Healthy Carmelitas
Author: 
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Yield: 12 bars
 
Ingredients
For blondies: (for a grain free/low carb version, use this recipe for the batter instead)
  • 1 cup white whole wheat flour
  • ¼ cup brown sugar OR ¼ cup erythritol plus ½ teaspoon of molasses
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • ¼ cup sugar or erythritol
  • 2 tablespoons mashed banana or unsweetened applesauce
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 egg*
  • ¼ cup unsweetened almond milk
  • 1 cup old-fashioned oats
  • 3 squares dark chocolate, chopped
For caramel:
  • ½ cup sugar or erythritol
  • 2 tablespoons water
  • ½ tablespoon fresh lemon juice
  • 1 cup coconut milk (full fat or light; you can also use half+half)
  • ? teaspoon sea salt
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray an aluminum foil or parchment-lined 8x8 baking dish with cooking spray and set aside.
  2. In a large bowl, combine the whole wheat flour, brown sugar or erythritol plus molasses, salt, baking soda, and erythritol or sugar. Add in the mashed banana or applesauce, vanilla extract, egg, and almond milk and stir until you have a uniform batter. Add in the oats and chocolate and stir until combined.
  3. Spread half the batter into the prepared baking dish and smooth it out with a spoon. Bake in the oven at 350°F for 10 minutes.
  4. While that bakes, it's time to make the caramel! In a small pot over medium heat, mix erythritol or sugar, water, and lemon juice and bring to a boil. Immediately add the coconut milk (pour slowly), sea salt, and vanilla. Simmer for about 15 minutes until the liquid becomes thick and dark. Be sure to stir occasionally and scrape the edges of the pot with a rubber spatula to avoid burning. Remove from heat once it’s thick.
  5. Pour the caramel over the half of the batter you just baked. Make large balls out of the remaining batter (this should be very doable, as the texture of the batter is almost as thick as cookie dough), flatten, and lay on top of the caramel.
  6. Return the pan to the oven and bake for 15-18 minutes, or until the blondies are golden, slightly bubbly, and pretty firm to the touch (they will harden further as they cool). Let cool completely before slicing into squares (use a pizza cutter for clean cuts!). Devour.
Nutrition Information
Serving size: 1 bar Calories: 73 Net Carbs: 2g
Recipe by Foodie Fiasco at https://www.foodiefiasco.com/healthy-carmelitas/