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homemade almond joy candy bars

Healthy Almond Joy Candy Bars -Easy Homemade Recipe

Healthy Homemade Almond Joy Candy Bars are made with toasted coconut, dates, and barely any cooking!
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Cook Time 1 hour
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 28 pieces

Equipment

  • food processor
  • mason jar
  • Small Saucepan
  • bread loaf pan
  • parchment paper

Ingredients
  

  • 1 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
  • 1/4 cup coconut oil
  • 4 Medjool dates pitted
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/2 cup whole almonds or a different kind of nut if you’d like to experiment!
  • 2 cups chocolate chips use milk chocolate for that classic Almond Joy flavor, or dark chocolate, my favorite

Instructions
 

Toast the Coconut Mixture

  • Start by gently heating the coconut oil in a small saucepan over medium heat. Once it’s melted, add the shredded coconut and stir continuously until some of it turns a golden brown. This step gives your coconut center a rich, nutty flavor that tastes way better than the grocery store version.
  • Heads up: Keep a close eye on the coconut while toasting—it can go from golden to burnt pretty fast!
  • Remove from heat while you do the next step.

Add the Sweetener

  • In a food processor, combine your pitted dates, vanilla extract, and salt. Pulse until a thick paste forms. Remove the paste from the food processor and mix it with the warm coconut mixture. As the date paste warms up, it will become easier to stir in.

Shape and Freeze

  • Press the mixture into a bread loaf pan lined with parchment paper. This will make it easy to lift the bars out later. Use a spatula or the back of a spoon to press everything down firmly and evenly.
  • Place the pan in the freezer for 1 hour. This helps the bars firm up enough to slice cleanly later.

Melt the Chocolate

  • Once your coconut bars are chilled and set, it’s time for the chocolate coating!
  • Melt your chocolate chips using a double boiler. Make one by placing a mason jar of chocolate chips in a pot of simmering water. Stir the chocolate chips until they’re fully melted and smooth.
  • You could also microwave the chocolate in a small bowl in 30-second intervals, stirring each time, but be careful not to overheat!

Assemble Your Homemade Almond Joy Bars

  • Remove the chilled coconut mixture from the pan and cut it into squares or rectangles—whatever size makes your heart happy.
  • Using a fork, dip each bar into the melted chocolate, lift it out and let it drip for a bit, and place onto a lined baking sheet or parchment paper.
  • Gently press a whole almond onto the top of the coconut rectangles while the chocolate is still soft. You can even double up if you're really into those crunchy almonds!
  • If you have excess chocolate left, drizzle it over the top of the bars.

Chill and Store

  • Refrigerate your homemade almond joy candy bars until the chocolate is fully set—about 30 minutes.
  • Once set, store your coconut candies in an airtight container in the fridge. They’ll keep for at least a week (if they last that long!). Let them sit at room temperature for a few minutes before eating for the best texture.
Keyword healthy homemade candy, homemade almond joy candy bars, homemade coconut candy