This easy keto caramel slice is just so good! It's a sugar-free version of millionaire's shortbread, minus the carb load. There's a quick no bake almond flour "shortbread" base, a creamy keto caramel layer and a crisp dark chocolate top.
I love my sweet treats! There. I said it.
We all know that in an ideal world we should be choosing celery sticks over desserts. But life is about balance. And when the heart says dessert, the mind has to listen. As long as you make it sugar free!
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Why I Love This Recipe
This keto caramel slice recipe combines three layers of yumminess into one awesome dessert. And did I mention how easy and quick it is to make?
You can prep this beauty in just 20 minutes - then all you need is cool it in the fridge or freezer until your treat need strikes!
Traditionally, millionaire's shortbread has, as the name suggests, a shortbread base. To save on the time and effort of baking, I've simply replaced it with a no bake almond flour crust.
My keto millionaires shortbread is nutty and seriously delicious.
We're topping the base with homemade keto caramel (lots of tips and variations on this further on in the post) and a layer of sumptuous dark chocolate.
In total, one generous slice is just 4.5g net carbs.
Ingredients
Here are our ingredients, from dark chocolate to almond flour (or ground almonds) to almond butter and coconut cream (top left).
Note: Use the coconut cream from a can. If you can only get hold of coconut milk in a can, place it in the fridge before opening so the cream splits from the liquid. Use only the firm part and keep the liquid for a curry or mix into yoghurt / smoothies.
Which sweetener is best?
I recommend allulose. It is a zero carb, zero calorie sugar substitute. It has 70% of the sweetness of sugar and no glycemic impact.
Allulose BEHAVES like sugar. It melts and does not re-crystallise like erythritol. This means it makes wonderfully gooey, stretchy caramel, as you can see in the pictures. I have a great recipe for keto caramel on my website already that uses allulose.
But, since allulose is so new, you cannot get it everywhere. It's available in the US (link in the recipe card) on Amazon. Elsewhere, you can order it via lucky vitamin.com.
I have a bag of allulose at home. But I want to make sure that all of you can try this recipe. That's why I also made the caramel using golden erythritol.
The erythritol re-crystallises slightly and turns the caramel a little grainy when cooled.
If we would be using the caramel to pour over, say, sugar free ice cream, all you'd need is to re-heat it and the graininess would disappear. But we're eating it cold here and don't have that option. I still thought it tasted delicious.
You can also use xylitol in this recipe! It does not re-crystallise as much as erythritol. Or alternatively, make my sugar free caramel sauce with fibre syrup, which also stays perfectly smooth.
Instructions
This section contains step-by-step instructions and photos that show how to make this recipe. See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities
1.) Melt the coconut cream, coconut oil, sweetener and vanilla extract in a saucepan. Bring to the boil and then reduce the heat to medium. Let the mixture bubble away, stirring regularly, until it thickens and has reduced by half.
2.) Place all the ingredients for the "shortbread" in a mixing bowl and stir together.
3.) Line a small baking tray with parchment paper. Press the mix inside to form a base.
4.) Pour the caramel over the base and spread it with a spatula. Place in the freezer while you make the chocolate layer.
5.) Melt the chocolate and coconut oil in a heatproof bowl over a pan of boiling water. Alternatively, melt it in the microwave in 30 second bursts.
Tip: It's important to not over-heat the chocolate or it can split. If you choose to microwave, stop at the point where you still have a few pieces of firmer chocolate in your bowl. Melt those by stirring the mix.
6.) Pour the chocolate on top of the caramel layer. Then cool your Keto caramel slice in the freezer for an hour or in the fridge for around 3 hours.
Once it it fully set, remove from the pan. Grease or wet a sharp knife and slice into squares or slices. Clean the blade in between cuts. This will keep your slices free of crumbles and neat.
Variations
Bake the crust. For a golden brown crust with a crunchy texture, bake it in the oven for 12 minutes at 180C / 350F. Let cool completely before adding the caramel layer.
Make a "traditional" caramel. I have kept this recipe dairy free. But you can replace the coconut oil in the base and in the chocolate layer with butter.
And you can use heavy cream instead of the coconut cream when you make the caramel. Tip: For the caramel, brown the butter first before adding the cream. This way you'll get a deeper colour and added flavor.
Recipe FAQs
I used 90% Lindt chocolate in the recipe. It contains less than 2 teaspoons of sugar in the entire bar of 100g. You can also use a sugar free chocolate such as Lily's (available in the US) or use an unsweetened chocolate (aff links). Here in the UK Montezuma's Absolute Black is a good option.
I used 1 tablespoon of coconut oil for the chocolate layer in the images. This resulted in a crunchy chocolate topping. That's why I increased the amount of coconut oil to 2 tablespoon in the recipe card (and for my second try). This way, your chocolate won't crack when you slice the bars.
I've given a range of ยผ-1/2 cup in the recipe card.
We all have such different ideas of what's just right and what's too much. Therefore, I think it's best to choose according to your sweet tooth.
The erythritol caramel worked fine for me with ยผ cup / 50g. The allulose sweetened caramel was great at ยฝ cup. Try less first and taste, then adjust if necessary...it's half the fun!
You can store your keto caramel slice in an airtight container in the fridge for 1 week or in the freezer for 3 months. Do not store it at room temperature, this would make the caramel too runny.
Yes, this recipe is great for freezing. Be sure you cut the slices or squares first (after 1 hour in the freezer, while it's still softer). It tastes delicious straight from frozen.
More Recipes Like This
Here are more keto dessert recipes that don't require baking!
Tried this recipe? Give it a star rating below!
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Recipe
Keto Caramel Slice
from Sugar Free LondonerNote: The servings slider only changes the first amount in each line and not any subsequent amounts. Please make your own calculations where necessary.
Ingredients
Base
- 1 ยผ cup / 125g almond flour or ground almonds
- 3 tbsp / 34g granulated sweetener
- ยผ teaspoon salt
- 3 tbsp / 42g coconut oil or butter, melted
- 2 tbsp / 32g almond butter unsweetened
Caramel
- 2 tbsp / 28g coconut oil
- ยผ-1/2 cup / 50-100g granulated allulose or erythritol***
- 1 cup / 240 ml coconut cream
- Optional 1 teaspoon vanilla extract but I recommend it!
Chocolate topping
- ยฝ cup / 120g dark chocolate 85% cocoa solids minimum or sugar free chocolate, melted
- 2 tbsp / 28g coconut oil
Instructions
Caramel
- Melt the coconut cream, coconut oil and sweetener in a saucepan. Bring to the boil and then reduce the heat to medium. Let the mixture bubble away, stirring regularly, until it thickens and has reduced by half (about 10-15 minutes). Let the caramel cool for 10-15 minutes.
Base
- While the caramel is cooking, make the almond flour base. Place all the ingredients in a mixing bowl and stir together. Line a small baking tray (24cm x 16cm) with greaseproof paper. Press the mix firmly into the tray.
- Then pour the cooled caramel over the base and spread with a spatula. Place in the freezer for 10 minutes whilst you make the chocolate layer.
Chocolate Topping
- Melt the chocolate and coconut oil in a heatproof bowl over a pan of boiling water (bain marie) or in the microwave. Pour on top of the caramel layer and place in the freezer for an hour or until fully set.
- Remove from pan. Grease or wet a sharp knife and slice into squares.
Lucy
I like the flavours and nice layers and it will not last long...but either my ingredients were not right or the cooking time.
The caramel never went a nice golden colour (I used coconut cream) it stayed a greyish colour. I cooked it a long time and it started separating and going grainy so stopped and beat it hard to make it homogenous again.
I think I will try it with butter next time.perhaps it was the replacement sugar erythritol and stevia.
Katrin Nรผrnberger
Hi Lucy, How interesting that the colour did not change. I have made the caramel with various sweeteners and it always did. But of course, I have not used all of them. If you use butter, the colour will definitely change, as butter turns brown.
Lucy
I tried again as I so love millionaires shortbread and your recipes are so good and fail proof. I tried with butter this time but think that I still don't have the right ingredients for the caramel. I am in France so perhaps the cream was not thick enough and I tried a different sugar replacement brown with sugarlose and erythritol. The caramel is a nice texture but still not the lovely brown colour and tastes more like condensed milk, even though I cooked it for 30mins. I am determined to get it right.
Katrin Nรผrnberger
Hm. The dairy cream I use has a fat content of 40%. But I do not think this is an issue with the fat. People make caramel with regular milk. Perhaps you need to heat it more? You can also try using the Sukrin Fibre Syrup Gold as a sweetener, that one I used in my sugar free caramel sauce and it also works very well.
kim
Such a wonderful treat, thank you!
Amanda
I just made these for Christmas as caramel slice is my favourite Christmas treat and I havenโt been able to eat it for about 5 years being dairy free and now keto. This recipe was exactly like I used to eat as a child.
Thank you so much for creating a delicious treat that ticks all the boxes.
Lynn
Easy and delectable.
Joy
Can i use peanut butter instead of almond butter?
Katrin Nรผrnberger
Yes, just be sure the peanut butter is very soft and runny rather than hard.
Debbie
Hi Katrin could I use butter in base instead of almond butter?...thank you for all your wonderful recipes..
Katrin Nรผrnberger
I would probably add 1 additional tablespoon butter if you omit the almond butter.
Elaine
This is one of my favourite keto sweets. I use heavy cream and butter in place of the coconut products and bake the base for 10 minutes at 350ยฐand find its then a bit less crumbly and holds together when cut.
Toni
Have just made it today. Will see how it goes.
Love your recipes. Thanks for helping me stick with low carb foods. Loosing weight and still have sweets, can't lose!