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Starting Friday off the best way I know how to, with Dark Chocolate Covered Coconut Bars.
If there was ever a homemade chocolate bar to love, it has to be these coconut bars. Oh my gosh, they are healthy…ish and to die for. Dark chocolate, toasted coconut, peanut butter…might just be one of the best combos…ever.
Best part? Just SIX ingredients. Yes, just six. Unbelievable, right?
I know we all say this often, but sometimes it truly is the simplest things that are the best, and that’s the case with these bars.
Here’s the deal, I’ve been dreaming up these coconut bars for weeks now. I first thought of them while hiking a couple of weeks ago, but I shoved the idea out of my head because they seemed a little too simple. I mean, chocolate covered coconut? Did you guys really want to hear about that?
I wasn’t sure, so I held off. In the end however, the bottom line was that I kept coming back to the idea of a sweet coconut bar covered in chocolate. You clearly have to love coconut to love these bars, but guys, if you do love coconut…then you really need to hear about these easy, healthy bars.
YOU DO.
Step one: boil together some real maple syrup and coconut cream. This is your “caramel” or glue that holds everything together.
Step two: stir in some peanut butter and vanilla. You could use almond or cashew butter too!
Step three: FREEZE. It’s super important to freeze the bars before dipping them in chocolate. It just makes the whole chocolate coating process so much easier. Trust me.
Step four: cover the bars in dark chocolate, and cover them well. Double dip if you’d like, I certainly do.
Step five: top each bar however you desire. I think my favorite topping is simply using toasted coconut or flaky sea salt. Below are some topping ideas…
- roasted pistachios
- cocoa nibs + flaky salt
- goji berries + coconut
- hemp seeds
- toasted sesame seeds
- toasted sesame seeds + toasted coconut
- dried bananas
- dried roses
- more chocolate…aka milk chocolate, white chocolate and semi sweet chocolate
The options are really endless, so feel free to have fun!
Since we are in the midst of Healthy January, I made these bars using real, whole food ingredients, and with zero processed sugar, no butter, and the darkest of the darkest of chocolate. The combo of maple and coconut keeps the bars perfectly sweet and the peanut butter adds just a hint of nutty flavor (along with protein). I also made sure not to go too heavy on the nut butter as I really wanted the coconut flavors to shine here.
Also, toasting the coconut before mixing it into the bars adds another layer of flavor, and while I know it’s another step, it takes the bars from great, to really freaking good. You should do it.
And finally? Little sister Asher, who is currently sitting right next to me, wants me to tell you all that she just finished eating her very own, customized bar (meaning she added her choice of toppings), and it was DELICIOUS.
Granted her bar is topped with way too much milk chocolate, but I mean, she’s a kid, and well, balance is key.
PS. If only you could see her face as she says the word delicious. The cutest.
Dark Chocolate Covered Coconut Bars
Servings: 16 bars
Calories Per Serving: 413 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
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Ingredients
- 3/4 cup real maple syrup
- 1/3 cup canned full fat coconut milk, using the cream only
- 2 tablespoons creamy peanut butter
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 4 cups unsweetened lightly toasted coconut flakes
- 12 ounces dark chocolate
- cocoa nibs, coconut, roasted nuts, dried fruits, for topping (optional)
Instructions
- 1. Line an 8x8 inch square baking dish with parchment paper. 2. In a medium pot, combine the maple and coconut cream and bring to a boil over high heat. Boil 8-10 minutes or until thickened to a caramel like sauce. Remove from the heat and stir in 2 tablespoons peanut butter and the vanilla. Stir in the coconut. Press the mixture into the prepared baking dish. Transfer to the freezer and freeze until firm, 30 minutes to 1 hour.3. Melt the chocolate in the microwave until melted and smooth. Let cool 10 minutes.4. Cut bars into 16 bars. Cover in chocolate and top as desired. Let the chocolate set up, about 10 minutes. Keep stored in the fridge.
Weekend plans = chocolate bar making. Excited about it.
Yum! These look amazing!
Tieghan,
What brand of coconut cream do you buy? They look super tasty 🙂
I use Native Forest Coconut Cream. Please let me know if you have other questions. Hope you love this recipe! Thanks! 🙂
Thank you Kari!
These look wonderful. What can I use in place of peanut butter? Would you kindly email me and let me know? Thank you. Lisa
HI! You can omit it or us almond butter or any seed butter you love. Please let me know if you have other questions. Hope you love this recipe! Thanks! 🙂
This looks like the perfect snack! I will have to try it out, thanks for sharing <3
https://www.myblackcloset.com/
Great! Thank you!
These look delicious but I think calling them “healthy-ish” is doing a disservice. The only things healthy are the peanut butter (in small amounts) and the cocoa in the chocolate. Everything else is sugar and fat which is not “healthy-ish”. I enjoy some of your recipes but this one is a full fat treat. Call is like it is and enjoy it if you wish.
Hi Pam! The ingredients I used in this recipe are wholesome and not refined, that is why these are healthy-ish. I understand that coconut contains fat and maple syrup contains sugar, but they are a natural form. I hope you enjoy some of the other recipes on my blog! Thanks!
What % of dark chocolate did you use or are you recommending?
I use a 85% dark chocolate. Please let me know if you have other questions. Hope you love this recipe! Thanks! 🙂
Hi Tieghan,
Thank you so much for this recipe. It looks so delicious. I’m grocery shopping today and will def be trying these this wknd. I’ll come back and rate the recipe when I’ve made them and tried them on the whole fam.
I just wanted to let you know that in step two of the summary before the recipe “add coconut” is missing, so your summary only has five ingredients.
Thanks again,
Angie
Thank you so much Angie! I hope you love these bars!
Wow! First I want to say the photographs are beautiful! Second who could not wish to eat a healthy “candy” bar? These are great… I look forward to creating a few soon!
Thank you!
Jeff
Thank you so much Jeff! I hope you love these when you try them!
I’m a huge coconut fan Tieghan! Can’t wait to try these.
Great! I hope you love these Mary Ann!
These look gorgeous! What might you suggest as a replacement for the nut butter?
You can either omit or or use your favorite seed butter. Please let me know if you have other questions. Hope you love this recipe! Thanks! 🙂
Tieghan, your candy posts are always stunning and this one is no exception! I’m with Asher on these-how could they be anything but delicious?!
Thank you so much Jean!
Oh my! I love unsweetened coconut and dark chocolate too. Sure could eat one this morning. Yes, for breakfast. Ha!
So glad you like these! Thank you Charlotte!
These look DELICIOUS and I have some super clean living sons in my life that will adore these! Thanks and I look forward to making them this weekend. They love 100% dark chocolate – hoping I can melt and dip in that.
That is so great! I hope they love these Rose! Thank you!
My husband’s favorite foods are coconut and dark chocolate!!! I can’t wait to make these. So simple and yet sooo good
My husband’s favorite foods are coconut and dark chocolate!!! I can’t wait to make these. So simple yet sooo good.
Perfect! I hope you both enjoy these Eileen! Thanks!
Send me some, please I’m in need of chocolate goodness eheheheh
Haha I wish I could! Thank you Ruth!