No Bake Vegan Chocolate Almond Coconut Bars are quick and easy, and ready when you are! These no bake bars feature Medjool dates, coconut, almonds, cocoa powder and chocolate chips. They’re easy to whip up, and are naturally sweetened. This recipe is vegetarian, vegan and gluten free.
A No Added Sugar Snack
Chocolatey, nutty, naturally sweet and with a bit of coconut, these bars are a delicious way to snack while staying on track. And these no bake bars super easy to pull together.
Reminiscent of a famous candy bar, I couldn’t help but pull a naturally sweetened version together. You know, to soothe my sweet tooth. It never ends!
Changing Habits
Chocolate Almond Coconut Bars were one of the first snacks I started making years ago when I made the decision to change my bad snacking habits. Hello, Kettle chips. I had just recently discovered the magic of Medjool dates, after scrunching my nose at them for years, and was eager to put them to work in recipes that supported new and better snack options.
Because they’re sticky, dates hold ingredients together with ease, and as a bonus they’re naturally sweet and nutritious. A win-win for those looking for homemade snacks that doesn’t include added sugar.
How to Make These No Bake Bars
Grab a food processor and an 8″ pan, in summary, here’s how to make these tasty snack bars:
- First, toast the nuts, chop and set aside, reserving a few tablespoons for the topping.
- Second, in the bowl of a food processor, add the oats. Process until a fine meal/flour is formed. Transfer into a large mixing bowl, and then add the dark chocolate chips. Set aside.
- Third, In the bowl of a food processor, add the dates, coconut, cacao powder, almond flour, salt, coconut oil, and extract. Process until smooth. Transfer the date mixture to the large mixing bowl with the oat mixture and use your hands to incorporate all the ingredients.
- Next, transfer the ingredients to a parchment lined pan and press evenly into the pan.
- Last, press the reserved nuts and chocolate chips on the top.
Freeze for about 20 minutes then slice into bars.
A Naturally Sweet Snack for On The Go
What I love about these bars is that they’re made with ingredients that have a long shelf/refrigerator life making them easy to have on hand when you need them. These snacks are great for:
traveling, quick breakfasts, lunch boxes, picnics, after workouts, or whenever that sweet tooth hits.
They’re portable and quick to whip up!
Pro Tips
- Look for Medjool gates to use in this recipe. You may use Deglet Noor dates, but they’re smaller and will result in thinner bars.
- If needed, look for dairy free mini chocolate chips. I like Enjoy Life.
- Be sure to chill the bars before cutting as freezing makes them easier to cut.
More Homemade Snacks to Love
- Chocolate Coconut Date Balls
- Maple Pecan Granola
- Vegan Oatmeal Cookies
- Peanut Butter Banana Oat Bars
- Pumpkin Energy Bites
No Bake Vegan Chocolate Almond Coconut Bars Recipe
Ingredients
- ¾ C Raw Almonds 72g
- ½ C Thick Rolled Oats not quick-cook, 54g
- ½ C Vegan Mini Dark Chocolate Chips divided, 90g
- 10 Pitted Medjool Dates soaked hot water for 10 minutes and drained, 204g
- ¾ C Unsweetened Shredded Coconut 72g, aka desiccated coconut
- 2 Tbs Raw Cacao Powder
- ¼ C Almond Flour 34g, or Meal
- ¼ tsp Sea Salt
- 3 Tbs Coconut Oil unrefined, virgin, melted
- 1 ½ tsp Vanilla Extract
Instructions
- Line an 8” x 8” (20cm x 20cm) baking pan with parchment paper. Clip the sides secure.
- Preheat oven or toaster oven to 350F (180C). Toast almonds for about 15 minutes or until toasty and fragrant while the oven is preheating (you’ll no longer need the oven). Rough-chop. Reserve 2 Tbs in a small bowl and then add the rest to a large mixing bowl.
- In the bowl of a food processor, add the oats. Process until a fine meal/flour is formed. Transfer to a large mixing bowl, and then add the dark chocolate chips, reserving 2 Tbs along with the chopped almonds in a small bowl. Set aside
- In the bowl of a food processor, add the dates, coconut, cacao powder, almond flour, salt, coconut oil, and extract. Process until smooth. Transfer the date mixture to the large mixing bowl with the oat mixture and use your hands to incorporate all the ingredients.
- Press firmly into an 8x8 parchment-lined baking pan. Sprinkle the almond chocolate chip mixture over the top and gently press. For easier cutting, freeze for at least 20 minutes.
- Cut into twenty 1 ½” x 2” (3.8cm x 5 cm) or 16 equal pieces. Store in a lidded container, in the refrigerator, for up to one month.
The recipe looks awesome! I just don’t have almond flour on hand. Can you substitute another kind of flour for the almond flour?
Hi Erin! Thank you for your note. You can use just about any finely ground nut or seed like hazelnut meal/flour, DIY finely ground almonds, or sunflower seeds. I hope this helps and you enjoy the bars!
Have to say I am a new follower & not a vegan but I have to ask where have you been my whole life! These bars are insanely good. Is it still healthy if I can’t stop eating them? I have made 3 of your recipes and all have been amazing.
Hey Bonnie! Thank you for your note, following and making recipes! I’m so curious as to what other recipes you’ve tried (from the book or blog?). I just got back from the farm, but before I left, I snagged one of these little buggers from the fridge! I love them too!! Now, I’m not vegan either, but certainly eat lots of vegan food.. proof that vegan and vegetarian food is delicious and is never boring! Thank you again for your note! :D
Awh.. thank you for your support, Emily! That means so much to me. I hope you and your family enjoy it… xo
My favorite snacks these days are whole fruits and veggies like blueberries and sugar snap peas. I most like to have snacks to fuel long days at grad school and work!
I used to make my own snack bars/balls but lately don’t have the time. I need to get back to them as they are super healthy, delicious, and awesome. I make a snack ball with Turkish apricots, almond butter, chia, and ginger. AMAZING….I try to stay away from dates as I think I might have a sensitivity to them so I use other dried fruit in place. love the book…great job!
Hey Michelle! Thank you for your support and kind words! Oooh I love Turkish apricots and make very similar bites you described here.. they are SO good with ginger! Oh nooo on your sensitivity, but it’s important to know about and honor that.
A huge congrats to you! Totally well deserved- I absolutely love that quote my Mandela. You are absolutely right! Also, those vegan bars look delicious… I must try them ASAP and hope that they turn out as perfect as yours. I am quite simple but I love good date protein balls as snacks and also fresh fruit- always!
THAAAnk YOU Starla!! If cutting them into slices is a pain, roll them into little 2-3 TBS portioned balls. It’ll work too! Yesss on the fresh fruit! :D
Congratulations on your new book. I’ve just marked this recipe to make tonight. I love any snack with nuts or dates but my son’s school is nut-free, so I’m struggling with healthy snacks he can take to school now that he’s in school longer each day. I will be sharing this yummy looking snack with him AFTER school today!
Hooray Michele… I hope you enjoyed them. I understand about nut-free schools… when I was teaching this came up quite a bit. Good thing he can enjoy nuts after school They are incredibly nutritious!
I have unsalted’ dry roasted peanuts in the house at all times. Love snacking on them. Also fresh fruit & vegetables.
At any given time, I have about three different kinds of homemade bars/bites/balls. I am obsessed with anything peanut butter – but healthy. As a marathon runner, I live my life needing constant small bites of healthy, solid nutrition. I always try to pack as many delicious things into my “treats” as possible! Bonus: my kids love all the healthy things I make as well!
Ooooh, peanut butter! I hear you! And you need that fuel for your active lifestyle. I love small bites too. And yay you for teaching your kiddos!
Snacks are the one thing I struggle with constantly. Too many snack ideas/recipes are for kids and while that’s fine, to a certain extent, I would like something a little more adult. And my creativity with food is pretty small. having said that. I like salty snacks. Mid-morning & mid-afternoon are the times I generally need a quick pick me up.