Caramel Cookie Skillet Bars — Dairy-Free, Gluten-Free, Refined Sugar-Free

Cookie Skillet Batter

• ▢ 1 egg, (or sub flax egg)
• ▢ 3 tbsp maple syrup, (or sub honey)
• ▢ 1/4 cup melted coconut oil
• ▢ 1/3 cup creamy cashew butter, (or sub any nut or seed butter)
• ▢ 1 tsp vanilla extract
• ▢ 1 tbsp unsweetened almond milk
• ▢ 1 cup almond flour, (Bob’s Red Mill finely ground almond flour works best)
• ▢ 1/4 cup collagen peptides, (completely optional!)
• ▢ 1/4 tsp baking soda
• ▢ 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• ▢ 3/4 dark chocolate bar, broken into pieces, (I love Eating Evolved Signature Dark)
• ▢ 1/4 tsp flakey sea salt
• ▢ 8-9 inch cast-iron skillet, (or use baking dish, cake round, loaf tin, etc.)

Salted Caramel Sauce

• ▢ 3 tbsp coconut sugar
• ▢ 1 cup full-fat coconut cream, using thickest part
• ▢ 1 tbsp arrowroot starch
• ▢ 1 tsp vanilla extract
• ▢ 1/2 tsp flakey sea salt

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.

Cookie Skillet Batter

• Whisk the egg in a large bowl. Add maple syrup, melted coconut oil, cashew butter, vanilla, and almond milk, and whisk until smooth.
• If using a flax egg, mix 1 tbsp ground flaxseed with 3 tbsp water and let sit for 5 minutes before using in place of the egg.
• Stir in almond flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and a pinch of the sea salt. Fold in most of the chocolate pieces, reserving a few for the top.
• Lightly spray an 8- or 9-inch cast-iron skillet (or an alternative baking dish) with coconut oil. Spread the batter evenly in the pan, place the reserved chocolate pieces on top, sprinkle with sea salt, and bake on the center rack for 19 minutes. Finish under the broiler 1–1½ minutes—watch carefully so it doesn’t burn.

Salted Caramel Sauce

• Warm a medium saucepan over medium heat.
• Add coconut sugar, then pour in the coconut cream and sprinkle the arrowroot starch over the top. Whisk thoroughly to combine.
• Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes.
• Remove from heat and scrape any darker caramel from the bottom of the pan with a spatula.
• Stir in vanilla and sea salt, whisking vigorously for a few minutes until smooth.
• Let the caramel cool. Reserve 1/3 cup for the skillet and store the rest in a glass jar in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.

Caramel Cookie Skillet

• Lightly spray a 9-inch cast-iron skillet with coconut oil. Press about 3/4 of the cookie batter into the bottom of the skillet using a spatula.
• Spread the reserved 1/3 cup of caramel sauce evenly over the dough layer.
• Top with the remaining dough, press gently to cover the caramel, add the remaining chocolate pieces, and sprinkle with sea salt.
• Bake for 25 minutes, then broil 1–2 minutes until golden brown—watch closely to prevent burning.
• Allow to cool, cut into squares, and enjoy. Store covered on the counter for up to 3 days, then transfer to the fridge or freezer.