Chocolate Salted Caramel Blondies (Vegan Gluten-Free)

Fudgy white chocolate blondie squares combine with a quick salted caramel all topped with a layer of dark chocolate in these Chocolate Salted Caramel Blondies. They are naturally vegan, gluten-free and easy to make plus they have a delicious malty flavour.

I love anything blondie-based as they are just so fudgy and while they’re sweet, my blondies are never too sweet. A lot of blondies call for either lots of butter and sugar or they use chickpeas, but I wanted to strike the healthy-delicious balance in a different way for these Chocolate Salted Caramel Blondies. These rely on simple plant-based whole-foods and they are so good.

How delicious are these Chocolate Salted Caramel Blondies?

They are very delicious, I have to say. These blondies are:

• Fudgy, rich and moreish
• Sweet and chocolatey
• Salted and tender
• Easy to make in one bowl
• Layered with fudgy cake, gooey caramel and smooth chocolate
• Naturally vegan and gluten-free
• Easily nut-free

If you are already sold, then skip ahead to make these blondies right away. First, let’s discuss the ingredients and method in more detail.

What ingredients do I need?

The base for the blondie bars is easy:

• Runny smooth nut butter: or you can use seed butter to make these bars nut-free. I like cashew or almond as they both have a naturally sweet but mild flavour. Nut-free options would include tahini or sunflower seed butter.
• Coconut sugar: this adds a lot of richness to the blondie base but other sugars like golden or white caster sugar will also work.
• Plant-based milk: any carton of milk will be great like oat, almond, coconut or hemp.
• Chia or flaxseed: use ground up chia or flaxseed instead of using eggs as a binder for the batter. I have whole chia seeds which I then grind at home to a fine meal texture.
• Vanilla essence: for the sweet flavour.
• Plain flour: this keeps the blondies light and fudgy. You could use GF plain flour instead, make sure it has xantham gum to help bind the bars and is a recommended baking blend.
• Baking powder: for just a little rise. These are fudgy but still slightly cakey.
• Oat flour: I love baking with oat flour as it adds a lot of wholesome goodness and it’s slightly sweeter with a richer flavour than plain flour. No need to buy oat flour, just buy oats and blend them at home to a flour consistency.
• Vegan Horlicks malt powder: this adds the most delicious malty flavour to the blondie base that is so comforting and nostalgic. It is not naturally gluten-free, so us more oat flour instead, if needed.
• Salt: to heighten the flavours.
• White chocolate: I love blondies with white chocolate. It adds sweetness without being too much. Make sure you use dairy-free white chocolate, I use the White Nougat one from NuCao which is my favourite and is lower sugar, plant-based with home compostable packaging, too. You could use other chocolate like milk or dark, too.

As for the caramel, this is my simple caramel that I come back to time and time again:

• Runny smooth nut butter: as above ant will work and you can use seed butter.
• Melted coconut oil: this helps the caramel to set to the right consistency for spreading.
• Maple syrup: for sweetness and for the texture. You can use other syrups like agave, date or oat syrup or vegan honey, too.

Finally the chocolate layer:

• Dark chocolate: I like dark chocolate on top of these Chocolate Salted Caramel Blondies as it contrasts with the white chocolate in the base. Any dairy-free chocolate will work.
• Coconut oil: this makes the chocolate slightly smoother and silkier which is perfect for dunking.
• Crushed cookies: for a bit of texture on top. I use lotus Biscoff cookies.
• Flaky salt: I just love a sprinkling of salt on chocolate treats.

How do I make these blondies?

The method is surprisingly simple and the base comes together nicely in one bowl:

• Whisk the wet ingredients: for the blondies until smooth.
• Sift in the dry ingredients: and whisk again till thick and smooth.
• Fold in the chopped chocolate: to evenly mix them through.
• Pour into a lined dish: and bake till golden brown (22-24 minutes) and an inserted skewer will come out almost clean. If it is clean, the blondies are probably over-baked and not as fudgy.
• Cool and slice into 9 squares: or you can make smaller, bite-sized blondies, too.
• Make the caramel: stir together the ingredients and allow to chill until spreadable.
• Spread the caramel over the blondies: in a thick layer. Allow to rest in the fridge, this helps the chocolate to set and means the caramel won’t melt as quickly.
• Melt the chocolate and coconut oil: and pour into a glass or bowl.
• Dip each blondie into the chocolate: allowing the excess to drip off and set in the fridge.
• Sprinkle with crushed cookies: and flaky salt, if you like.

Are these Chocolate Salted Caramel Blondies gluten-free and nut-free?

Yes, these are easily gluten-free if you use GF flour and make sure that your oats are certified gluten-free. Check that your malt powder is gluten-free and if not, use extra oat flour. To make these blondies nut-free, opt for seed butter for the blondie base and for the caramel. Also check that your chocolate and milk are nut-free.

How long will these last?

These blondies are really fudgy so they last well in the fridge for 3-5 days (I eat them after a week too and they are still just as delicious) in a sealed container. You can also freeze them for up to 1 month, and are best frozen without the caramel and chocolate. Simply allow the blondies to de-frost at room temperature and then frost and dip.

I love these blondies, what else can I make?

I really hope you are going to love these Chocolate Salted Caramel Blondies and for more baking inspiration, how about my:

• Salted Caramel Banana Bread Pecan Cinnamon Rolls
• Vegan Champagne Cupcakes with White Chocolate Buttercream
• Vegan Pumpkin Cheesecake Brownies
• Pumpkin Chocolate Chip and Coconut Cake
• Blackberry White Chocolate Blondies

I look forward to hearing what you think of these Chocolate Salted Caramel Blondies so please let me know in the comments below. If you do make these, I’d love to see your blondies so please tag me in them, I’m @nourishing.amy on Instagram and use the hashtag #nourishingamy. I’m also on Twitter, Facebook and Pinterest  – please say hello!

With choc caramel blondie love x

p.s. the original recipe was created for Horlicks but this post is not sponsored. I love Horlicks and am so happy they have a vegan one, now!