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Cookies and Bars

Dark Chocolate Coconut Bars

February 10, 2021 by Alexandra Daum
Chocolate coconut bars, made with honey and coconut butter, are a healthy-ish replacement for run of the mill chocolate bars. These are a nice treat and fun to make, with simple, wholesome ingredients.
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A halved coconut bar, cut side facing forward, on top of other bars.

Whether you think of bounty or mounds when you hear chocolate coconut bar, this is a vaguely healthy version of those candy bars. Sweet coconut filling, dark chocolate coating – but not sickly sweet like the store bought versions.

Bounty was my favourite chocolate bar growing up, but it’s just way too sweet for me now, even the dark chocolate version. This one, on the other hand, is made with some honey (or rice syrup for vegan coconut bars), coconut butter, and unsweetened coconut. It’s still candy, but not the tooth-aching kind.

The recipe originally called for the bars to be formed individually, as minis, before being frozen and dipped in chocolate. To streamline, the coconut filling is pressed into a tin, frozen, and then cut into bars. You can still make minis – just cut them smaller.

You need coconut butter for this recipe. It can be purchased at most grocery stores, but is easy and cheap to make at home if you have a food processor.

Close up of a coconut and bee pollen topped bar.

Scroll to the bottom of the post or click “skip to recipe” above to see the recipe card with full ingredient measurements and instructions.

Ingredients

Coconut bar ingredients.

Method

Mix the coconut, coconut butter, honey, (softened) coconut oil, and vanilla in a large bowl. Really get in there with your hands! If it’s not coming together, you can add a tablespoon or two of water (see the recipe card) so it holds its shape when pressed.

  • Ingredients before mixing in a bowl.
  • Ingredients after mixing, clumpy and sticky.

Line a square (20cm or 8 inch) tin with two pieces of parchment paper, one in each direction. Press the filling into the lined tin, trying to get as even a layer as possible.

  • Woman's hands pressing coconut mixture into a square tin.
  • Pressed coconut mixture in the tin.

Freeze the bars for at least 20 minutes (or refrigerate for a couple of hours). Once frozen, cut into about ten individual bars.

Bars after chilling and slicing but before dipping.

Melt the chocolate and coconut oil over very low heat or by using a double burner. Dip the frozen bars into the chocolate, using a fork to flip and lift them. Place the coated bars into parchment paper (or a rack if you don’t mind the mess).

  • Dipping a coconut bar in melted chocolate.
  • Two dipped chocolate bars.
  • Bars after coating but before the chocolate has set.

Let the chocolate harden for a second dip, or top the bars with anything you like. Pictured are edible flower petals, shredded coconut, and bee pollen. An extra drizzle of chocolate is very nice.

Keep the completed bars in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to a week, or in the freezer for up to a month.

Three lines of coated and topped bars, in rows.

Tips and Notes

If you don’t want the extra work of making raw chocolate, or you would prefer to be able to leave the bars out at room temperature, use dark chocolate to coat them. The original recipe gave instructions on how to make raw chocolate but since I’ve now written an in-depth guide with this five-ingredient raw chocolate, I’m linking to it instead.

Freezing the bars before coating in the chocolate just makes it easier to do. The coconut mixture is harder and less likely to crumble a bit when being dipped in the warm chocolate, and it helps to set the chocolate more quickly.

Because my knives are dull, I usually freeze the filling for 5-10 minutes, slice the bars, and re-freeze for another 15 before dipping in the chocolate. If you have better knives it should be no problem to cut through the coconut mixture after 20 minutes.

The recipe card outlines that it may be necessary to add a tablespoon or two of water to the mixture if it’s not coming together. Make sure you mix very thoroughly first before resorting to adding this, as it does take a minute to come together. Whether you need water will be based mostly on the viscosity of your coconut butter.

Close up of a halved coconut bar, to show the interior.

Substitutions

Brown rice syrup can be substituted for the honey for a fully vegan bar. I don’t recommend other liquid sweeteners because it has to be quite viscous and sticky to work properly.

If you prefer a very sweet bar, you can use a sweeter chocolate to coat – don’t increase the honey, it will prevent the filling from freezing properly.

This is a minimal recipe and all of the ingredients are vital to its success, but it’s possible to add some things if you’d like. Think along the lines of extra spices or a variety of toppings. Cardamom, cinnamon, freeze dried fruit, things like that.

Several coconut bars topped with edible flowers, coconut, and bee pollen piled together.

More Coconut Desserts

Chocolate Chunk Toasted Coconut Ice Cream
Chocolate Coconut Pie
Vegan Coconut Cake
Chocolate Chip Coconut Banana Bread
Flourless Chocolate Chunk Coconut Blondies

A halved coconut bar, cut side facing forward, on top of other bars.

Let’s connect! For more OE, follow along on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest, purchase the Occasionally Eggs cookbook, or subscribe for new posts via email. If you make this recipe, I’d love to see! Tag your instagram versions with @occasionallyeggs.

Yield: 10

Dark Chocolate Coconut Bars

Prep Time 10 minutes
Cooling Time 30 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
4.84 from 6 votes

Ingredients

Metric – American

Coconut Filling

  • 160 grams unsweetened shredded coconut
  • 100 grams coconut butter, softened
  • 60 ml honey (or brown rice syrup if vegan)
  • 60 grams coconut oil, softened
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla powder OR 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • Up to 2 tablespoons water if necessary

Chocolate Coating

  • 150 grams dark chocolate
  • 1 tablespoon coconut oil

Instructions

  • Mix the coconut, coconut butter, honey, (softened) coconut oil, and vanilla in a large bowl. Really get in there with your hands! If it’s not coming together, you can add a tablespoon or two of water* so it holds its shape when pressed.
  • If it’s a touch too dry, add a tablespoon of water and mix again. If it’s still not sticking you can add one more tablespoon.
  • Line a square (20cm or 8 inch) tin with two pieces of parchment paper, one in each direction. Press the filling into the lined tin, trying to get as even a layer as possible.
  • Repeat until all of the filling has been shaped into bars, and then place the board in the freezer for at least 30 minutes before coating in chocolate. Wet your hands slightly after every 3-4 bars to keep it from sticking to your hands too much.
  • Freeze the bars for at least 20 minutes (or refrigerate for a couple of hours). Once frozen, cut into about ten individual bars.
  • Melt the chocolate and coconut oil over very low heat or by using a double burner. Dip the frozen bars into the chocolate, using a fork to flip and lift them. Place the coated bars into parchment paper (or a rack if you don’t mind the mess).
  • Let the chocolate harden for a second dip, or top the bars with anything you like. Pictured are edible flower petals, shredded coconut, and bee pollen. An extra drizzle of chocolate is very nice.
  • Keep the completed bars in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to a week, or in the freezer for up to a month.

Notes

* Be sure to mix the filling very well before adding any water. It should stick together when pressed – if not, add the water and mix again.

Nutrition

Serving: 1g Calories: 247kcal Carbohydrates: 22g Protein: 3g Fat: 19g Saturated Fat: 14g Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g Cholesterol: 1mg Sodium: 14mg Fiber: 5g Sugar: 12g
© Alexandra Daum
Course: Desserts
Cuisine: American
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This post was originally published in October 2016. It has been updated with improvements to the text and recipe, and new step-by-step photos as of February 2021.

More Cookies and Bars:

Ginger nuts on a plate with greenery around.Vegan Gingersnaps
Cookies scattered on baking paper.Hazelnut Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
Three date squares stacked on a small plate.Gluten Free Date Squares
Top down view of chocolate quinoa bars.Chocolate Puffed Quinoa Bars

Previous Post: « How to Make Coconut Butter
Next Post: Edible Vegan Cookie Dough »

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Comments

  1. Kris says

    February 11, 2021 at 4:25 pm

    Hey Alex, I don’t have coconut butter (I know I can make it, but may not have time). Is there another substitute that you would recommend? Or maybe I just bite the bullet in make it. : )

    Reply
    • Alexandra Daum says

      February 11, 2021 at 5:36 pm

      Hi Kris! I’ve never made these without coconut butter, but a mix of applesauce and coconut oil might do the trick if you can’t make it! If you have cashew or almond butter those would work well but they’ll make it into a nutty coconut bar (which is nice too). <3

      Reply
  2. Alexandra Daum says

    November 19, 2016 at 2:48 pm

    Thanks Brittany, that's so sweet! Of course, I always try to include a vegan option if the recipe isn't already vegan 🙂 ha, I need lots of help at that time too!

    Reply
  3. Alexandra Daum says

    November 19, 2016 at 2:47 pm

    Thank you so much, Nicoletta!

    Reply
  4. Alexandra Daum says

    November 19, 2016 at 2:47 pm

    Thanks, Cristina! I hope it goes well and that your chocolate is perfect 🙂

    Reply
  5. Justine Celina says

    October 29, 2016 at 6:57 am

    Alexandra, these are my kind of treats! Also, you photography never ceases to amaze me. Your photos have such a dark, velvety delicious quality to them. Absolutely stunning! I've just pinned the recipe!

    Reply
  6. Brittany at I Love Vegan says

    October 28, 2016 at 5:46 pm

    As usual, your photography is phenomenal Alexandra! I could scroll through your pictures all day.

    These bars look delicious. I really appreciate all the information on substitutions and swaps. Thanks for including a vegan option! (And another thanks for the raw chocolate tip for "that time", I need all the help I can get than so I will be trying that for sure!)

    Reply
  7. Cristina @ I Say Nomato says

    October 28, 2016 at 4:57 pm

    Those look HEAVENLY! I find chocolate bars so sickly sweet too, but have always been too afraid of tempering chocolate to make them myself. You make it look so easy, and these are beautiful! I'll have to add them to my list to try!

    Reply
  8. Nicoletta @sugarlovespices says

    October 28, 2016 at 4:56 pm

    They look gorgeous, your pictures look gorgeous! I've never liked those kind of treats, even as a kid, way too sweet for my taste buds. But I'd definitely try your version. Love the ingredients you used. And I agree on their mini size. My compliments for such a great recipe!

    Reply

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