Apple Bars with Caramel Frosting

These apple bars are soft and have chocolate chips in them. They are covered with a delicious caramel frosting. Paleo, Vegan, and Gluten-Free.

Apple Bars with Caramel Frosting [Vegan, Paleo, Gluten-Free]

Ingredients

Apple Bars:

• 1/2 cup almond butter
• 1/4 cup coconut oil room temperature or melted
• 1/2 cup coconut sugar
• 1/4 cup applesauce
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 tablespoon ground flax seed
• 1 tablespoon of water
• 1 cup brown rice flour or any flour of preference
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon powder
• 1/2 cup chocolate chips
• 3/4 cup chopped apples

Caramel Frosting:

• 3/4 cup pitted dates
• 2 tablespoons almond milk yogurt or any dairy free yogurt
• 1 tablespoons almond butter
• 1/2 tablespoon almond milk or more

Preparation

Apple Bars:

1.  
   Pre-heat oven to 350°F. Line a 8x8-inch pan with parchment paper.
2.  
   Mix flax seeds with water and set aside for 5 minutes to thicken.
3.  
   Mix the almond butter and coconut oil in a bowl. Whisk until incorporated.
4.  
   Add coconut sugar and whisk.
5.  
   Add apple sauce and vanilla extract.
6.  
   Add flax seed and water mixture.
7.  
   Mix brown rice flour, baking soda, and cinnamon powder together. Add chocolate chips and chopped apples to the batter. Mix until incorporated.
8.  
   Pour batter onto prepared pan.
9.  
   Bake on pre-heated oven for 15-20 minutes, until the top looks set and a deep golden.

Caramel Frosting:

1.  
   If your dates are hard, make sure to soak them in water for a while before using.
2.  
   In a small blender, combine dates, almond milk yogurt, and almond butter. Basically everything but the milk.
3.  
   Blend for a bit. Add the tablespoon of milk if the mixture is too thick.
4.  
   Blend mixture for a couple of minutes until smooth, making sure to scrape the sides in between.
5.  
   If the mixture is still too thick, add just a bit more milk, as necessary.

To assemble:

1.  
   Simply spread the top of the apple bars with the caramel frosting before slicing. Decorate the top with sliced apples and chocolate chips.

Storage:

1.  
   Keep them in the refrigerator, covered, for up to 4 days.

https://www.onegreenplanet.org/vegan-recipe/apple-bars-caramel-frosting-vegan-paleo-gluten-free/