Bars

Name: Oatmeal Cherry Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 1 h 35 min
Yield: 16 Cookie Bars
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 3/4 cup unbleached all-purpose flour; 1/2 tsp salt; 1/2 tsp baking soda; 1/2 cup vegan butter stick, softened; 1 large egg, room temp; 1/2 cup coconut sugar; 1/2 cup brown sugar, packed; 1 tsp vanilla extract; 1 1/2 cups old fashioned oats; 2/3 cup dried cherries; 1/3 cup dairy-free semisweet chocolate chips; 1/3 cup dairy-free white chocolate chips + ~3 Tbsp more for drizzling

Oatmeal Cherry Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars (DF)

December 16, 2019 by Rachael Ng Leave a Comment

These simple and sweet oatmeal cookie bars couldn’t get any easier! I took the oatmeal cookie dough that we always used when I was growing up (my mom says it came from a canister of Always Save oats), added chocolate chips and dried cherries, and threw it all into a baking dish. So. Easy. No fiddling around with a cookie scoop, or worrying that your cookies will spread. Just pop the dough into the oven and you’ll get a giant cookie bar that can be sliced into snack-able, individual bars! I drizzled mine with a bit of melted white chocolate for some holiday pizazz given that these are a part of my 12 Days of Dairy-Free Cookies countdown, but feel free to leave these babes as-is, or press extra chocolate chips into the batter pre-bake!

Some of the ingredients I like for this recipe:

Coconut sugar is my favorite, better-for-you replacement for white granulated sugar. It’s low GI, unrefined, and doesn’t taste like coconut!

Brown sugar adds moisture and sweetness to these bars. You can use coconut sugar instead, if you’d like, but I really like the flavor brown sugar lends to these.

Semi-sweet chocolate chips are a no-brainer when it comes to anything cherry. I love a good cherry + chocolate dessert, and I’ve found that dairy-free semi-sweet chocolate chips are easier, and more affordable, to come by than dark chocolate (which is surprising!).

White chocolate chips add a bit of sweet and some “color” to these bars. I love the contrast between the dark browns of the cookie bar, the red of the cherries, and the bright white of the white chips and drizzle.

Yield: 16 Cookie Bars

Oatmeal Cherry Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars

Chewy oatmeal cookie bars loaded with chocolate chips and dried cherries! An easy and quick spin on a traditional oatmeal cookie.

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes

Additional Time 1 hour

Total Time 1 hour 35 minutes

Ingredients

3/4 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 cup vegan butter stick, softened
1 large egg, room temp
1/2 cup coconut sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups old fashioned oats
2/3 cup dried cherries
1/3 cup dairy-free semisweet chocolate chips
1/3 cup dairy-free white chocolate chips + ~3 Tbsp more for drizzling

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 350°F and prepare an 8x8" baking dish with non-stick spray (I used olive oil) and parchment paper. I like to cut one, long-ish strip of parchment paper to cover the bottom and 2 of the 4 sides, creasing it over the sides and trimming with scissors. Bring your egg to room temperature by placing it in a glass of warm water for around 10 minutes.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, and baking soda; set aside. In a large bowl, cream together the vegan butter, coconut sugar, and brown sugar. Beat in the egg. And then the vanilla.
Use a large wooden spoon or spatula to fold the dry ingredients into the wet until just combined. Gently stir in oats. Finally, stir in the dried cherries and chocolate chips.
Press cookie dough into your prepared baking dish and bake at 350°F for 15-20 minutes or until edges are slightly browned. Since we used both coconut sugar and brown sugar, the cookie bars will naturally be dark in color.
Allow cookie bars to cool in the dish on top of a cooling rack until firm enough to lift out (around 30-40 minutes). Lift the cookie bars out of the dish and allow to cool completely. Slice into 16 bars.
If desired, melt ~3 Tbsp of white chocolate chips in 15 second intervals in the microwave. Add melted chocolate to a small ziploc bag, snip the corner, and drizzle over each individual cookie bar.
Store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature.

Notes

Recipe slightly adapted from Always Save

Ginger Molasses Cookie Bars with Frosting (DF)

December 3, 2019 by Rachael Ng Leave a Comment

What’s better than a fresh-baked, soft ginger cookie around this time of year? Frosted ginger cookie bars! They have all the great flavors of a traditional soft ginger molasses cookie, but they’re easier and quicker to bake! Plus they’re topped with a dreamy vanilla buttercream frosting made with vegan butter. And you don’t miss out on any chewiness, because these bars have it all – soft and chewy!

The recipe for these cookie bars involves a simple dough. No refrigeration is required as the dough gets immediately pressed into a baking dish – like I said, easy. Once the bars have totally cooled, you’ll whip up my favorite vegan buttercream with just a handful of ingredients – an easy, no-fail, can’t-tell-it’s-vegan frosting. If you love molasses, spicy ginger, and the sweetness of a sugary frosting, then these bars are for you! Top them with your favorite sprinkles for an extra festive feel!

Some of the ingredients I like for this recipe:

Coconut sugar is my favorite low GI, unrefined sugar. It makes for a great replacement for granulated sugar and tastes nothing like coconut. It tastes less sweet than regular sugar, which balances out the sweetness of the frosting on these bars.

Solid coconut oil beats together with the coconut sugar like in a traditional cookie dough. Feel free to use softened vegan butter instead. I don’t recommend melted (or liquid) coconut oil as I don’t know how the bars would turn out.

Egg yolk adds an extra bit of chewiness to these bars!

Vegan butter acts as the perfect dairy-free alternative to regular butter in this frosting. It’s delicious and creates the perfect frosting texture! Plus, nobody can tell the frosting is vegan!

Vegetable shortening stabilizes the vegan butter, giving it the perfect texture to swirl your frosting on top of the cookie bars!

Yield: 16 Bars

Ginger Molasses Cookie Bars with Frosting

Soft cookie bars flavored with spicy ginger and sweet molasses - all topped with a simple, dairy-free buttercream frosting. A festive and delicious holiday treat!

Prep Time 30 minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes

Additional Time 2 hours

Total Time 3 hours

Ingredients

Bars

3/4 cup coconut sugar
2/3 cup coconut oil, solid
1 large egg + 1 large egg yolk, room temp
1/4 cup molasses
2 cups + 2 Tbsp unbleached all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp ground ginger
1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground cloves
1/2 tsp ground allspice
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg

Frosting

1/3 cup vegan butter stick, softened
3 Tbsp vegetable shortening (or more vegan butter)
3/4 tsp vanilla extract
1 3/4 cup powdered sugar
3-5 tsp plant-based milk

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 350°F and prepare an 8x8" baking dish with non-stick spray + parchment paper. I like to cut one long strip of paper, folding the excess over two of the edges and trimming. Bring your eggs to room temperature by placing them in a glass of warm water for around 10 minutes.
In a large bowl, beat together the coconut sugar and solid coconut oil. Beat in the egg, egg yolk, and molasses; set aside.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, and spices. Add dry ingredients to wet and use a large wooden spoon or spatula to combine. The dough may seem dry, but it will come together with enough mixing (and may even seem greasy).
Press the dough into your prepared baking dish, using your fingers or the back of a spoon to smooth out the top. Bake at 350°F for 20-25 minutes, being careful not to over bake the bars - you want them nice and chewy!
Allow bars to cool in the dish for at least an hour. Gently remove the whole cookie bar by running a butter knife along the edges without parchment paper, and then using the excess parchment paper to lift the bar up and out of the dish. Allow cookie bar to cool completely on a cooling rack.
Once the bar is cool, you can make the frosting. Beat together the vegan butter and shortening until smooth. Beat in the vanilla extract and then the powdered sugar. Add plant-based milk 1 tsp at a time until the frosting reaches a spread-able, but still-thick-enough-to-create-swirls, consistency.
Scrape all of the frosting onto the cookie bar and use an offset spatula to evenly spread over the surface, making swirls as you go along. Top with sprinkles or other topping of your choice.
Slice into 16 bars, wiping your knife clean between each slice. Store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature.

Peppermint Hot Cocoa Brownies (DF + GF)

November 18, 2019 by Rachael Ng Leave a Comment

The weather is cooling down, the holidays are quickly approaching, and what’s better than a cozy mug of hot cocoa topped with marshmallows? Peppermint Hot Cocoa Brownies! These super rich chocolate brownies are flavored with peppermint extract and topped with a simple homemade peppermint marshmallow. In other words, forget about hot cocoa (for now) and indulge in one of these festive babes instead!

For this recipe I used my favorite base brownie recipe from Running with Spoons and paired it with a slightly altered version of Alton Brown’s Homemade Marshmallow Recipe. I’ve made marshmallows using a different recipe in the past and found myself disappointed with the taste. But this marshmallow topping has no funky gelatin flavor, isn’t too sweet, and has the perfect marshmallow texture! You can eat the brownies as-is or pop one in the microwave for a warm, gooey marshmallow brownie experience – this was my favorite way to eat these. And if you’re not a fan of peppermint, feel free to leave it out completely, replacing it with extra vanilla extract (or your extract of choice!).

Some of the ingredients I like for this recipe:

Coconut sugar is my go-to baking sweetener. It’s low GI, unrefined, and makes for a perfect substitute for white granulated sugar. And it tastes nothing like coconut! For a sweeter (less rich) brownie, feel free to use regular, white granulated sugar instead.

Chocolate chips (or chopped chocolate) lend moisture and lots of chocolate goodness to these brownies.

Eggs make for the perfect brownie texture. Trust me, I’ve tried multiple egg replacements in this recipe, and they do not work. So don’t even try.

Instant coffee granules are totally optional but will deepen the chocolate flavor and richness in the brownies. I highly recommend adding it if you’re looking for a rich brownie!

Arrowroot starch thickens the brownie batter while also keeping it free of grains and gluten – perfect for GF and non-GF eaters alike since the taste is undetectable!

White granulated sugar is necessary for the marshmallow topping! I don’t recommend any substitutes since this topping has been tested as-is and works as-is.

Agave makes for a better alternative to corn syrup, which is what most marshmallow recipes call for. It also has a very low GI, which is great considering the higher GI of the white sugar you’ll also be using.

Yield: 16 Brownies

Peppermint Hot Cocoa Brownies

Ultra rich and fudgy peppermint brownies topped with a thick layer of homemade peppermint marshmallow! The perfect treat for a cool, winter night!

Prep Time 1 hour

Cook Time 30 minutes

Additional Time 4 hours

Total Time 5 hours 30 minutes

Ingredients

Brownies

1/3 cup coconut oil, measured as a solid (or 6 Tbsp olive oil)
1 cup dairy-free chocolate chips or chopped chocolate
1 tsp instant coffee granules (optional)
1/4 cup natural cocoa powder
2 large eggs, room temp
2/3 cup coconut sugar (or cane sugar)
1/2 tsp peppermint extract
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp salt
3 Tbsp arrowroot, tapioca, or corn starch

Marshmallow

1/2 cup water, divided
1 1/2 packets of gelatin powder (~3 1/2 tsp)
1 cup white cane sugar
1/4 cup agave
1/8 tsp salt
1/2 tsp peppermint extract
1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Instructions

Make the brownies: preheat your oven to 350°F and prepare an 8x8" baking dish with non-stick spray. Then line your entire pan with parchment paper. I like to cut two long strips of parchment that criss cross over each other on the bottom of the dish. Bring your eggs to room temperature by placing them in a glass of warm water for around 10 minutes.
In a microwave-safe bowl, melt together the coconut oil and chocolate chips. Stir in the instant coffee and cocoa powder; set aside.
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, add the eggs and sugar. Whisk on medium-high speed until thick and light in color. Whisk in the peppermint and vanilla extracts. Gently fold the chocolate mixture into the sugar and eggs. Add the salt and arrowroot starch and gently mix until just combined.
Pour batter into prepared baking dish and bake at 350°F for 15-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the brownies comes out slightly gooey - you don't want to over bake! Allow brownies to totally cool.
Make the marshmallow: in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, add the gelatin and 1/4 cup of the water. Give it a little stir and then allow it to thicken while you heat up your sugar.
In a medium or large saucepan, add the sugar, agave, salt, and the other 1/4 cup of water. Gently swirl the pan to ensure sugar is totally saturated. Set heat to medium-high (or medium for a gas range) and bring the mixture to a boil. Use a candy thermometer to monitor the sugar's temperature. If your mixture begins to boil too high up the pan (as mine did) you can use your thermometer to gently swirl the mixture back down/hold the pot up and over the heat. I recommend using a large pot. When the mixture reaches 240°F immediately remove from the heat.
With your stand mixer running at low speed, slowly pour the hot sugar mixture into the gelatin. Turn the speed to high and whisk until mixture becomes white, thick, and fluffy. I like to wait until I see soft peaks. Immediately whisk in the peppermint and vanilla extracts.
Spread the marshmallow over the cooled brownies, using an offset icing spatula to spread and swirl it over the brownies. Top with sprinkles, chocolate chips, or crushed peppermint candies.
Allow marshmallow to set for at least 4 hours before slicing. Run a butter knife along the edges of the brownies and use the parchment paper to lift the brownies up and out of the dish. Slice into 16 squares.
Store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature. I highly recommend popping the brownie into the microwave for a few seconds before enjoying!

Notes

Brownie recipe slightly adapted from Running with Spoons & Marshmallow recipe slightly adapted from Alton Brown

Pumpkin Chai Spice Rice Krispie Treats (DF)

September 4, 2019 by Rachael Ng 3 Comments

It’s officially pumpkin season in the baking world! Yeah, yeah, I know it’s technically still summer, and we’ve got a couple of weeks to go, but school’s in session, apples are in season, and we’re all just excited for the cozy days of fall! These Pumpkin Chai Spice Rice Krispie Treats are the perfect blend of warm spices and fall pumpkin flavor that we all love (well, most of us). I bumped these treats up a notch from the traditional pumpkin spice, opting to add ground cardamom and black pepper for a delicious chai spice flavoring.

As far as desserts go, I’m not sure you can get much easier. These treats are quick, easy, and so so rewarding. Maybe it’s because they remind me of childhood, but these bars are so satisfying. Feel free to add more or less spice, leave out the pumpkin, or make them even more gooey by adding an extra two cups of mini marshmallows to the melted mixture! Or, ya know, follow the recipe as-is and enjoy yourself a cozy, sweet treat.

Some of the ingredients I love for this recipe:

Pumpkin purée (not pumpkin pie filling!) adds a hint of pumpkin flavor. You’ll have a ton leftover if you’re opening a new can, so be sure to keep your pumpkin baking going!

Ground cardamom is one of my favorite dessert spices. It adds to the chai spice flavoring, and I highly recommend getting yourself some if you don’t already have it on hand.

Black pepper also lends a hand to the traditional chai spice flavor.

Vegan butter makes these treats dairy-free! Feel free to use whatever version of butter you have on hand.

Yield: 12 bars

Pumpkin Chai Spice Rice Krispie Treats

Classic Rice Krispie Treats bumped up for fall with pumpkin purée and warm chai spices! A delicious twist on a childhood favorite!

Prep Time 20 minutes

Additional Time 30 minutes

Total Time 50 minutes

Ingredients

2 Tbsp pumpkin puree
3/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground cardamom
1/4 tsp ground ginger
1/8 tsp ground cloves
Pinch black pepper
Pinch salt
4 Tbsp vegan butter
6 cups + 2 cups mini marshmallows
6 cups crisp rice cereal

Instructions

Prepare an 8x8" baking dish or pan with non-stick spray. Then line with one long, thin piece of parchment paper, folding the excess over two of the sides.
Spoon the pumpkin puree onto a paper towel and gently squeeze out the excess juice; set aside. In a small bowl, mix together the spices: cinnamon, cardamom, ginger, cloves, black pepper, and salt; set aside.
Melt the vegan butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add 6 cups of the mini marshmallows and continue heating until marshmallows are just melted. Turn heat to low and stir in the pumpkin puree and spices. Turn off the heat and mix in the crisp rice cereal and then the 2 cups of mini marshmallows.
Dump mixture into your prepared dish and gently press into an even layer (I like to use a spatula covered in non-stick spray). Avoid pressing too firmly as that will lead to hard rice krispie treats.
Allow treats to cool. Use the excess parchment paper to life the bar up and out of the dish. Slice into 12 bars and enjoy! Store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature.

Notes

For extra gooey treats, melt an additional 1-2 cups of mini marshmallows with the 6 cups of marshmallows

If you don't have ground cardamom on hand, you can use a mix of 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon + 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg

No-Bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Oat Bars (V + GF)

September 2, 2019 by Rachael Ng Leave a Comment

Clearly I’m still on a chocolate + peanut butter kick. I. Can’t. Get. Enough. I’d like to blame the baby in my belly, but let’s be honest, who doesn’t jump at the opportunity to enjoy a chocolate PB treat?! And these No-Bake Chocolate PB Oat Bars? They’re the perfect mix of chocolate and peanut butter, and they’ve got a delicious texture thanks to the uncooked oats. They’re fairly low in sugar (compared to other similar bars) and packed with a bit of protein to boot.

This recipe comes together a bit like a no-bake cookie, but you won’t need to boil the chocolate mixture. Once you have all of your ingredients on hand, everything comes together pretty quickly – and easily – and the hardest part is waiting for them to set up in the fridge! I like to use natural peanut butter for these bars as it’s got no added sugar or oils, and it’s just so tasty!

Some of the ingredients I love for this recipe:

Coconut sugar is a low GI, unrefined sugar (that doesn’t taste like coconut!). It sweetens up these bars while also acting as a binder for the chocolate oat layer.

Natural peanut butter is nothing but ground up peanuts (and sometimes a little salt). No added oils or sugars.

Dutch process cocoa powder lends a deeper chocolate flavor and darker color to these bars.

Arrowroot starch helps thicken the chocolate mixture so it will set up in the refrigerator.

Yield: 16 bars

No-Bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Oat Bars (V + GF)

An easy, no-bake bar made with lots of natural peanut butter, chocolate, and oats. Vegan and gluten-free, these delicious bars are perfect for many special diets.

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 5 minutes

Additional Time 2 hours

Total Time 2 hours 20 minutes

Ingredients

Bars

1/2 cup coconut sugar
1/3 cup coconut oil or vegan butter
1 cup natural peanut butter
1/8-1/4 tsp salt*
1/4 cup dutch process cocoa powder
2 Tbsp arrowroot starch
2 cups old fashioned oats

Chocolate + PB Topping

3/4 cup dairy-free chocolate chips
2 tsp coconut oil
2-3 Tbsp natural peanut butter (to drizzle)

Instructions

Prepare an 8x8" baking dish by spraying with non-stick spray (like olive oil) and lining with parchment paper, leaving excess paper hanging over two of the sides.
In a medium saucepan, add the coconut sugar, coconut oil or vegan butter, peanut butter, and salt. Heat over medium heat until melted. Whisk in the cocoa powder and arrowroot starch. Continue heating until mixture is hot but not boiling. Remove from heat and stir in the oats. Firmly press mixture into the prepared baking dish. Refrigerate for 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, melt your chocolate chips and coconut oil until smooth. Remove bars from the refrigerator (they'll still be warm) and pour melted chocolate over the bars. Use a spatula to spread the chocolate evenly over the bars. Gently shake/tap your baking dish to smooth out the chocolate layer. Refrigerate bars until firm.
Melt the 2-3 Tbsp of peanut butter. Use a spoon to drizzle over bars. Return bars to the refrigerator (optional) to allow peanut butter to set a bit.
Allow bars to thaw at room temperature for 10-20 minutes. Run a knife around the edges without parchment paper, and then use the excess parchment paper to lift the bars up and out of your baking dish. Carefully slice into 16 squares, wiping your knife clean between each cut.
Store leftover bars in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Let them thaw at room temp for a few minutes before enjoying!

Notes

*1/8 tsp if your PB is salted; 1/4 tsp if it's unsalted

You can use regular cocoa powder in place of the dutch process cocoa powder; the bars just won't be as deep in flavor/color

Corn starch or tapioca starch can be used in place of the arrowroot starch since you only need it to thicken the chocolate mixture

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