Vegan GF Peanut Butter Chocolate Ganache Shortbread Bars
These vegan gf peanut butter chocolate ganache shortbread bars are the perfect festive fall treat. They fall somewhere in between cookie and candy (think: Girl Scout Tagalong meets peanut butter twix bar), and would make an excellent dessert for any upcoming holiday parties you might have on your social calendar. A crisp layer of vegan, gluten-free shortbread is topped with a fudgy peanut butter layer. The finishing touch? A thick layer of chocolate ganache.
Servings: 16 bars
Ingredients
Shortbread Crust
- 1 cup oat flour
- ¼ cup coconut flour
- ⅛ teaspoon fine sea salt
- ¼ cup virgin coconut oil, melted
- ¼ cup pure maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Peanut Butter Layer*
- ¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons natural peanut butter**
- 2 tablespoons virgin coconut oil
- 1 tablespoon pure maple syrup
Chocolate Ganache Layer
- 1 cup non-dairy chocolate chips
- ½ cup full-fat canned coconut milk (vigorously shake can before opening or measuring)
Instructions
- For the Shortbread Crust
- Preheat the oven to 350F. Line an 8 x 8-inch baking pan with parchment paper. (Double-check your pan size—a 9 x 9-inch pan won't work for this recipe.)
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the oat flour, coconut flour, and sea salt. Add the coconut oil, maple syrup, and vanilla, and stir well to combine. Let the dough rest for 5 minutes to thicken, stirring once or twice. You should have a soft, slightly spongy dough.
- Scoop the dough into the lined pan, and use your fingers to press and spread it into an even layer. At first it will seem like there isn't enough, but just keep working it out toward the edges. You want a thin, evenly distributed later. Use a fork to pierce the surface (prevents bubbling while baking).
- Bake for 12–14 minutes, or until the edges are just barely turning golden and the crust feels softly set but not yet crisp. Let cool for at least 10 minutes.
For the Peanut Butter Layer
- Meanwhile, make the peanut butter layer by whisking together the peanut butter, coconut oil, and pure maple syrup in a saucepan over medium-low heat until smooth and glossy.
- Pour over the cooled shortbread crust and tilt the pan back-and-forth to evenly coat. Transfer to the freezer for 15 minutes, or until the layer has set (it should lose its sheen and become completely matte).
For the Chocolate Ganache Layer
- Add the chocolate chips to a medium glass medium bowl.
- In a small saucepan, heat the coconut milk over medium heat until it's steaming hot and simmering, but do not boil. If you accidentally heat it to boiling, let it cool slightly until it's piping hot but no longer bubbling.
- Pour the coconut milk over the chocolate chips and let stand for 5 to 10 minutes to melt the chocolate.
- Whisk until smooth and glossy.
- Pour the ganache over the peanut butter layer and use the back of a spoon to evenly spread across the surface. Return the pan to the freezer for 20 minutes, or until the layer has set.
- Slice into squares and enjoy.
- Leftovers can be refrigerated for up to 1 week or frozen for up to 1 month.
Notes
*As written, the peanut butter layer is quite thin for just a hint of peanut butter in these bars. If you'd like an extra peanut-buttery treat, feel free to double the peanut butter layer recipe.
**No peanuts? No problem. To make these bars peanut-free, swap out the peanut butter for sunflower butter.