Coconut Butter Bars (Paleo, Vegan, No Bake)

These are the best Paleo Vegan coconut butter bars. They're easy to make and no bake! This coconut recipe has a raw almond and pecan crust layered with coconut butter, date caramel and topped with dark chocolate. It's the best homemade coconut bar recipe!

I made these easy chocolate coconut bars years ago and decided I needed to try them again to update the photos. I'm so glad I did because they're just as good as I remember...

These bars are perfectly sweet and nutty, with a crumbly pecan and almond crust that's topped with a layer of coconut butter, gooey date caramel and finally a dark chocolate coating.

I don't like to play favorites with recipes, but this is honestly one of my top five most loved!

Recipe Highlights

• gluten free & grain free
• no bake - perfect for a quick summer treat
• SO easy to make - quantities don't need to be exact
• Paleo and Vegan friendly
• a kid favorite - my whole family gave these 5 stars

These are almost like coconut magic cookie bars; layers upon layers of goodness with varying flavors and textures.

Ingredients Needed

Only a few simple Paleo and Vegan friendly ingredients are needed for this chocolate coconut bar recipe:

• Almonds - raw or dry roasted work. May sub any type of nut or seed.
• Pecans - may sub any type of nut or seed
• Dates - I used Medjool dates, but any variety will work
• Coconut butter - I made my own roasted coconut butter, but you can buy it in store too
• Dark Chocolate - I recommend 72-85% dark chocolate
• Coconut oil
• Flaked Coconut - optional topping

How to Make Coconut Butter Bars

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

Crust

First, combine all crust ingredients in a food processor.  Blend until the mixture becomes a course, sticky dough.

Next, firmly press the crust into a lined 8" x 8" baking dish. I suggest using a sheet of parchment paper to do this.

Layer 1

This is the easiest layer. Simply melt the coconut butter and pour it over the crust. If your coconut butter is in a glass jar, microwave it at 10 second intervals until smooth. For plastic jars, I suggest submerging the coconut butter jar in warm water to soften.

Place the bars it in the freezer to harden.

Layer 2

This layer is a date caramel made from pitted Medjool dates.

First, place the dates in the food processor and blend to a thick paste.  It's important that your dates are soft. If they are hard (which happens when you're using older/stale dates or ones stored in the fridge), microwave the dates for a few seconds to soften. Another option is to submerge them in boiling water for a minutes or so, then drain the water.

Next, spread the date caramel over the hardened coconut butter. The texture of this layer will vary slightly depending on the texture of the dates. I find it easiest to spread the date caramel into an even, level layer using parchment paper.

Topping

Lastly, add the topping.  Do this by melting dark chocolate and coconut oil in a small sauce pan, over low heat on the stove top.  Stir frequently, until the chocolate is fully melted then pour over Layer 2.

Top the chocolate with flaked coconut (if you want). A quick tip: if you don't want the coconut to drop into the chocolate layer, place the bars in the fridge for a few minutes before adding the coconut.

Place the bars in the fridge to set. I recommend waiting a few hours before taking the bars out of the fridge. This ensures that each of the layers are fully set.

Remove the bars from the baking dish and cut into 16 equal pieces.

How to Store Homemade Coconut Bars

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 barbecue or family gathering.

I recommend storing them in a sealed air-tight container or baggie in the fridge for up to two weeks, or the freezer up to two months.

More Easy Coconut Recipes

Looking for more easy Paleo recipes using coconut? Here are some blog favorites:

• Dark Chocolate Coconut Clusters
• Coconut Hemp Energy Balls
• Spicy Coconut Butter Cups
• Pumpkin Coconut Cookies

Enjoy!

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