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Vegan Smores Bars with oven roasted marshmallows on top
4.64 from 11 votes

S'mores Bars (Vegan + GF)

Easy, 10-ingredient, vegan, gluten-free s'mores bars with an almond-pecan-oat crust, chocolate ganache layer, and toasted vegan marshmallows!
Author: Minimalist Baker
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 55 minutes
Servings: 9 (bars)
Category: Dessert
Cuisine: Gluten-Free, Vegan
Freezer Friendly No
Does it keep? 24 hours.

Ingredients

US Customary - Metric

CRUST*

  • 1 cup gluten-free rolled oats
  • 1/2 cup raw almonds
  • 1/4 tsp sea salt
  • 3 Tbsp coconut sugar
  • 5 Tbsp coconut oil (melted)
  • 1/2 cup raw pecans (finely chopped)

CHOCOLATE LAYER

  • 1 1/4 cup dairy-free dark or semisweet chocolate (chopped)
  • 1/3 cup unsweetened plain almond or light coconut milk
  • 2 Tbsp coconut oil (melted)
  • 1/4-1 cup powdered sugar (optional)
  • 1 pinch sea salt (optional)

MARSHMALLOWS

  • 1 10-ounce bag vegan, gluten-free marshmallows (I like Dandies brand*)

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (176 C) and line an 8x8 inch baking dish with parchment paper.

  2. Add oats, almonds, sea salt, and coconut sugar to a blender and mix on high until a fine meal is achieved, scraping down sides as needed.

  3. Add melted coconut oil (5 Tbsp or 75 ml as original recipe is written // adjust if altering batch size) and pulse to combine. This should form a loose dough when squeezed between two fingers. Add more if it's too dry.

  4. Add chopped pecans and pulse a few more times to combine - you want a little texture here so leave a little chunky.
  5. Transfer mixture to parchment-lined baking sheet and spread evenly. Then place parchment paper on top and use a flat-bottomed object, such as a drinking glass, to press down firmly until it’s evenly distributed and well packed.
  6. Bake for 15 minutes, then increase heat to 375 F (190 C) and bake for 5-10 minutes more, or until the edges are golden brown and there is some browning on the surface. Remove from oven to cool slightly.
  7. In the meantime, add chocolate to a medium mixing bowl. Add almond milk to a separate small mixing bowl or measuring cup and microwave for 30 seconds (or heat in a saucepan until almost boiling). Add milk to chocolate and don’t touch for 5 minutes so it can melt.
  8. Stir gently with a wooden spoon to incorporate. Then add melted coconut oil and cover. Let rest untouched for another 10 minutes to meld.
  9. Use a mixer (or whisk) to beat the mixture together. A few unmelted chocolate pieces are fine. If you prefer sweeter ganache, add powdered sugar at this time (to taste), and whisk/beat to combine. Set aside.
  10. Spread the ganache over slightly cooled crust and sprinkle on a little sea salt for flavor balance (optional). Freeze (or refrigerate) until ganache is no longer wet and slightly firm (or less time if you want gooey, melty chocolate!).
  11. Once the chocolate has set, lift the bars out of the baking dish and gently transfer to a baking sheet (remove parchment paper to avoid burning). Top with halved marshmallows and broil on the top rack on high for 30-45 seconds (watch closely - they can burn quickly!).

  12. Carefully chop into 9 bars (amount as original recipe is written // adjust if altering batch size) and serve immediately. Best when fresh. Store leftovers at room temperature, loosely covered up to 24 hours.

Notes

*Almond-oat-pecan crust adapted from my Peanut Butter and Jelly Snack Bars.
*Dandies is an easy-to-find brand of vegan/gf marshmallows! I've found mine at local health food stores and Whole Foods.
*Nutrition information is a rough estimate calculated with the entire bag of marshmallows and no additional powdered sugar.
*Recipe inspired by the S'mores dessert at Solstice Pizza in Hood River, OR.

Nutrition Per Serving (1 of 9 bars)