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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.
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.
Hi there!
Can you use coconut milk instead of coconut cream?
Yes, but full fat coconut milk. Please let me know if you have other questions. Hope you love this recipe! Thanks! 🙂
How long will these keep for?
Thanks 🙂
About 1 week. Please let me know if you have other questions. Hope you love this recipe! Thanks! 🙂
hi there! i live in summit county, too, so it’s really fun to read your blog and know that you are baking so close by AND up in the mountains at altitude, too! where do you purchase the coconut cream for this recipe? i couldn’t find it anywhere at city market, so i thought i’d ask… THANK YOU! anne
HI Anne! I actually bought mine on amazon. Link below. Please let me know if you have other questions. Hope you love this recipe! Thanks! 🙂
https://rstyle.me/n/cxczgeb9wzf
Hello please help ; I wrote a comment and never got a reply and now your site says duplicate comment ….yights. I’d really love to know whether these bars can be made ahead of time and frozen?? Thanks…will they still taste and look the same? =)
HI! Freezing and thawing should work out great! Please let me know if you have other questions. Hope you love this recipe! Thanks! ?
These look amazing! I’d like to make them ahead of time for a trip and freeze them for the two weeks prior to the trip (since I won’t have time during that 2 week time frame). Do you know if they can be frozen, rethawed and still taste and look the same or would you advise against this? =) Thanks!!
HI! Freezing and thawing should work out great! Please let me know if you have other questions. Hope you love this recipe! Thanks! 🙂
I’ve made these twice now and both times they were amazing. The second time I started late at night and realized I didn’t have half the ingredients but I had told my coworkers I would make them again because they wanted them so badly that I just made a few subs and thought I would share. I only had about 2.5 cups of coconut so I used puffed rice cereal for the other 1.5 cups, didn’t have enough maple syrup so I just topped up with honey. I also didn’t have enough chocolate to coat them all so I just spread a layer on top and I tried almond butter the second time. They were delicious both ways and all of my coworkers agreed. I topped with just flaky sea salt both times (sooooo good!). Love your recipes! Also can’t help but laugh at the suggestions that these need to be healthier. They are a great example of how you can make simple ingredients into a delicious treat without all of the additives found in store bought bars. There are hundreds of recipes out there for oatmeal/date/nut bars – I was so happy to see this unique recipe pop up in my insta last week. Thanks for sharing!
Oops – forgot my rating. Five stars for sure!
I am so glad you loved these Jenn! Also, such great substitutions! Love that you shared them here for anyone else that may need it! Thank you so much!
Tried making these, love all the yummy ingredients! Just had some trouble with the dipping step haha definitely didn’t turn out as pretty as yours. Do you have any tips for dipping/pouring the chocolate for next time?
Thank you! Love all your recipes!
HI! Where your bars frozen? That really helps when dipping in chocolate. I make sure mine are extra, extra cold. Thats my #1 tip! And remember, they dont need to look pretty, just taste good! 🙂 haha! Please let me know if you have other questions. Hope you love this recipe! Thanks! 🙂
Stunning bars, the perfect way to get my chocolate fix! 🙂
Yes!! Thank you Laura!
Yussss…this is happening. Party in my mouth. Right now (or at oeast in a couple of hours). I have all of the ingredients and topping in my pantry so there’s my Sunday morning gone baking delicious chocolately coconutty goodness (and a whole week of NOM!). Thank you, Tieghan!
I am so happy you like these! Thank you Cat!
Looks great will definitely make these. I think I’ve made 20 of your recipes since finding you in December
Congratulations to your brother!!! Looking forward to watching him in the upcoming olympics
I am so glad you like my recipes! Thank you! I am super proud of Red!
Is there no way to save this to Pinterest?
Hi Lea! There is a Pinterest button right under the last photo, before the ingredients list! Also, there is one at the top under the title. I hope this helps! Thank you!
Hi! Your bars look tempting until I saw most of the ingredients. Maple syrup (that’s a lot 3/4 cup) could be replaced with dates which is a better choice, coconut cream and coconut flakes are both full of fat, be sure to use peanut butter that is only peanut butter (no additives). Though these might me a bit better than the stuff on the grocery shelf they contain ingredients that can hurt you. Try and decrease the fat content and use date paste instead of maple syrup. Maybe seeds or nuts (yes they too have fat but healthy fat and good for the body in many ways) or raw oatmeal or combination of. Just because they only contain 6 ingredients not all of them are the best choice.Revamp the recipe to make it Health.
Hi Joyce! Those are some great alternatives! These bars are made with unrefined ingredients that are healthier than ingredients in candy bars. I hope you enjoy some of the other recipes on my blog! Thank you!
Cant wait to try these! Dark chocolate & coconut are my two favorite combos!
BTW…I just received your cookbook in the mail today. I am giving it to one of my friends as a birthday gift. She loves receiving cookbooks and has quite a collection. Now, I wished I had ordered one for myself as well.
That is so amazing! Thank you Teresa!
Hey Tieghan,
I really love these coconut chocolate bars and agree that the simple recipes seem to be the best. 🙂 I also like the peanut butter and think it would be great with almond butter too! Or maybe even pistachio butter? (Although I think it’s a bit expensive). Also, I like the use of real and heathy ingredients like with these bars, and think the ingredients makes them that much better. ? I hope you’re doing well and staying warm? How has everything been? How are you doing?
I’m looking forward to tomorrow’s post and hope you have a restful weekend! ?
Hi Kristin! I am so glad you like these and hope you love them if you get a chance to make them! I am doing really well, I hope you are as well! Thank you!
Tieghan!
What brand of coconut cream do you use & thank you!!! They look delish 🙂
I use Native Forest Coconut Cream. Please let me know if you have other questions. Hope you love this recipe! Thanks! ?