If you're a big fan of millionaire shortbread, you will certainly adore these easy and delicious vegan caramel slices which are heavenly and full of gooey, dairy free caramel.
These simple treats have a Digestive base and a chocolate topping which sits on the caramel layer. This is a really simple recipe and the most difficult part is waiting for them to chill in the fridge!
I prefer to eat these slices on their own but there's no reason why can't serve them with something else. Fresh vegan single cream would be a great choice as it would soak into the crusts of the bars, making them all soft.
For more tasty, no-bake, vegan bar recipes, make sure that you check out my vegan cookie dough brownie bars, vegan chocolate bounty bars and vegan nanaimo bar custard slices.
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Why You Will Love These Slices
- The Best Vegan Caramel - I have to say, I was so happy with how it turned out. The texture is so thick and creamy (quite similar to the one in my vegan Biscoff caramel bars) and just as good as any non-vegan version.
- The Layers - These bars are made up of three different layers. A Digestive base which is so buttery, a gooey caramel filling and a chocolate ganache topping which later inspired the ganache on my vegan cookie dough tart.
- Great For Snacking - As these bars are fairly small, they make a great sweet snack in between meals or as a dessert.
- Allergy Friendly & Plant Based - This vegan caramel slices recipe is fully vegan and dairy free.
Ingredient Notes
- Digestive biscuits - These are usually accidentally vegan but if you want your slices to be gluten free too, you can also buy some Digestives that meet those needs.
- Vegan condensed milk - You can either use a store bought version or use my recipe.
- Golden syrup - This adds extra sweetness and thickness to the caramel layer.
- Vegan dark baking chocolate - Avoid using chocolate chips for this recipe as they don't melt as well. They become quite clumpy when heated so I recommend high quality vegan baking-specific chocolate like I did in my vegan orange poppy seed cake.
- Vegan double cream - This makes a big difference to the chocolate ganache topping as it makes it much creamier in texture and it also tastes creamier too which is great.
See recipe card for full information on individual ingredients and quantities.
Substitutions & Variations
- If you want to make these caramel slices gluten free, all you need to do is find a good alternative such as, Schar who make delicious vegan Digestive biscuits that are also gluten free. I also recommended the same thing for my vegan banana cream cheesecake. If you don't want yours to be gluten free but you can't get hold of Digestives, you can also use vegan Graham crackers too which make an excellent substitute.
- You can use vegan margarine instead of vegan butter for the caramel layer but this will likely make it a much softer caramel and the texture may therefore, be less solid and harder to work with. As dairy free margarine has a higher water content than dairy free block butter and less fat, it is less likely to stay solid when at room temperature.
How To Make Vegan Caramel Slices
For the full method, please refer to the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
1: Line a square baking tin with parchment paper then set aside.
2: Make the base and press it into the tin.
3: Add all the caramel ingredients to a saucepan.
4: Cook the caramel filling until it thickens.
5: Pour the caramel over the base. Let it cool.
6: Make the chocolate topping.
7: Pour the chocolate over the caramel.
8: Slice and serve the bars.
Expert Tips
Use baking chocolate - Vegan baking-specific chocolate melts smoothly which is convenient for when you're making a chocolate topping like the one on these bars. Avoid using chocolate chips for the topping as they don't melt as evenly and they can often become quite clumpy. Once the chocolate is melted, mixing in the vegan cream also helps it to stay smooth.
Add some toppings - If you'd like to add an extra topping on top of the chocolate layer, some delicious options that I recommend are chopped nuts such as, almonds and peanuts, desiccated and flaked coconut and also, something as simple as sea salt flakes can make a nice difference.
Making the vegan caramel - The caramel filling is so easy to make. Add all of the ingredients to a pot and stir continuously until it thickens. It really is that simple. When it cools down at room temperature, it will thicken nicely over the base, ready for the chocolate layer to be poured on top of it. It's a buttery, creamy caramel which I think you'll love and it compliments the bars well.
Recipe FAQs
You can these vegan caramel slices inside the fridge for up to 1 week.
Yes, you can! Simply store them inside the freezer, inside airtight containers for up to 3 months. Defrost at room temperature fully.
Unlike, many other vegan caramel slices, these don't contain any dates. Yes, dates are healthy and quite often delicious in many recipes but I wanted to make the caramel as authentic as possible, in a more traditional way.
More Vegan No-Bake Recipes
If you tried this Vegan Caramel Slices Recipe or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how you go in the 📝 comments below. I love hearing from you!
Gooey Vegan Caramel Slices (No-Bake & Gluten Free Option)
Ingredients
For the base:
- 360 g Digestive biscuits or gluten free version or Graham crackers
- 120 g vegan butter melted
- Pinch of salt
For the caramel filling:
- 350 g vegan condensed milk or store-bought
- 110 g vegan butter block
- 2.5 Tablespoons golden syrup
- 70 g granulated sugar
- Pinch of salt
For the chocolate topping:
- 325 g vegan dark baking chocolate chopped
- 200 ml vegan double cream
Instructions
Preparation:
- Begin by lining an 8-inch, square baking tin with parchment paper.
Make the crust:
- Add your Digestives to a high-speed blender or a food processor and blitz until fine crumbs form.
- Next, pour in the melted vegan butter and salt and blitz again to create a wet base mixture.
- Use a flat-bottomed glass or your hands to firmly press your base into the prepared baking tin.
- Place the base into the freezer while we make the caramel filling.
Make the caramel filling:
- Add the caramel filling ingredients to a medium-sized saucepan. Place over a medium heat to melt the ingredients together then reduce to a low heat when it begins to bubble.
- Stir the mixture continuously for 16 minutes so that it doesn’t burn inside the pan. Your caramel will thicken.
- Once it is done, pour the thick caramel over the base. Be quick to smooth it out with a palette knife. It will set fast!
- Let the caramel layer cool at room temperature for about 15 minutes, then place it in the fridge for a further 45 minutes.
Make the chocolate topping:
- Just before it is due to come out from the fridge make the chocolate topping. Add the chocolate to a large, heatproof bowl. Melt it using the double-boiling (bain-marie) method. Once the chocolate is completely melted, pour in the cream.
- Pour the creamy chocolate over the caramel layer and place it back into the fridge to set completely for 60-90 minutes depending on how soft you want the chocolate. Slice with a sharp knife into small squares and serve.
Video
Notes
- Vegan baking-specific chocolate melts smoothly which is convenient for when you're making a chocolate topping like the one on these bars. Avoid using chocolate chips for the topping as they don't melt as evenly and they can often become quite clumpy. Once the chocolate is melted, mixing in the vegan cream also helps it to stay smooth.
- If you'd like to add an extra topping on top of the chocolate layer, some delicious options that I recommend are chopped nuts such as, almonds and peanuts, desiccated and flaked coconut and also, something as simple as sea salt flakes can make a nice difference.
- The caramel filling is so easy to make. Add all of the ingredients to a pot and stir continuously until it thickens. It really is that simple. When it cools down at room temperature, it will thicken nicely over the base, ready for the chocolate layer to be poured on top of it. It's a buttery, creamy caramel which I think you'll love and it compliments the bars well.
Rami says
Delicious. So delicious.