Coconut Butter Bars (Paleo, Vegan, No Bake)

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These coconut butter bars have an almond and pecan crust that's layered with coconut butter, date caramel and dark chocolate. They're no bake, paleo and vegan friendly - great for a healthy dessert.

Grabbing a bar from a stack of 4 coconut butter bars.

These homemade coconut butter bars are one of the first recipes on my blog and one that I make time and time again. I love that they don't require any baking and are easy to make, but full of flavor.

These chocolate coconut butter bars have a crumbly almond and pecan crust that's pressed into a baking pan and then layered with coconut butter, homemade date caramel and topped with dark chocolate.

You'll love how decadent these bars look, but how easy they are to make. A total show stopper!

Why You'll Love these Coconut Butter Bars

paleo and vegan - made with simple, wholesome ingredient you can feel good about
gluten free and grain free - made without flour or oats
no bake - perfect for a quick summer treat
easy to make - the quantities don't need to be exact and there aren't any complicated steps
many flavors and textures - a nutty, crumbly crust, hard coconut butter layer, gooey caramel, creamy dark chocolate
a kid favorite - my whole family gave these 5 stars

Ingredients

The full recipe for these coconut butter bars can be found in the recipe card below, but here's an overview of the ingredients you'll need:

almonds - raw or dry roasted work. You can also swap the almonds for any other nut or seed.
pecans - I used pecan pieces, but whole pecans will work too. If you can't consume pecans, swapping them with another nut or seed should work.
Medjool dates - for both the crust and the caramel layer.
salt - to bring out more flavor in the crust and caramel
vanilla extract - flavoring for the date caramel
coconut butter - I made my own coconut butter, but you can buy premade.
dark chocolate - for the chocolate topping. I recommend a dark chocolate with a cocoa content between 70-85%
coconut oil - to make the chocolate topping creamier and easier to cut
flaked coconut - optional for the topping

Ingredients needed to make coconut butter bars.

How to Make Coconut Butter Bars

These bars are made layer by layer, starting with the crust. Here are the steps:

Line an 8x8 inch baking dish with foil or parchment paper. (I used foil since this recipe is no-bake.)
Make the crust by combining all crust ingredients in a food processor. Blend, stopping every so often to scrape down the sides, until the mixture is coarse and sticky.
Firmly press the crust into your lined baking pan.
Pour the coconut butter over the crust, then place the bars in the freezer.

How to make the crust and coconut butter layers.

Make the caramel. Place the dates in a bowl and soak in hot water for 5 minutes.
Drain the water from the dates, then add them to your food processor, along with the vanilla and salt. Blend until it forms a thick, sticky caramel.
Grab the bars from the freezer and scoop the caramel onto the bars. Place a piece of parchment paper over the caramel and use your hands to spread the caramel out to all sides of the pan in a nice, even layer.
Melt the dark chocolate and coconut oil. Pour the chocolate over the date caramel.
Optional: top with flaked coconut for decoration.

How to make the caramel and chocolate layers.

Place the bars in the fridge overnight to set, or for at least 4 hours.
Once set, cut the bars to desired size.

Storage

These vegan coconut butter bars are best kept in the fridge or freezer. They will stay solid at room temperature, so you can leave them out for a party or family gathering.

Store them in an airtight container or baggie for up to 3 weeks in the fridge or 6 months in the freezer.

Side view of coconut butter bars stacked on a plate.

FAQ

Can I use any nuts for the crust?

While I have only tested this recipe with almonds and pecans, any nut/s should work as a replacement. If you are using a different type of nut and have trouble with the crust holding together, then add a few more dates and blend.

How do you make coconut butter?

I have a recipe for coconut butter on my blog that provides the step by step process.

Do these bars cut easily?

I haven't had any trouble cutting the bars in all the times I've made them. I do recommend melting coconut oil with the chocolate for the topping because this will make the chocolate layer slightly softer, hence easier to cut.

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