Coconut Cream Bars (Vegan, No-Bake, Gluten-Free)
These vegan Coconut Cream Bars are creamy, decadent, and a dream to make! Made with nine simple and wholesome ingredients, these no-bake healthy treats are amazing!
Servings: 16
Ingredients
- 1½ cups toasted almond slivers
- 1 cup toasted unsweetened coconut flakes
- 6 tablespoons maple syrup divided
- 5 tablespoons melted coconut oil divided
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt divided
- 1 cup raw cashews soaked
- 13.5 ounce canned coconut cream or full-fat coconut milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Place the toasted slivered almonds and coconut flakes in the bowl of a food processor and pulse them together until the texture resembles coarse cornmeal.
- Add 2 tablespoons maple syrup, 1 tablespoon melted coconut oil, ½ teaspoon cinnamon, and ¼ teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt. Pulse until combined. The crumbs should stick together when you pinch some together between your fingers.
- Line a 8-inch square pan with parchment paper and transfer the crust ingredients into the pan. Use an offset spatula to make sure the crust is evenly distributed on the bottom.
- Place the crust in the freezer while you make the filling.
- In a high speed blender, combine the soaked cashews, coconut cream or coconut milk, ¼ cup melted coconut oil, ¼ cup maple syrup, vanilla, and ¼ teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt. Blend until silky smooth.
- Pour the filling through a fine mesh sieve onto the crust. The sieve can break up any big air bubbles that form.
- Cover the pan with a silicone lid, aluminum foil, or plastic wrap and freeze until solid (about 6 hours or overnight).
- When you’re ready to serve the bars, take them out of the freezer, lift out of the pan using the parchment flaps, and cut into 16 squares with a knife or pastry scraper. If the bars are frozen too solid, let them thaw for a few minutes before cutting.
- Before you eat the bars, go ahead and top them with extra toasted coconut flakes or melted dark chocolate, if desired. The coconut bars taste great straight from the freezer—almost like coconut ice cream bars! If you prefer the bars to have a softer texture, you can thaw them in the fridge before serving, Either way, they’re delicious!
Video
Notes
- You can quickly soak the cashews in boiling water for 30 minutes (or in room temperature water for about 4 hours).
- Use the best-quality canned coconut cream or full-fat coconut milk you can find! These are coconut cream bars, after all, so the better tasting your canned coconut cream or milk, the tastier the bars. The brands I like best are Aroy-D, New Seasons Market’s in-house brand, and Whole365 brand. Although my recipe says you can use either coconut milk or cream, I’ve found that canned coconut cream is ideal for this recipe because the resulting filling is creamier and the bars hold their shape better. Do not use Cream of Coconut (found in the liquor section)—it’s a totally different ingredient, and it’s waaay too sweet!
- A powerful blender will ensure a creamy and silky texture. Similar to my other vegan desserts that use soaked cashews, the filling of the recipe should be blended in a high-powered blender like a Vitamix.
- Toast the almond slivers and coconut flakes for the most flavorful crust! If you didn’t buy the slivered almonds and coconut flakes pre-toasted, take the extra time to toast them until golden brown—your tastebuds will thank you!
- Freeze the bars to set them properly. The coconut bars will not set properly in the refrigerator so you definitely need to chill them in the freezer before cutting them into squares.
- Store the leftover cut-up coconut bars in the freezer in an airtight container for up to 3 months. You can also store the coconut cream bars in the refrigerator in a sealed container for up to 2 days, but any longer and the texture will get too soft.
Nutrition
Calories: 275kcal | Carbohydrates: 13g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 25g | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 6g