This recipe is a combination of this and this. Two decadent desserts coming together to create a fusion between the best of both sweets. The flavors and look of these bars miiight just remind you of a certain cookie that comes in a purple box and is sold by enthusiastic little ladies donned in green.

Crispy shortbread is thickly-slathered with coconut-caramel and drizzled with a glossy homemade chocolate. The result is a bar with a shortbread snap, sink-your-teeth-in gooey caramel and coconut layer, and just enough chocolate to keep things balanced.

To make these bars, you’ll start by making the gluten-free shortbread dough by combining ground oats, coconut flour, coconut oil, maple syrup, and vanilla extract. Grease a tart pan, smooth out the dough, and bake for 12-15 minutes. While the shortbread is baking, you’ll toast a pan of shredded coconut alongside it in the oven. The coconut should be crisp and a rich golden-brown color to maximize its flavor potential.

To make the caramel, you’ll add pitted dates, coconut oil, almond butter (or sunflower butter), vanilla, and sea salt to a food processor. Process for a few minutes or until you have a thick, sticky caramel. Stir in the toasted coconut and spread on top of the shortbread layer.

The last step is making a quick homemade chocolate from raw cacao butter. Raw cacao butter, also known as “cocoa butter”, is the cold-pressed oil from cacao beans, and it’s a necessary part of making true homemade chocolate. You’ll melt and whisk together cacao butter, cacao powder and pure maple syrup over a double-boiler until a rich, glossy chocolate develops. However, if you can’t find cacao butter or want to cut down on time, simply melt together dark chocolate and a little bit of coconut oil. I like to transfer the chocolate into a heat-safe pastry bag and pipe it over the bars, but it can also be drizzled on top with a spoon.