How to Make Raw Vegan Ginger Slice

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In my humble opinion, this Raw Vegan Ginger Slice is a lot yummier than the buttery, sugary original recipe. With hints of caramel from the dates, and notes of peanuts, this unbaked Ginger Slice is an absolute symphony on the tongue. You don’t need any skills to make this recipe – just blitz, chill and eat. Easy as!

Why You Should be Eating Ginger

Ginger is one of the cheapest superfoods you can get your hands on. Eaten fresh or dried, this spice is inexpensive to buy and so easy to sneak into your diet.

It can be enjoyed in a savoury setting, in stir-fries and curries; or sweet, in cakes, cookies, and my favourite: this Raw Vegan Ginger Slice!

But ginger is more than just a yummy, versatile spice. It is a nutrient powerhouse! Full of anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, ginger can boost immunity, metabolism, and help to regulate blood sugar.

I adore ginger as a flavour in baking, but you do not need to go to that much effort to use it. Just grate a chunk of fresh ginger into a mug, top it with boiling water, and drink up all those nutrients.

Raw Vegan Ginger Slice vs Traditional Ginger Slice

Now, growing up in New Zealand, Ginger Slice is a bit of a favourite. It was a weekly staple in our household, and to this day, the crunchy biscuit base with that soft, caramelly ginger frosting hits me with nostalgia.

The original recipe, though, is not an option in my home for two reasons: One, it is full of sugar and butter (not the best for young kids) and two, it is time consuming to make!

Traditional Ginger Slice requires creaming, mixing, and baking…it’s just a lot to ask of a busy mama!

Raw Vegan Ginger Slice however, is a no-bake slice, meaning all you have to do is blitz, shape and set.

Ingredients in Raw Ginger Slice

• Dates – The dates bring sweetness to this recipe, in both the base and the Ginger Frosting. I love using dates as a natural sweetener in treats, for 3 reasons. One, they are really cheap. Two, they are actually a fruit, so they are full of fibre in addition to unrefined sugar. And three, they lend a caramelly flavour, which works really well in a lot of recipes. To use, simply measure the dates, and soak them in boiling water for 10 minutes. Strain the water off and blitz till smooth.
• Oats – I also love using oats in my raw “cookie” bases. Oats are cheap, and add a lot of volume, stretching out the other ingredients. They also make the base less crunchy, and a bit more chewy (desiccated coconut sets ROCK hard, so it does need the addition of oats to give it the right texture). TO use, blend the oats to a fine flour (see image below). That way, you do not get any flake of oats interfering with the desired cookie effect!
• Desiccated Coconut – Desiccated Coconut is the hero ingredient which sets everything. Using inexpensive desiccated coconut as the setting agent means you do not have to use butter or coconut oil. To use, simply blend the coconut until it releases it’s natural oils and becomes a runny, peanut butter consistency. This substance is used in both the base and the frosting.
• Ginger – I only use ginger in the frosting of this recipe, because I know that it can be rather overpowering. But even in the frosting, you need a lot so that ginger flavour comes through. I used 3 teaspoons.
• Peanut Butter – Used in the base for flavour balance. Peanut butter is so flavourful, and pairs with the dates for that caramel flavour (the dates would taste too fruity without it in this recipe).
• Coconut Cream – Coconut Cream is used in the frosting. It has that classic luscious texture, meaning you don’t need all the butter and sugar! It sets nice and firm, so you get those tooth marks when you bite into it (required for slice, in my humble opinion).
• Vanilla Essence – be heavy handed with this, the measurement given is just a guide! Vanilla just makes it yum, and the more, the better.
• Salt – salt is a very essential minor product. It brings balance, and enhances the sweetness of the dates. Do not skip it – a little bit goes a long way!

Is Raw Vegan Ginger Slice Cheap to make?

Yes, this Raw Slice is very cheap to make, which is unusual for raw slices in general.

A lot of the time, raw slices require nuts, maple syrup, honey or other unrefined sweeteners, such as xylitol or erythritol.

None of these sweeteners come cheap, and some are not usually found at a supermarket. As a busy mum of two, I do not have the time nor energy to go to multiple shops in a day (let alone a week!), so if I can avoid a specialty foods store, I will!

Nuts are also expensive to buy and grind down to a fraction of the volume you paid for!

Using Desiccated Coconut and Oats, I get that crunchy texture at a fraction of the price. Plus, I can make a lot more, thanks to the oats, which adds a lot of volume.

Dates are also the cheapest form of unrefined sweetener and, more importantly, have a lot of nutrients, too.

All up, the cost of making this slice would be around $10 (New Zealand Dollars), which is almost the same as buying a piece from a artsy Vegan Cafe. Now that is what I call satisfying.

Making Raw Vegan Ginger Slice

Make the Base

First, you need to get the dates soaking, since they take about 10 minutes.

While the dates are soaking, you can blend all the other base ingredients. Blend the oats into flour, the coconut into butter, and add the peanut butter.

Once the dates have finished soaking, blend those too.

Finally, mix all the base ingredients and press into your desired dish (I did both lined muffin tins and a small square slice dish)

Place in the fridge to set while you make the frosting.

Make the Frosting

The frosting is also a blend-and-mix affair.

First, put some more dates on to soak for 10 minutes

Next, blend the coconut until it turns into butter (or skip this step if you already have coconut butter on hand).

Then, add the coconut cream, ginger, soaked dates, salt and vanilla.

Blend until smooth.

Slather onto the chilled base, and return to the fridge to set.

This frosting firms up almost instantly, but is best after a couple of hours chill time.

It keeps really well and stays good for about four days.