The other night, I was ravenous.
It was that bottomless-pit kind of hunger—nothing would satisfy it. My husband felt it too; one of us getting late-night munchies always seems to drag the other in.
We also fall into the same crazy cycles. Around the full moon we tend to squabble over the silliest things, then later laugh at how pointless the whole fight was.
This particular craving was for something sweet and intensely chocolatey. Scrolling through Foodgawker only made it worse: brownies, cookies, cakes—beautiful photos that made me want sugary goodness at eight o’clock at night.
After drooling over a caramel-topped brownie photo, I set out to make my own no-bake, raw version.
I usually try to keep portions modest when I make treats, but not this night. My husband and I—well, mostly I—decided these needed to be worth the effort and ingredients: triple-X worthy, the kind you might regret in the morning because they’re that indulgent. And they are worth it.
XXX Sticky Brownie Bars (Vegan, Paleo)
Ingredients
- BROWNIES:
- 1 c. walnuts
- 1 c. oats (or another nut or seed of your choice if paleo or grain-free)
- 5 T. cocoa powder
- ½ t. sea salt
- 6 ounces Medjool dates about 12
- 2 T. coconut oil
- 2 T. honey or maple syrup
- 1 t. vanilla
- 1 T. water
- CARAMEL:
- 3.5 ounces Medjool dates about 7
- 2 T. raw walnut butter or raw almond butter
- 1 T. maple syrup
- pinch sea salt
- ½ t. vanilla
- 1 T. dairy-free milk
Instructions
-
BROWNIES:
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Process the walnuts and oats (or your chosen nuts/seeds) until they reach a mealy texture.
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Add the cocoa powder and sea salt and pulse to combine.
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Add the dates and process until they are partially incorporated.
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Add the coconut oil, honey or maple syrup, vanilla, and water. Process until the mixture clumps together.
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Press the mixture into a 7 x 5 inch dish and refrigerate.
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CARAMEL:
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Process the caramel ingredients together until smooth and well combined.
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Spread the caramel over the brownie layer.
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Chill briefly or cut and enjoy immediately.
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Store leftovers in the refrigerator.
Notes
Nutrition
These bars hit the sweet spot. Coincidentally, they even earned a nod from a medic the night I sprained my wrist—my husband handed one to the on-duty responder while I was in pain.
I was literally standing there, tears and all, while my husband apparently thought it was the perfect moment to get someone to critique the recipe. I suspect he just wanted an excuse to eat another.
When is your favorite time of day to eat sweets?
I’m definitely a night snacker. Having a treat to look forward to gives me extra motivation to eat well during the day—yes, I admit it’s a bit childish, but it works for me.