Healthier Snickers Ice Cream Bars
One of our favourite treats growing up was an ice cream sandwich,and this is a brilliant healthier version that feels so nostalgic and our kids absolutely love it in the summer! It's a clean, whole-food version of the classic ice cream bar. Featuring a velvety cashew vanilla ice cream layer, a gooey salted date caramel, crunchy nuts, and a crisp dark chocolate shell.
Takes 2 hours 20 minutes
Serves 24
Ingredients
The Vanilla Ice Cream Base
- 240 g roasted salted cashews (approx. 1½ cups)
- 60 ml maple syrup ¼ cup
- Pinch of salt
The Gooey Peanut Butter Salted Caramel Layer
- 240 g dates pitted (approx. 1½ cups / 10 large dates)
- 100 g roasted cashew nuts approx. ⅔ cup
- A big pinch of sea salt
- 10 tbsp warm water 150ml / just over ½ cup
- 150 g smooth peanut butter approx. ½ cup + 2 tbsp
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
The Crunch & Chocolate Shell
- 70 g roasted salted peanuts (approx. ½ cup)
- 250 g high-quality dark chocolate 70% or higher (approx. 1½ cups chopped)
- 1 tsp coconut oil
Instructions
Blend the ice cream base
- Process half the cashews, half the dates, the water, and vanilla until completely smooth. In a high-speed blender, combine 135g of the cashews, 240g of the dates, the 475ml of water, and the 1 tbsp of vanilla extract. Blend on high for 60 to 90 seconds until the mixture is completely white, smooth, and liquid with no gritty cashew pieces left.
Freeze the first layer
- Pour the creamy mixture into a lined pan to create the base layer. Line a standard loaf tin or a square baking dish with parchment paper, leaving some overhang on the sides to use as handles later. Pour the blended ice cream base into the tin and place it flat in the freezer for 1 to 2 hours until it is firm to the touch.
Make the date caramel
- Process the remaining dates with salt and warm water into a glossy paste. Clean your blender or use a food processor. Add the remaining 240g of dates, a big pinch of sea salt, and 2 tablespoons of warm water. Blend until it forms a thick, ultra-sticky, glossy caramel paste. If it’s too thick to spread, add an extra tablespoon of warm water.
Layer the caramel and nuts
- Spread the caramel over the frozen base and press the remaining nuts into it. Take the frozen ice cream base out of the freezer. Gently spread the salted date caramel evenly across the surface. Take the remaining 135g of cashews (or peanuts), chop them roughly, and scatter them over the caramel. Press down firmly with your hands so the nuts get locked into the caramel layer. Return to the freezer for 30 minutes.
Slice into bars
- Lift the mixture out using the parchment paper and cut into uniform bars. Once the caramel and nut layer is set, lift the block out of the tin using the parchment handles. Place it on a chopping board and use a sharp knife to slice it into 6 to 8 rectangular bars. Place the bars back on a lined tray in the freezer while you melt your chocolate.
Coat in dark chocolate
- Dip the frozen bars into melted chocolate to seal the layers. Melt the 200g of dark chocolate with 1 tsp of coconut oil in the microwave in 30-second bursts. Pour the melted chocolate into a tall glass. Take each frozen bar and dip it completely into the chocolate, letting any excess drip off. Because the bars are freezing cold, the chocolate will harden into a crisp shell almost instantly.
Storage
- Store your finished bars in an airtight container in the freezer. When you are ready to enjoy one, let it sit on the counter for 3 to 5 minutes. This allows the date caramel to become perfectly gooey and the cashew base to soften into a premium ice cream texture!
