These no-bake coconut bars are the easy healthy version of your favorite bounty – or almond joy – candy bars with no refined sugar. A 5-ingredient no-bake vegan dessert with a melt-in-your-mouth coconut layer topped with crunchy dark chocolate.
Coconut lovers this is for you? if you love bounty candy bars or almond joy bars but you are looking for a healthier version of your favorite treat, this vegan dessert recipe is for you!
How to make no-bake coconut bars?
No-bake coconut bars are very easy, raw, vegan desserts that you can make with only 5 ingredients and a food processor. All you need to make them are 5 simple pantry ingredients:
- Unsweetened dessicated coconut – you can also use shredded coconut or coconut chips but it would take you longer to process them into a sticky coconut batter
- Melted coconut oil – unrefined or refined. You need to use coconut oil because it’s the only oil that solidify at room temperature. Consequently, it holds ingredients together without baking
- Maple syrup – or any other liquid sweetener. The best natural options are agave syrup, brown rice syrup or coconut nectar
- Dark chocolate – I am using 85% dark chocolate, it’s vegan as it doesn’t contains milk or dairy. You can also use any other vegan chocolate you like, anything with more than 70% cocoa is lower in sugar
How to make no bake almond joy bars?
If you are an almond joy lover, you can easily turn these no-bake coconut bars into almond joy bars. In fact, all you have to do is to add 16 almonds, one on top of each of the 16 coconut bars, to add the lovely almond crunch!
Can I freeze no-bake desserts?
Yes, you can freeze any no-bake dessert including this one. I recommend freezing the bars individually, this way you can defrost them one by one. The best way to freeze them is in an airtight box. Place a piece of baking paper between each square, this will prevent them from sticking together.
More no-bake vegan desserts
No-bake vegan desserts are easy nourishing desserts that everyone loves. I recommend you also try:
- No-bake coconut cookies – a delicious no bake cookie with almond flour and unsweetened coconut
- No-bake shortbread millionaire bars – a no-bake 5-ingredient caramel bar with no refined ingredients
Made the no-bake coconut bars and want to share a picture with us? Join me on Instagram and share with me!
Your friend, Carine
No bake coconut bars
Ingredients
- 2 1/3 cup unsweetened dessicated coconut (250g)
- 3 tablespoon maple syrup or liquid sweetener of your choice like agave syrup, rice syrup or coconut nectar (45ml)
- 1/3 cup unsweetened canned coconut milk light or full fat (80ml)
- 1/4 cup melted coconut oil (60ml)
Chocolate layer
- 4.2 oz vegan dark chocolate - I used 85 % cocoa chocolate (120g)
- 1 tablespoon coconut oil (15 ml)
Instructions
- In a food processor with the S blade attachment, add all the ingredients: unsweetened coconut, maple syrup, unsweetened coconut milk and melted coconut, Order doesn't matter.
- Blend on high speed until all ingredients come together and form a sticky batter. It could take up to 1 minute. You may have to stop the food processor, scrape down the side of the bowl with a spatula and repeat until the coconut sticks to all ingredients. If it too dry, this may happen if you used thicker coconut (shredded/chips) add 1 extra tablespoon of coconut milk.
- Cover a baking tray with parchment paper. Set aside.
- Spread the coconut batter evenly in the tray, using your hands or a spatula to press firmly the batter all over the bottom of the tray. If you want to make almond joy bars, simply press 16 raw almonds, one per square you will cut.
- Freeze the tray for 10 minutes.
- In another bowl, add dark chocolate pieces and coconut oil.
- Melt, either in the microawve or bain marie.
- Remove tray from the freezer, pour the melted chocolate on top of the coconut bar, using a spatula to evenly spread the melted chocolate.
- Freeze again 5-10 minutes to set the chocolate layer.
- Remove from the freezer and cut into 16 bars of same size.
- Store the bars in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-4 weeks or freeze for 3 months. Make sure you place a piece of parchment paper between each square to prevent them from sticking to each other when you want to unfrost them individually. Defrost at room temperature, it should take 30 -45 minutes
Nutrition
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