Almond, chocolate, and coconut come together to give you the magic that is Frozen Almond Joy Layer Bars. My spin on the classic treat is low-sugar and ultra creamy thanks to some simple ingredients and the trusty freezer!
Brr! Is that the first hint of cold weather that I’m feeling? My mom always jokes that I am the first one to pull out my boots and cardigans the moment a breeze is in the air. Basically, at this point, I’m restraining myself until November rolls around…but come November 1st, the boots are ON.
For now, the only cold weather I’m getting is coming from opening the freezer to grab one of these Frozen Almond Joy Layer Bars! LOL. Even as the winter season approaches, I love the taste of coconut treats. After all, it can’t be all pumpkin and gingerbread flavors all the time. (Though, I will certainly be enjoying some of both!)
So, make these whenever you’re feeling some fresh, cool, creamy, dreamy coconut, almond, and chocolate vibes.
Frozen Almond Joy Layer Bars
Recipe Type: Dessert
Author: Melanie
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 12 bars
Almond, chocolate, and coconut come together to give you the magic that is Frozen Almond Joy Layer Bars. My spin on the classic treat is low-sugar and ultra creamy thanks to some simple ingredients and the trusty freezer!
Ingredients
Crust
¾ cup almond flour
2 tbsp coconut flour
½ scoop protein powder (I like Tone it Up Peanut Butter or Vanilla)
½ tsp vanilla extract
2 tbsp melted coconut oil
2-4 tbsp almond milk
1 tbsp honey
Filling
½ cup coconut butter
½ cup almond milk
½ tbsp honey or maple syrup
½ cup shredded coconut
Topping
2 ½ tbsp cacao powder
1 tbsp honey or maple syrup
2 tbsp melted coconut oil
2 tbsp creamy almond butter
¼ tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
Grab a loaf pan and line it with some wax or parchment paper. I don’t always do this but it makes it a little easier to remove the bars from the pan.
Next, in a bowl, combine the crust ingredients. The batter should be on the crumbly side but smash together between your fingers. If the mixture only crumbles without the mash, add another tablespoon or two of almond milk and combine. Then, press the mixture into the bottom of your (lined) loaf pan and set in the freezer.
At this point, wipe out any crumbs left behind because we’re using the same bowl! Add the coconut butter to the bowl with the almond milk and microwave for 15 seconds so it is warm and mixable. Then mix in the honey and shredded coconut.
Remove the loaf pan from the freezer and add pat down the filling layer before returning it back to the freezer.
For the final step, wipe out the same bowl and begin adding the topping ingredients. Make sure not to leave any clumps or that will show on top of the bars. Again, remove the loaf pan from the freezer and spread the chocolate topping over the filling. Note: if for some reason the filling seems wet, leave it in the freezer for 10 minutes before adding the chocolate topping.
Lastly, I recommend freezing the bars for at least 3 hours before cutting into them. The Frozen Almond Joy Layer Bars can then be stored in an airtight container in the fridge or freezer.
3.5.3251
They are just the ticket when I’m craving a fresh treat that won’t mess with my blood sugar! Healthy fats from coconut butter + chocolate is simply the best combo! Let me know if you guys try these bars out.
Pumpkin Spice and everything nice is what makes fall feel like FALL for me. Please, hold the eye roll. Evidently, the internet is all hyped about fall these days but let me tell you: I’ve been a fan of fall before it was trendy. Yes, I went there. Fall holds meaning for me even without the glamorized PSL which may actually have a new flavor competitor around—see here. Basically, winter and spring are almost nonexistent in southern California. And summer? No thank you, 120 degree weather.
My dear fall, you are what I look forward to each year. All I need are some breezy cool days where I can wear my cardigan and scarf and sip on my eat my pumpkin coconut treats. HOORAY!
Throwback moment: my favorite childhood snack was the packaged rice krispy treats. Not even the homemade kind! The rice krispy treats in the blue packaging were perfect because of their balance of sweetness and textures—crunchy yet soft! As you know, I like healthifying sweet treats. So, I put a spin on my fave classic WITHOUT marshmallows for some pumpkin coconut NOT SCARY treat fun. I know, it almost sounds sacrilegious. Still, I think you’ll find that these are sweet and satisfying on their own and healthier than the sugar-laden original.
Also, this recipe is a good use for date puree, or, date caramel as Minimalist Baker calls it. Honestly, date caramel is what sweet dreams are made of and I highly recommend making some. Although, if you want to substitute whole dates, you can try 2 (take out the pits!) and blend them up with the pumpkin and coconut oil until smooth.
I know fall is all about baking but make room in your freezer for this no-bake treat! You can thank me later.
Pumpkin Coconut Treat Bars
Recipe Type: Snacks
Author: Melanie
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 8 bars
These Pumpkin Coconut Not Scary Treat Bars are made with ingredients you can recognize. They’re wholesome, satisfying, and no marshmallows are required!
Ingredients
¼ cup pumpkin puree
¼ cup melted coconut oil
2 tbsp almond butter
3 tbsp date caramel
1 tsp cinnamon
½ tsp nutmeg
½ tsp allspice
1/8 tsp salt
2 cups Erewhon cinnamon brown rice cereal or other brown rice cereal
2 tbsp sweetened shredded coconut, plus more for topping
Instructions
First up, grease a loaf pan with coconut oil or line with wax paper so that the bars will be easy to remove.
In a medium bowl, combine the pumpkin, coconut oil, almond butter, date caramel, and spices. Stir in the brown rice cereal and shredded coconut. Adjust to taste by adding a pinch of salt or a sprinkle of granulated sugar, if needed.
Press the mixture into the loaf pan, making sure to fill the corners. Then, place in the freezer for 2 hours to solidify.
Remove from freezer and cut into 8 squares. The bars taste best when stored in the freezer. Just leave them out to thaw for a minute before you are ready to eat one!
Notes
I used sweetened shredded coconut because I ran out of the unsweetened kind. You could definitely use unsweetened shredded coconut and perhaps add a teaspoon of granulated sweetener like coconut or brown sugar to make the bars sweeter. I just don’t recommend coconut flakes because those will be too thick and chunky for the bars.[br]Additionally, “cook time” reflects time in the freezer. This is a no-bake recipe.
When I was younger, my mom used to bake up cookies every few weeks to feed the sweet tooth that my sister and I had. As a kid, nothing was better than a glass of milk and a belly full of cookies. YES. I had no self-restraint and never stopped at just one. Homemade cookies are best when fresh so I would eat 4-5 that first day…and the second day…and maybe just two or three after that…if there were still any cookies left.
Sadly, traditional cookies have several cups of sugar, white flour, butter, plus additional sugary add-ins. Yupp, I don’t know how young Melanie did it! If I tried to recreate my old 4-5 cookies indulgence these days I would definitely end up with a stomach ache. Nowadays, I don’t crave cookies in the same way. Though, sometimes your girl gets a craving for healthified versions of old favorites. Thus, I whipped up some cookies that I consider to be more nutritionally balanced.
Ingredients breakdown:
We’ve got banana and pumpkin to soften up the cookies and a mere ½ cup of sugar to sweeten them up. I am extremely cautious about my sugar intake and, ever since reading Woman Code, I try to avoid adding excess sugar unless absolutely necessary (sidenote: possible post on this in the upcoming future). The fact is: cookies just don’t taste like cookies without some kind of sweetener. These are just lightly sweetened with a mixture of brown and coconut sugar. Of course, you could add an extra ¼ cup of sugar for sweeter cookies. Feel free taste-test the batter 😉 Though, I think you’ll find there is something nice about the subtle level of sweetness in these.
Also, let’s not forget about fats. I know there are some cookie recipes out there that might bake up with simply banana but I like incorporating healthy fats into my food. Why, you ask? Well, fat helps slow the absorption of sugar and keeps me satiated. Not to mention, it helps make the cookies crisp up on the outside and stay fluffy on the inside.
In addition, you can include up to a cup worth of dried fruit, nuts, ALOHA brand chopped chocolate, or whatever you like. I went with a small amount of chocolate and walnuts to add a bit more healthy fats and protein. Speaking of protein, definitely try adding a scoop of your favorite protein powder, if you’d like. Sometimes my family can taste the protein powder in baked goods so I went with an unflavored plant-based protein powder from The Natural Citizen. That is totally optional, though. I’ll provide alternatives to the protein powder in the recipe!
Without further ado, here is the recipe for the pumpkin cookies:
GF + V Pumpkin Cookies
Recipe Type: Snacks, Dessert
Cuisine: Cookies
Author: Melanie
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 24
I call these cookies while my sister likes to call them muffins. Whatever you call them, they are good. My sister is hard to please but I got a thumbs up from her with these cookies (or muffins). They are lightly sweet but still delicious!
2 servings of unflavored plant-based protein powder (½ cup worth)*
1/3 cup chopped dark chocolate
½ cup chopped walnuts, save some for topping
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 375°F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or baking mat.
In a medium bowl, combine the banana and pumpkin puree. Then, stir in the sugars, baking soda, spices, coconut oil, and vanilla extract.
Use a food processor or blender to process the almonds to make a fine flour. Repeat for the oat flour.
To the wet ingredients, add the processed almond and oat flour, along with the whole rolled oats and protein powder.
Next, fold in the chocolate chips and half of the walnuts. Use a large cookie scoop to drop dollops of the cookie dough onto the baking sheet. Place a few walnut crumbs on top of each cookie.
Bake for 13 to 14 minutes or until the tops have browned (don’t under-bake). Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for a minute before moving to a wire rack to cool for 10 to 15 minutes more. Bake the remaining cookie dough until all is finished.
I know cookies are irresistible out of the oven but if you wait for them to cool, they will be much better. They won’t be as fall-apart delicate and their flavor will be more visible.
When cookies are completely cool, they can be stored in an airtight container or frozen.
Notes
*I use The Natural Citizen’s unflavored Organic Protein in this recipe. A flavored protein may mess with the taste so I recommend this one. Alternatively, you can easily substitute the ½ cup of protein powder for more oat flour or almond flour.[br]Evidently, if any of the ingredients are cold, that will make the coconut oil clump up. Small specks are okay but large clumps need to be dissolved. You can lightly warm the batter in a microwave safe bowl and proceed with the recipe.[br]Instead of grinding almonds yourself (which I recommend for the freshest taste), you can also use ½ cup almond or peanut flour.
Less than a year ago, I used to consider snacks to be something you eat if you’re waiting on a meal. So, if I was 30 minutes away from lunch time then I’d contemplate suffering through my hunger for a bit longer or give in to a snack to tide me over.
I have a very different outlook on snacks now! I’ve still got my main meals of breakfast, lunch, and dinner; I just include an extra snack mid-morning and mid-afternoon. Sometimes I’m hungry and WAITING for that snack or sometimes I’ve got a mild craving and the snack helps satisfy that. Either way, snacks are a part of my daily routine.
I like making my own snacks, like these no-bake almond coconut bars, but there are a number of packaged snack bars that I love taking on the go. They are great options when you accidentally forgot to pack your homemade snack or if you need something that is not easily perishable. I’ll dive into my favorite bars and flavors and also offer protein and sugar comparisons because that’s something I watch out for in bars. The closer the protein to sugar ratio is, the less chance I’ll spike my blood sugar. Please, feel free to let me know your thoughts on these bars or any others you like that I didn’t mention here.
My Favorite Snack Bars
Square Organics
If you’ve spent a short time on Instagram then you’ve probably seen or heard of these bars. Square Organics bars are chocolate-coated crispy bars packed with vegan protein and hints of flavors. I love the coconut and cherry coconut flavors but you can’t go wrong with any of them. You can expect 12g of plant-based brown rice protein, and an equal amount of sugar from low-glycemic coconut nectar and cane syrup. One of the best ratios I’ve ever seen in a snack bar.
You can buy these bars online or at places like Vitamin Shoppe.
Clif Nut Butter Filled Energy Bars
Unlike traditional clif bars, these energy bars taste like soft biscuits with a creamy nut butter center. Each bar has an awesome 7g of protein! I like the coconut almond butter flavor which has 9g of sugar in each bar. These are surprisingly filling and really great at keeping me sane when I’m super hungry! These bars are also organic and come in 7 different flavors. I can’t wait to try the blueberry almond butter variety.
I find these at any major-chain grocer like Walmart and Target.
bRAW Bars
I mentioned bRAW in my May Wrap-Up post so you know I’m already a fan. These do need to be kept in the refrigerator but taste just fine after being in my purse for 2-3 hours. They are a little high calorie but all of the goodness of these bars comes from nuts and seeds! My favorite almond crunch flavor has 9g of protein and 7g of sugar. Another excellent ratio! The other flavors: super green, coconut macadamia, and chocolate espresso have similar protein to sugar ratios.
My oh, my! If you are in the market for the perfect organic nutrition bar, then look no further than Go Macro Bars. They are vegan, soy-free, non-GMO, and gluten-free. Some varieties like my favorite Balanced Goodness, contain 5g of protein and 12g of sugar. Though, there are high protein varieties as well, like Everlasting Joy, which has 10g of protein and 12g of sugar. I believe each bar has a base of nut butter, brown rice syrup, and puffed brown rice. They are super chewy, lightly sweet, and so satisfying.
I like using ALOHA’s organic, plant-based protein powder in my smoothies so I had high hopes before tasting these. I’ve got to say, they are pretty darn good. They have 11-12g of sugar in each bar and a whopping 18g of protein. Yet, in my experience, they don’t weigh me down—which could be problematic in a snack. That being said, these bars are likely made with ALOHA’s classic protein powder blend which can be a bit chalky. That chalkiness is subtle in the bars and does not distract from the taste in the flavors I’ve tried: Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip and Fudge Brownie. Online you can find the complete flavor variety of protein bars (just stay away from the Dark Chocolate Coconut Snack Bar—yuck!) but the in-store selection will vary .
ALOHA protein bars can be found at Target or purchased through the ALOHA website.
LARABAR Original
What’s a snack bar list without LARABARS? The company has quite the selection of products but I still find myself reaching for their original fruit and nut bar! Flavors like Cashew Cookie, Apple Pie, Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough, and Blueberry Muffin are all so good. Unlike the other bars on this list, the protein to sugar ratio is a little skewed but I don’t find that they cause blood sugar spikes for me. The bars nutrition content varies by flavor but they contain anywhere between 4-6g of protein and 12-20g of sugar. The main ingredient in each bar is dates, which have a fair amount of fiber. Plus, tag on the fat from the nuts and that helps keep the sugar punch down.
Find these at Target, Walmart, or Amazon.com.
RX Bars*
A friend passed along some RX bars to me not long ago so I decided to give them a try. I prefer plant-based nutrition bars but these aren’t half bad. They are sort of like LARABARS but much firmer and higher in protein. The egg-whites make these filling bars have a slight off-taste to me but I think it’s easy to get past. Flavors like Mint Chocolate Chip and Blueberry are tasty choices
I haven’t spotted these in stores near me but they are available to purchase on the RX Bar website.
KIND Bars*
I’m not ranking snack bars from favorite to least but the kind bars are probably the bar I choose least out of all featured here. Basically, KIND bars are the adult version of a granola bar. Also, these gluten-free bars don’t use oats but rather: nuts, dried fruit, and sometimes crispy brown rice for texture. While they taste good, some questionable ingredients like palm kernel oil or even the soy isolate/soy lecithin (which is in each bar), keep me from eating them regularly. The bars usually have at least 5g of protein but upwards of 10g of sugar. The healthy grains variety is also tasty but only contains 2 or so grams of protein. I’d say, be mindful when picking out bars and go for the Nuts and Spices line which are lower in sugar. The best choices in my opinion are the Dark Chocolate Mocha Almond or Cashew Ginger and Spice.
Find them at Walmart, Target, gas stations, or online. In stores, they are sometimes available individually near the check-out stand, too.
This list is definitely not comprehensive of all the snack bars out there but just some standouts from what I’ve tried. I’m always looking for nutritious snack bar options so if there’s something you like that I didn’t mention, let me know! I hope to update or add to this list in the future as I discover new favorite bars. 🙂
*The KIND bars and RX bars are the only snack bar options on the list that aren’t vegan-friendly. I chose to include them because I have tried them and both are fairly good options. RX bars are filling and offer excellent protein. KIND bars are widely available and therefore a decent option if you occasionally need to grab a quick snack while out or on-the-go.
Many times, the ideas for the things I make are inspired by the food I buy or taste elsewhere. Almost anything can be made at home for less and today’s snack bars are super easy, too!
These Almond Coconut Bars are my ultimate homemade snack bar. They are inspired by my favorite Balanced Goodness Coconut + Granola Go Macro barsbut the ingredients are simplified. You could totally make them into balls if you prefer small energy bites but I prefer making them into square-shaped bars, as shown in the photos.
They are ridiculously simple to throw together so if you make them, let me know! 🙂
No-Bake Almond Coconut Bars
Recipe Type: Snacks
Author: Melanie
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 4 bars
Inspired by Go Macro Balanced Goodness Coconut + Granola bars. These bars are only four ingredients, naturally sweetened, and don’t require any baking.
Ingredients
½ cup (about 15 Neglet) sticky, pitted dates*
2 heaping tbsp of almond butter
¼ cup rolled oats
1 tbsp unsweetened desiccated coconut
Instructions
In a food processor, puree the dates to a thick paste. Add the almond butter and pulse.
Take the ¼ cup of rolled oats and add them to a nonstick pan. On a stovetop, lightly warm the oats until they smell/look toasted. Three minutes on medium heat should be enough.
Add the warm oats to the food processor, along with the coconut, and process until combined.
Mixture will look dry and crumbly but, as you pick it up with your hands, it should mash together. Add 2 teaspoons of warm water if the mixture does not mash together and process again (I didn’t need to add any).
Separate the mixture into 4 balls and form into square-shaped bars.
They will keep at room temperature for a day, or store in the refrigerator for up to a month.
Notes
*If your dates have been stored in the fridge or freezer, or simply aren’t sticky, soak them in hot water to soften. I like to heat up some water in a pot on the stove and let the dates rest in the hot water for 10 minutes.
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