Dark Chocolate Covered Coconut Bars.

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.

Weekend plans = chocolate bar making. Excited about it.