I have a sneaking suspicion that this weeks Chocolate Caramel Muesli Bar is going to be popular. I’ve had a few requests for a healthy caramel slice recipe and though it looks nothing like the sugar laden three layer slice, it is a super delicious, nourishing caramel choc treat.
As a kid I spent every weekend at my nan’s house and we cooked and baked together- a lot! Most of my childhood memories are centred around tending to our chickens and ducks, digging for potatoes (my favourite job as the kids in my favourite Enid Blighton book ‘The Faraway Tree’ used to dig for new potatoes) and long sessions of cooking in her old wood-fired stove, always experimenting, always creating ‘new’ recipes and searching for delicious flavour combo’s.
However as an adult, whilst I’ve always loved cooking meals, it wasn’t until I had kids (and they started school) that I baked again. Once my youngest noticed all the biscuits and crackers her friends had in their lunchbox (and wanted the same) I realised the only thing I could do was to get my bake on again. The rest they say, is history!
A healthy-ish treat
I always try to inject as much nutrition as I can into all of my recipes, including sweet treats. I’ve made this Chocolate Caramel Muesli Bar wheat-free and nut-free so it’s good for a school lunchbox snack. The seeds and wholegrains really help to add protein, fibre, good fats and a bit of sustenance to this sweet treat. The cacao adds antioxidants, and using rice malt syrup or honey as a sweetener helps avoid the refined sugars typically found in store-bought bars. My kids feel like they’ve hit the jackpot with this slice – it’s a new favourite.
Ingredients
The base of this sticky muesli bar recipe is made with pantry staples including butter, oats, spelt flour, mixed seeds, and cacao powder. The caramel layer is a simple mix of rice malt syrup (or your preferred sweetener), coconut milk, and a pinch of sea salt for balance. It’s all-natural, with no preservatives or artificial ingredients.
How to make Healthy Chocolate Caramel Muesli Bar
To make these bars, you’ll start by cooking a simple sweet caramel sauce in a small saucepan while mixing the base ingredients. Press most of the oat mixture into a baking pan lined with baking paper (parchment paper), layer with the gooey caramel, then crumble the remaining oat mix on top. Bake until golden, let it cool, and refrigerate to firm up before slicing into bars.
Serving suggestions and how to store
These bars are perfect as a snack and in the school lunchbox. Store them in an airtight container in the fridge, or freeze for longer storage—they’re great to pack in a lunchbox straight from the freezer.
Vary this healthy chocolate caramel muesli bar to suit your needs
For a gluten-free version, simply swap the spelt flour for gluten-free flour and the oats for quinoa flakes. To make it dairy-free, replace the butter with coconut oil. You can even add nuts like hazelnuts or pecans for a nuttier twist, or use regular cream if you’re not avoiding coconut.
Take a look at the variations (below the main recipe) for suggestions to alter the recipe to suit many dietary requirements.
For more delicious, easy to make healthy bars, slices and sweet treats, click HERE.
Chocolate Caramel Muesli Bar
Ingredients
Base / crumble
- 125 g butter -cubed
- 170 g rice malt syrup, honey or maple syrup (½ cup)
- ½ tsp bicarbonate of soda
- 120 g mixed seeds (1 cup approx.) I used sunflower seeds and pepitas
- 120 g wholemeal spelt flour (1 cup)
- 200 g rolled oats (2 cups) or quinoa flakes (or a mixture)
- 30 g cacao powder (4 tbs approx.) unsweetened Dutch process or raw
Caramel
- 115 g rice malt syrup, honey or maple syrup (⅓ cup)
- 120 ml canned coconut milk (½ cup) preferably full-fat, I use Ayam brand
- 1/8 tsp sea salt
Instructions
- Pre-heat the oven to 180℃ / 350℉ (fan-forced).
- Begin with the caramel.
- In a small saucepan mix the sweetener, coconut milk and sea salt and bring to a bubbling simmer. Simmer rapidly (it looks a bit foamy on top) for about 10 + minutes or until the caramel starts to thicken. Remove from the heat and allow to cool (it will further thicken as it cools).
- Whilst the caramel cooks/cools, make the slice.
- In a small pot melt the butter and sweetener, mixing to combine. Add the bicarb and stir well.
- Place the seeds in a food processor and grind into a meal. Add the flour, oats (or quinoa flakes) and cacao and mix until well combined.
- Add the butter/ sweetener mix and process to combine. The mixture should come together into a coarse dough.
- Line a small tin (27cm x 18cm) with baking paper. Press ⅔ of the mixture into the base of the tin and press down very firmly with wet hands. I like to make sure the outer edges sit a little higher than the middle so I get an even coverage without the caramel making its way down the sides.
- Top with the caramel. It is not a thick layer as a traditional slice would be, rather a randomly gooey, thin layer. More caramel means a lot of sugar which is why I've kept it minimal.
- Crumble the remaining dough over the caramel pressing lightly.
- Bake for approximately 20 minutes or until just golden brown.
- Allow to cool in the pan, refrigerate until firm and then cut into slices (chilling it allows for it to be sliced without crumbling).
Thermomix Method
Caramel
- Heat the sweetener, coconut milk and sea salt, 10-15 minutes, temp varoma, speed 3 (cap ajar or off so the steam can escape) or until it thickens (this can vary a bit). You can set this aside to cool and use the bowls without washing it.
Base
- Grind your seeds and set aside. No need to rinse the bowl.
- Melt the butter and sweetener 1 minute, temp 90, speed 3 or until melted and combined. Add the bicarb and mix 5 seconds speed 3.
- Add the rest of the base ingredients and the butter/sweetener and mix 15 seconds, speed 4. You may need to scrape the sides a few times to fully combine.
- Assemble as above.
Store
- Airtight in the fridge or freezer. You can pack in school lunch boxes from frozen.
