Chocolate Cinnamon Caramel Crunch Bars (Vegan No-Bake)
No-bake, delicious and rich Chocolate Cinnamon Caramel Crunch Bars made with plant-based, gluten-free and wholesome ingredients. These are the best snack and are great for parties, snacks and desserts.
If you love the classic caramel bar, but want a bit of crunch and texture, these bars are the best thing to make. They require no baking, no bubbling or boiling of caramel and are ready in about 20 minutes of work. Set the layers in the fridge and then slice into these delicious chocolatey bars that have everything you want: chocolatey goodness, gooey caramel, cinnamon flavours, crunch and a cookie dough base. They are ideal for meal prep snacking at the weekend, as well as serving as desserts to friends and family and they are easily allergen friendly.
Why will I love these bars?
These bars are amazing:
- Chocolatey, caramel-y and fudgy
- Crunchy, crispy and delightful
- Sweet, smooth and luscious
- With 4 layers of plant-based goodness:
- Cookie dough-like base
- Crunchy chocolate hoop cereal
- Gooey nut butter caramel
- Thick dark chocolate top
- Naturally vegan, dairy-free and egg-free
- Easily gluten-free with nut-free options
- Great to make ahead of time
- Freezer and fridge-friendly
- Delicious all year round
- Packed with fibre and protein
- Require no baking
- Ready in a few steps
If you already love the sound of these bars, then skip ahead to the recipe card below. Or, first let’s discuss the recipe in more detail.
What ingredients do I need?
You can see the ingredients with weights in the recipe card and also see my favourites and recommended brands in the “shop the recipe” section.
For the base:
- Oat flour: this is oats blended up into a fine flour and is great for using raw. Make sure the oats are certified gluten-free, where needed.
- Almond flour: this is great for adding moisture to the base while acting as a flour that is safe to eat raw. Ground almonds will also work and if you are avoiding nuts, use more oat flour.
- Cinnamon: for the lovely cosy sweetness.
- Salt: for flavour.
- Cashew butter: make sure it is smooth and runny for the best texture. You can also use almond or peanut butter or make the bars nut-free and use sunflower seed butter or tahini.
- Agave or maple syrup: for the sticky sweetness.
- Coconut oil: to help the base set.
- Vanilla extract: for flavour.
As for the crunch:
- Chocolate hoop cereal: I use the Eat Surreal chocolate hoops which are high protein, high fibre and low in sugar and they come in some amazing flavours. I also love the cinnamon ones, the peanut butter hoops and the frosted ones. You can use other crispy cereal, too.
The same ingredients are used for the caramel:
- Cashew butter
- Agave or maple syrup
- Coconut oil
- Cinnamon and salt
Finally for the chocolate top:
- Dark chocolate: use your favourite dark or dairy-free milk chocolate for the top. You can use chocolate chips, buttons or a bar, chopped up.
- Coconut oil: to make the chocolate smoother and set more quickly.
- Cashew butter: to swirl on top.
Are these gluten-free and nut-free?
These are easily gluten-free, as long as your oats are certified gluten-free, and so is your cereal. To make these nut-free, use sunflower seed butter or tahini instead of cashew butter and swap the ground almonds for oat flour.
How do I make them?
These bars are ready in a few steps:
- Mix together all the base ingredients: to a cookie-dough like texture.
- Press into a lined loaf tin: to make a base.
- Sprinkle over the hooped cereal: and place in the fridge.
- Whisk together the caramel ingredients: and pour over the base.
- Allow to set: until firm to touch.
- Melt the chocolate: and pour over the caramel.
- Swirl on the cashew butter: and allow to set.
- Remove from the tin and slice: into squares.
How long will they last?
Keep these bars in the fridge in a sealed container for 1 week or the freezer for 1 month. Allow to defrost before eating.
What other recipes can I try?
For other bars and slices:
- Chocolate Crunch Cornflake Bars
- Cookie Dough Chocolate Crispy Slices
- Chocolate Pumpkin Fudge Crunch Bars
- Date Pecan Caramel Bars
- Banana Nut Chocolate Flapjack
Chocolate Cinnamon Caramel Crunch Bars (Vegan Gluten-Free)
No-bake, delicious and rich Chocolate Cinnamon Caramel Crunch Bars made with plant-based, gluten-free and wholesome ingredients. These are the best snack and are great for parties, snacks and desserts.
Ingredients
For the Base:
- 100g oat flour
- 100g almond flour
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- A pinch of salt
- 60g runny, smooth cashew butter
- 3 tbsp (45ml) maple or agave syrup
- 2 tbsp (30ml) melted coconut oil
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 40g chocolate hoop cereal
For the Caramel:
- 90g smooth, runny cashew butter
- 3 tbsp (45ml) maple or agave syrup
- 3 tbsp (45ml) melted coconut oil
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- A pinch of salt
For the Chocolate Top:
- 120g dark chocolate, chopped small
- 2 tsp coconut oil
- 2 tbsp runny, smooth cashew butter
- Cinnamon and flaky salt, on top
Instructions
- Line a 6-inch/15-cm square tin with parchment paper.
- For the base, add the oat flour, almond flour, cinnamon and salt to a bowl and stir. Now pour in the cashew butter, syrup, coconut oil and vanilla and stir to a sticky cookie dough-like texture.
- Press into the tin to make a smooth base. Sprinkle over the hoop cereal and press down lightly. Place in the fridge while you make the filling.
- For the caramel, whisk together all of the ingredients until smooth.
- Pour the caramel over the base, smooth out and then chill for 1 hour, or until set firm.
- To make the topping, add the chocolate and coconut oil to a heatproof bowl and warm in the microwave or over a pan of simmering water (known as a bain-marie) until melted.
- Pour the chocolate over the caramel and spread it out evenly.
- Drop small amounts of the cashew butter on top and use a toothpick to swirl it around,
- Chill again for 10-20 minutes, until the chocolate has set firm.
- Remove from the tin and use a sharp, warmed knife to slice into 9 squares.
- Enjoy straight away or keep in a sealed container in the fridge for 1 week or in the freezer for 1 month, wrapped well. Allow to defrost before eating.
Shop the recipe
Stay in touch
I look forward to hearing what you think of these Chocolate Cinnamon Caramel Crunch Bars so please let me know in the comments below and leave a star review above. If you do make these, I’d love to see so please tag me, I’m @nourishing.amy on Instagram and use the hashtag #nourishingamy. I’m also on Twitter, Facebook and Pinterest so please say hello!
With chocolate crunch love
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