate and stir briskly until melted. You can use the microwave or a double broiler method.
- Remove your peanut butter baking sheet from the freezer and pour the chocolate over top, and crumble the filling over top. Place the baking sheet back in the freezer. Chill for about ten minutes.
- Finally, do a final drizzle of chocolate over top, along with some optional coarse sea salt. Place back in the fridge for five minutes.
- Remove the bars a final time, slice and serve!