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    Home » Recipes » Slow Cooker Desserts

    Published on May 12, 2016. Modified on Oct 20, 2022 by bakingqueen74. This post may contain affiliate links. 12 Comments

    Slow Cooker Cacao Oat Slice with Date Caramel

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    Jump to Recipe

     Slow Cooker Cacao Oat Slice with Date Caramel – in this bake the baked oat slice has nutty edges where the cacao nibs are on the outside. The smooth date caramel spread on top provides a lovely creamy contrast to the texture of the oats.

    Slow Cooker Cacao Oat Slice with Date Caramel

    Cacao nibs – what are they?

    For a while I’ve been wanting to bake with cacao nibs. If you haven’t heard of it before, cacao is made from raw cocoa beans. If you roast it, it becomes cocoa.

    Cacao has lots of health benefits over cocoa and is a raw food. Combined here with organic oats, organic coconut oil, and a few other ingredients too, overall this must be one of the healthiest recipes here on my blog!

    Slow Cooker Cacao Oat Slice with Date Caramel

    Date Caramel

    Date caramel I hear you ask?! Just soak some chopped dates, add vanilla bean paste and blend with a hand blender and you end up with the thick dark spread you can see here.

    When I first saw this on Pinterest where it features in a lot of vegan recipes in place of standard caramel, I knew I had to try it. Sweet but not full of white sugar!

    I used a different kind of dates to the recipes I saw, which tended to use Medjool dates, as I had a bag of chopped Sayer dates in the cupboard to be used up. While a dark colour I found the taste really good all the same, and the consistency was lovely and thick.

    Healthy snack

    Full of slow release energy from the oats, a slice of this will keep you going if energy levels are flagging! It’s a much healthier way to have a sweet treat than my usual recipes, but you won’t feel deprived after eating it.

    Slow Cooker Cacao Oat Slice with Date Caramel

    Baking in a slow cooker

    As usual I’ve baked this in my slow cooker, the main advantage for me is there is no need to worry about watching over it like when baking in the oven, you can get on with something else at the same time.

    If you don’t use a slow cooker you could also bake it in the oven.

    Slow Cooker Cacao Oat Slice with Date Caramel

    More cacao recipes

    For more ideas with cacao, you could try the following:

    • Healthy vegan chocolate brownies from Planet Veggie
    • Banana cacao milkshake from Fab Food 4 All
    • Quinoa protein energy bars from Elizabeth’s Kitchen Diary
    • Cocoa nib cookies from Family Friends Food

    Slow Cooker Cacao Oat Slice with Date Caramel

    I’m sending this over to We Should Cocoa with Tin and Thyme, which has the theme of oats this month.

    We_Should_Cocoa_V3

    Pin it for later:

    Slow Cooker Oat Slice with Date Caramel

    Recipe

    Oat slice with date caramel topping on a white cooling rack.

    Slow Cooker Cacao Oat Slice with Date Caramel

    A healthy bake with oats, cacao nibs and date caramel, ideal for healthy snacking or lunchboxes
    5 from 2 votes
    Print Pin Rate Save Saved!
    Course: Baking
    Cuisine: Slow Cooker
    Prep Time: 25 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 1 hour hour 30 minutes minutes
    Total Time: 1 hour hour 55 minutes minutes
    Servings: 6
    Calories: 279kcal
    Author: Lucy Allen | BakingQueen74

    Ingredients

    • 50 g coconut oil
    • 40 g light brown sugar
    • 1 large egg
    • 1 tsp vanilla bean paste
    • 50 g self-raising flour
    • 100 g oats
    • 50 g cacao nibs

    For the date caramel:

    • Small bowlful of chopped Sayer dates
    • A little water
    • 1 tsp vanilla bean paste
    UK Measurements - US Measurements

    Equipment

    oval slow cooker
    oval slow cooker
    mixing bowl
    mixing bowl
    spatula
    spatula

    Instructions 

    • First start your date caramel. Put your chopped dates in a small bowl and cover with a little cold water. Leave to soak until soft (it won't take long). Then drain most of the water, add the vanilla bean paste, and use a hand blender to blend until smooth.
      Small bowlful of chopped Sayer dates, A little water, 1 tsp vanilla bean paste
    • In another bowl, cream together the coconut oil and light brown sugar.
      50 g coconut oil, 40 g light brown sugar
    • Add the egg and vanilla bean paste, and beat well.
      1 large egg, 1 tsp vanilla bean paste
    • Stir in the flour, oats and cacao nibs and mix well.
      50 g self-raising flour, 100 g oats, 50 g cacao nibs
    • Line the base of your slow cooker pot with baking paper, and press the mixture into the slow cooker pot.
    • Put some kitchen towel under the lid to stop drips, put the lid on, and cook on high for approx 1.5 hours or until starting to brown round the edges and firm in the centre.
    • Remove from the pot using the edges of the baking paper to pull it out and let the oat slice cool on a rack.
    • When cool, spread the date caramel on top and slice into pieces.
    Did you try and love this recipe?Then please leave a star rating and comment below to let me know how you got on!

    with Maison Cupcake and Casa Costello

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      Slow Cooker Lemon Drizzle Cake
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      Slow Cooker Syrup Sponge
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      Slow Cooker Bread and Butter Pudding
    • Blackberry crumble in a black slow cooker pot.
      Slow Cooker Blackberry Crumble

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Helen Costello (@CasaCostello) says

      May 17, 2016 at 10:44 pm

      Wow I bet this tastes so sweet yet it is practically healthy! 😉 I’ve been seeing you talk about Date Caramel this week & my mouth waters every time I think about it. Thanks once again for joining in with #bakeoftheweek x

      Reply
    2. Sarah Trivuncic, Maison Cupcake says

      May 16, 2016 at 6:03 pm

      This looks great! I love the dates and caramel and chocolate together, sounds wonderful! Thanks for joining in with #BAKEoftheWEEK !

      Reply
      • bakingqueen74 says

        May 17, 2016 at 6:49 pm

        Thanks Sarah, loving the bakes this week

        Reply
    3. CookRook says

      May 15, 2016 at 8:28 pm

      Sweet Tooth will be delighted, looks very appetizing!

      Reply
      • bakingqueen74 says

        May 17, 2016 at 6:48 pm

        thanks it was rather moreish!

        Reply
    4. Rosana @ Hot&CHilli Food and Travel Blog says

      May 15, 2016 at 12:15 pm

      I do like the sound of date caramel. I need to try this recipe, taking the slow cooker out of retirement ! R

      Reply
      • bakingqueen74 says

        May 17, 2016 at 6:48 pm

        Thanks Rosana, and thanks for visiting!

        Reply
    5. choclette says

      May 14, 2016 at 4:24 pm

      Ooh this sounds so good Lucy, sweet chewy and delicious. Really like your date caramel idea, dates are such a good way of getting sweet stickiness into things without using sugar. Thanks for joining in with We Should Cocoa.

      Reply
      • bakingqueen74 says

        May 17, 2016 at 6:47 pm

        Thanks Choclette, first time I have tried cacao too and loved it!

        Reply
    6. munchiesandmunchkins says

      May 13, 2016 at 7:25 pm

      I have a huge sack of cacao nibs just waiting to be used. Shall have to pull them out I think! I love the idea of this date caramel – Chloe can’t have dairy so this would be a cool ingredient to use in her birthday cake or as a treat. Another fab recipe Lucy xx

      Reply
      • bakingqueen74 says

        May 17, 2016 at 6:47 pm

        Thanks Becky x

        Reply
    7. Janice @FarmersgirlCook says

      May 13, 2016 at 6:44 pm

      I’ve never heard of date caramel, but I like the sound of it! What a great cake, I love it.

      Reply
    5 from 2 votes (2 ratings without comment)

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    Hi, I'm Lucy! I'm a slow cooker addict, food blogger and also a busy working mum of two. I hope you'll enjoy the recipes I create and post which are perfect for busy families.

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