Raw Snickers Pie

SNICK-ERS-PIE. 

For those of you who know me well, or maybe just those that have read my blog for a while, it will come as no surprise that Snickers is one of my favourite chocolate bars. Yup. Chocolate, caramel, peanuts - I'll never understand why these bad boys are so under rated. Over the years I've seen so many recipes for home made snickers/peanut butter bars/pies/desserts so I will also never know why it's taken me this long to make one myself.

Who knew that if you mixed natural peanut butter together with some dates and tossed in a few peanuts you literally ended up with the most delicious, spot on healthy replica of the snickers peanuts + caramel + nougat combo!? Oh.my.god.delicious. I was beyond shocked at just how good it was when I gingerly popped a spoon in the mixer and tried a bit.

Is it obvious that this pie is my favourite thing I've made in a looong time? It's also so easy to make! Grab a pie tin, your food processor and russle up the ingredients as quickly as you can 'cos this cannot wait. Once you've got these bits together you're already half way there, so in no time you will be sitting down with a pie and a fork (maybe a friend or two as well) and being bowled over by how good this is. 

Vegan, dairy free, refined sugar free, gluten free

This recipe is (loosely) adapted from spoonfulofpixels recipe for salted caramel and peanut tarts and photographed not nearly as beautifully. 

Makes one large 8/9" pie or lots of littluns

Ingredients:

For the Base:
2 cups nuts (I used half + half almonds and peanuts, but its up to you, can also add in coconut/seeds etc to make it up to 2 cups!)
1 tablespoon coconut oil, melted
1 tablespoon cacao powder
8 medjool dates - about half a cup or 1/4 cup liquid sweetener - maple syrup, brown rice syrup, honey etc 

For the Filling:
1 cup firmly packed medjool dates (I actually used deglet noor dates and it was just as good)
1 cup natural peanut butter 
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 cup peanuts, roughly chopped
Pinch sea salt

For the Topping:
1/3 cup maple syrup or honey

2 tablespoons cacao powder
1/2 cup coconut oil, melted

OR
1 cup vegan dark chocolate, melted

+ Salted peanut, to top (optional)

To Make:

• Start with the base by placing the ingredients into a food processor or high speed blender and pulse until mixture starts to come together, press into a tart tin lightly greased with coconut oil and pop in the fridge.
• For the filling, again place ingredients (except the peanuts!) in your food processor and pulse until smooth. Fold through peanuts. 
• Spread the mixture over the base before returning to the fridge.
• For the chocolate topping, either blend all your ingredients together in a small bowl until smooth and well combined and spread over your prepared pie; or top with melted vegan chocolate.
• Sprinkle over a little course sea salt.
• Put back in the fridge or freeze until set.
• Slice and serve.