Vegan “Take 5” Bars

These homemade candy bars are made with eight simple ingredients for a gluten-free, refined-sugar free, vegan snack that is higher in protein and super satisfying. Keep them on hand for a quick bite that will satisfy your sweet tooth and leave you feeling full! 

Why You’ll Love These Chocolate Caramel Pretzels

Am I the only one who could literally eat a whole box of store bought granola bars? Sweet, salty, and small, they’re honestly one of my favorite indulgences but are so hard to stop eating! Actually, the truth is, I’m obsessed with anything in bar form. From Healthy Cookie Dough Bars, to Raspberry Crumble Bars, and even  Vegan Sugar Cookie Bars, I love them all! Don’t even get me started on chocolate covered candy bars. 

However, as tasty as they are, I can’t really justify eating  a whole box at a time but am definitely not willing to give them up completely. So, I decided to create my own bars! As just explained, I’m not one to settle. So, instead of creating just a crunchy granola bar or just a sweet chocolate bar, I decided to truly treat myself and created these Chocolate Caramel Pretzel bars! They’re sort of like granola bars, sort of like candy bars, and a million times better than anything you’ll find in the stores! It’s a bold claim, but I stand by it. After all, unlike store-bought versions, these caramel pretzels are vegan, refined-sugar-free, and higher in protein for delicious make-ahead treats that will leave you actually feeling satisfied.

So, what are you waiting for? Let’s get in the kitchen! You can thank me later. 

Ingredients You’ll Need

For the Bars:

• Maple Syrup
• Nut Milk
• Peanut Butter
• Pretzels
• Flour
• Peanuts

For the Coating:

• Chocolate Chips
• Coconut Oil

How to Make Chocolate Caramel Pretzels

I know one reason many people, myself included, opt for store bought bars is out of sheer convenience. However, I promise these caramel pretzels couldn’t be any easier to make! They’ll be finished in the time it would take you to get to the store, and you don’t even have to leave your home! 

1. Line. To begin, line a small container or baking pan with parchment paper.
    
2. Crush. Break your pretzels into small pieces but not so small that they are powder-like. To do so, I recommend adding them to a Ziploc bag and using the back of a spoon to crush them. Or, add them to a food processor, and pulse a few times.
   
3. Heat. Add the maple syrup, nut milk, and peanut butter to a small saucepan over medium heat. Whisk all of the ingredients together until they are well-combined.
   
4. Add Ingredients. Once well-mixed, turn off the heat, and remove the saucepan. Then, add in the crushed pretzels and peanuts and whisk the ingredients together until they are incorporated and the mixture is smooth.
   
5. Freeze. Add the pretzel mixture to the prepared pan, and place it in the fridge for at least 2 hours or freezer for 30 minutes or until it has hardened. 
   
6. Melt. Once hardened, add the coating ingredients to a small bowl, and heat them in the microwave for intervals of 30-seconds, stirring in between.
   
7. Slice. Remove the pretzel mixture from the pan, and slice it into 6 even bars.
   
8. Dip. Dip each candyl bar into the chocolate coating, making sure it is completely covered. Then, return them to the parchment paper.
   
9. Freeze Again. Place all of the vegan ‘take 5’ bars back in the freezer until the chocolate has set, and enjoy! 

Extra Topping Options

Personally, I think these caramel bars are full of plenty of flavor and texture. However, toppings are always fun, too. Am I right? So, if you want to jazz these bars up even more, try adding toppings such as: 

• Extra Drizzled Chocolate
• Coconut Flakes
• Sprinkles
• Chocolate Chips
• Chopped Nuts
• Mini Marshmallows
• Sea Salt

Tips for the Best Results

Honestly, I don’t think I could’ve made these chocolate caramel pretzels any easier to make if I tried. However, I have rounded up just a few tips below to make sure your bars come out perfectly every single time. 

Use Parchment Paper. Make sure you’re using parchment paper not wax paper! Otherwise, your chocolate caramel pretzels will stick to the paper.

Add Toppings While Warm. If you choose to add additional toppings to your caramel bars, do so immediately after they have been dipped in the chocolate coating while it is still warm. If you wait for it to harden, the toppings won’t stick! 

Make Fun Shapes. I made little bite-sized bars, but if you’re feeling ambitious, try cutting out the caramel mixture with cookie cutters for fun and festive shapes! 

Gift Option

I love to whip this recipe up when I need a quick gift idea! To do so, individually wrap each bar and tie them with ribbon. Or, add a whole batch to a box. I promise whoever receives them won’t be disappointed! 

How Do I Store Caramel Peanut Pretzel Bars? 

To store your chocolate caramel pretzels, layer them in an airtight container separated by a piece of parchment paper in between layers. Then, keep them at room temperature for up to 1 week, place them in the fridge for a couple of weeks, or keep them in the freezer for up to 2 months! 

Does It Matter What Kind of Pretzels I Use? 

Nope! Rods, twists, sticks, and more all work just fine. We’re going to crush them, anyway so it doesn’t matter what they look like. 

More Caramel-Filled Recipes You’ll Love

• Salted Caramel Overnight Oats
• Vegan Caramel Pecan Blondies
• Vegan Caramel Apple Scones
• Salted Caramel Rawnola

That’s it, you guys! I promise you won’t regret making these treats. However, if you do try them out, I’d love it if you let me know in the comments below!

Dying to tell everyone you made this recipe and loved it?? Don’t forget to share a picture and tag @thekellykathleen so that I can profess my love to you and re-share it for all to see!

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