If you love the combination of chocolate and coconut, these bars are for you! This vegan dessert is easy to make and only needs 5 ingredients. Try out these no-bake chocolate coconut bars.
These sweet and delicious bars are perfect to make any time of the year. They are rich and hearty and taste like a Mounds bar with the amazing combination of chocolate and coconut.
If you love chocolate, you'll also love my chocolate chocolate chip bundt cake, Oreo truffles, and my vegan buckeyes.
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
- No-bake: These are the perfect make ahead treat.
- Just like a Mounds bar: They remind me of a Mounds candy bar with it's coconut layer topped with a chocolate layer. It's the perfect flavor combination.
Ingredient Notes
- Non-dairy chocolate chips: Use whatever brand is your favorite. I like using Trader Joe's chocolate chips which are "accidentally vegan".
- Coconut oil: Make sure it's at room temperature where it should be mostly solid. If it's completely liquid, put it in the fridge for a little bit to harden.
- Unsweetened shredded coconut: Make sure you are using unsweetened, not the kind that's full of sugar.
Please see the recipe card below for the full list of ingredients and amounts needed.
How To Make No-Bake Chocolate Coconut Bars
Step 1: To start, prepare an 8" x 8" or a 9" x 9" square pan by lining it with parchment paper. You can line the whole pan or cut to strips to make a "t".
Step 2: Put the unsweetened coconut, coconut oil (solid, not melted), pure maple syrup and pinch of salt in a food processor. Process for about 1 minute until all ingredients are mixed and sticking together. I like to pulse a few times first and then let the food processor run.
Step 3: Scoop out coconut mixture and flatten in the prepared baking dish. I use a spatula and a spoon as it's very sticky.
Step 4: Next, place a piece of plastic wrap over it and gently press down to level it. Place in the fridge for at least 2 hours. You want the bars to be firm.
Step 5: After 2 hours, place the dairy free chocolate chips in a bowl and microwave for 30 seconds. Stir and microwave for an additional 30 seconds. Stir until smooth.
Step 6: Smooth the melted chocolate over the top of the cold coconut mixture in an even layer. Return to the fridge for another 15 minutes or until the chocolate is set.
Step 7: Remove from the fridge and use the parchment paper to easily remove the chocolate coconut from the baking dish. Cut into 12 bars and serve cold.
Expert Tips
- Make sure the coconut oil is at room temperature where it will be solid. Do not melt!
- If you are using "fine shred" coconut, you might need less time processing it.
- If the chocolate chips are not completely melted after microwaving for 30 seconds two times, microwave for an additional 20 seconds.
Storage and Recipe FAQs
Not for this recipe. Coconut oil is solid when cold which keeps the bars solid as well.
That's up to your personal preference. Dark chocolate is less sweet so if you don't want a very sweet treat, that might be a better choice for you.
Store any leftover bars in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. Make sure the bars are always kept cold as you don't want the coconut oil to melt.
More Vegan Desserts
If you tried this No-Bake Chocolate Coconut Bars Recipe or any other recipe on my website, please leave a ⭐ star rating and let me know how it went in the comments below. Thanks for visiting!
Recipe
Easy No-Bake Chocolate Coconut Bars (Vegan)
Equipment
- 8" x 8" or a 9" x 9" baking dish
Ingredients
- 3 cups unsweetened shredded coconut
- ½ cup maple syrup
- ⅓ cup coconut oil (at room temperature)
- pinch of salt
- ½ cup non-dairy chocolate chips
Instructions
- To start, prepare an 8" x 8" or a 9" x 9" baking dish by lining it with parchment paper.
- Put the unsweetened coconut, coconut oil, maple syrup and pinch of salt in a food processor. Process for about 1 minute until all ingredients are mixed and sticking together.
- Scoop out coconut mixture and flatten in the prepared baking dish. Try to smooth out the top as much as possible. Place a piece of plastic wrap on top and gently press to level it. Place in the fridge for at least 2 hours.
- After 2 hours, place the chocolate chips in a bowl and microwave for 30 seconds. Stir and microwave for an additional 30 seconds. Stir until smooth. Add additional microwave time if it's not completely melted.
- Smooth the melted chocolate over the top of the cold coconut mixture. Return to the fridge for another 15 minutes.
- Use the parchment paper to easily remove chocolate coconut from the baking dish. Cut into 12 bars and serve cold.
- Store any leftover bars in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Notes
- Make sure your coconut oil is solid. If it is liquid, put it in the fridge until it solidifies.
- Do not overcook your chocolate in the microwave or else it could seize up and harden. Microwave for 30 seconds at a time, stirring in between.
- These bars need to stay cold so don't leave them out long at room temperature. The coconut oil will start to "melt" out once the bars are out of the fridge for a while.
Jen says
My kids devour these up! They are rich and sweet but not too sweet.
Liz Nigh says
I'm having a real problem with so many vegan recipe developers putting into their recipes coconut oil. Here's some information from Dr. Gregor.
"So, basically, “coconut oil should be viewed no differently” from animal sources of dietary saturated fat. A recent review published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology put it even more simply in its recommendations for patients. When it comes to coconut oil, “avoid.”
I like your recipes, but I think you're misleading people even though they don't eat meat they're eating this coconut oil that's doing the same harm to their body as if they were eating meat.
Jen Cardenas says
Hi Liz. I'm not sure exactly how I'm "misleading people". I agree that coconut oil is high in saturated fat and it's not something I regularly consume. However, at no point do I claim that this is a healthy, low fat dessert recipe. As much as you might not like it, coconut oil is a vegan product and this is a vegan baking blog. If you are looking for recipes that are strictly low in fat, I'm sure there are other food blogs out there that will better fit your needs. I create recipes for all vegans, not just ones who follow Dr. Gregor's guidelines. I also recommend not searching for coconut recipes if you want to avoid coconut oil.
Liz Nigh says
Well, I am definitely gonna spread the word to people who are looking at going for healthy diets not to visit your website because as Dr. Neil Bernard has stated on his YouTube videos, the positions committee, Coco oil extracted from coconuts, is considered even by doctors. My doctor included that it is one of them most artery clogging cholesterol raising foods.
So I think I'm going try to make sure people don't follow your recipes with Coconut Oil. I'm gonna lead them to better healthy recipe websites. At the end of the day.