Magical Coconut Bars were always one of my favourite dessert squares growing up, next to Nanaimo bars. In my younger mind, the sweeter the dessert, the better. The words “too sweet” just weren’t in my vocabulary back then.
Fortunately, for my body (and cavity-prone teeth) I outgrew this mindset, embracing lighter, slightly earthier versions of my favourite desserts. It’s amazing what the taste buds can adapt to with a little time and patience.
Luckily for these lightened up bars, no patience was required for my taste buds. It was love at first bite!
Here are some of the swaps I made:
– coconut oil instead of butter, plus a reduced amount
– unsweetened shredded coconut instead of sweetened coconut flakes
– unrefined coconut sugar instead of processed white sugar
– homemade condensed light coconut milk instead of a can of sweetened condensed dairy milk
– reduction in the amount of chocolate and coconut
I really wasn’t sure how they would turn out given all these changes, but the outcome was just right – decadent, but still light tasting, or at least that was the consensus in the group. I really can’t imagine these any sweeter than they already are.
I took some step-by-step photos to show you how easy (and fun) they are to make!
1. Make graham cracker crust & push down hard. 2. Pour on homemade condensed coconut milk.
3. Sprinkle on chocolate chips. 4. Followed by shredded coconut.
5. Chop pecans and sprinkle on top. Press mixture down with hands and bake for ~30 minutes.
The hardest part is waiting for the bars to set! Most recipes say to chill the pan overnight before slicing (is this even possible? hahah) or chill in the fridge for a minimum of 4 hours. Being the patient person I am, I shoved these bars straight into the freezer. A mere 2 hours later, I was enjoying my first square which sliced perfectly. Freezer for the win!
Lightened Up Magical Coconut Bars
While these are lighter than some traditional magical coconut bar recipes, they are still quite decadent, so I prefer to serve them in small squares. A little bit goes a long way! We also found that the bars tasted better the next day, possibly because the flavours have time to settle. Make sure you really push the graham crumbs down firmly into the pan. This is key if you want the crust to hold together well. See my substitution notes below and be sure to read the entire recipe before starting.
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Adapted from Post Punk Kitchen.
Yield = 20 squares
Ingredients:
- 1 can light coconut milk*
- 2/3 cup coconut sugar*
- 2 cups vegan graham cracker crumbs*
- 6 tbsp (65g) coconut oil*
- 3 tbsp maple syrup
- 3/4 cup dairy-free chocolate chips (I used Enjoy Life mini)
- 1 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
- 3/4 cup pecans, chopped
- pinch of flaked sea salt, for garnish (optional)
1. Prepare condensed coconut milk: Preheat oven to 350F and line a 9-inch square pan with two pieces of parchment paper (one going each way). Add entire can of coconut milk into a medium-sized pot, and whisk in the coconut sugar. Increase heat to medium and bring to a low simmer. Watch closely as it can boil over very quickly! Simmer on low-medium heat for about 12-14 minutes, whisking occasionally, until the mixture thickens slightly. If film develops on the top as it condenses, just whisk it back into the mixture. Remove from heat to cool while you prepare the crust.
2. Prepare graham cracker crust: In a pot, soften coconut oil over low heat until mostly melted. Add to a mixing bowl along with graham cracker crumbs and maple syrup. Stir very well until thoroughly combined. Spoon graham mixture into prepared pan. Starting at the centre of the pan, press the graham cracker crumbs as firmly as you can, moving outward from the centre. The harder you press the crumbs into the pan, the better the bars will hold together. I used a pastry roller at the end to really pack it all in and I had no problems with crumbling when I sliced the bars.
3. Assemble: Pour warm condensed milk over the graham crust. Now, sprinkle on the chocolate chips, followed by the coconut, and finally the pecans, evenly over the condensed milk. Press the mixture down lightly with hands until the coconut milk soaks upward into each layer. Sprinkle with flaked sea salt (optional).
4. Bake in the oven, uncovered, for 27-31 minutes at 350F (I baked for 30 mins), until the edges are golden. Remove pan from oven and place on cooling rack for about 30 minutes. Now, transfer the pan to your freezer for 2 hours (quick-set method). Or chill the bars in the fridge for a minimum of 4 hours or overnight. When set, cut into squares (thaw at room temp first if removing from freezer). Bars can be wrapped up and left on the counter, or in the fridge or freezer.
Substitution notes: 1) You can use full-fat coconut milk instead of light. 2) Coconut sugar can be subbed for any granulated sugar (Sucanat, natural cane sugar, brown sugar, etc). 3) Two cups of graham cracker crumbs produced a fairly thick crust (see photo). You can probably reduce the amount to 1.5 cups if you want a thinner crust. 4) You can probably sub non-dairy butter for coconut oil. 5) I purchased my graham cracker crumbs from Bulk Barn.
I know some of you are probably wondering about a gluten-free version too. You could try using gluten-free graham crackers and processing those in the processor/blender or you might be able to make an almond flour crust. Thoughts? If anyone tries a GF version please leave a note in the comments!
it looks so delicious and tasty. i love to read the directions here to prepare it. i enjoy to eat coco nut bar with a cup of tea and will now try this one too by following the directions. thanks for sharing.
Hey, Ange, I have always wondered if nondairy condensed milk could be made. You did it! Amazing!
Now I wonder how well it would stand up in replacing dairy condensed milk in other recipes. Far out there, but maybe even in pumpkin pie? I know I’m past the season, but I just think it is so neat that you figured out how to make nondairy condensed milk!
Wow these look amazing! I absolutely love food with different textures and flavors, especially sweets!
I am completely clearing out my freezer and am shoving these babies in there. Totally making this recipe this weekend.
I am just drooling thinking about it.
These look fantastic! The snow has just started falling in Oregon and I think a day spent baking is in order. Thanks for a great recipe!
i used to eat a version of these as a kid but with caramel chips and stick or more of butter. thanks for the lighter brighter version!!
These looks AMAZING!!! Definitely need to give them a try…though if you fancy sending some to Ireland they’d be greatly received! :)
I made these last night in the gluten free version! I used the Gluten Free Graham Crackers. I Used these
http://www.amazon.com/Kinnikinnick-Smoreables-Graham-Style-Crackers/dp/B004T3AWRA
which you can get at any Whole Foods or Loblaws/Zehrs.
I used a blender to grind down the crackers to a crust and 1 box makes just under 2 cups of Graham cracker crumbs.
I would use a little less coconut oil though next time, maybe 5 tbsp.
They turned out delicious!
Thanks for the tips! Im sure people will appreciate it :) I’m glad they worked for you!
These look SO good! And believe it or not, I’ve never made bars. These may be the first ones I try my hand at. :)
I totally just made something similar to this yesterday, but it included toffee bits and and chocolate chips instead of coconut milk. I, too, subbed a lot of the ingredients, and I was thrilled with how well they turned out. These look absolutely delightful! Can’t wait to try them!
These look amazing. Thanks for all the great substitution ideas. In all the many healthy recipes I have read, I’ve never even heard of coconut sugar. I’m going to hope that my local Whole Foods carries it.
yum! I love bars like this, I might have to make these for xmas…
On a side note, I was looking at your list of favorite cookbooks to get some ideas of ones to take a look at. There are a surprising number of vegan cookbooks coming out and its hard sometimes to know which ones are good. Have you seen “Ripe From Around Here” by Jae Steele? The recipes are both vegan and seasonal and its amazing! And I think she’s from Canada. :) I definitely recommend it to everyone.
Very excited for your cookbook too!
I haven’t but I will have to look it up! Thanks for the tip.
These totally look like keepers, Ange!!!
Anytime a shredded coconut is involved I’m there. :) Delicious
YUM! I have never come across magical layer bars…. maybe not a thing in Australia but these look so good!
Looks amazing– adding this to my pinterest board to try soon!!
Angela, I was so excited about this recipe that I made them right away! But I have a question: I doubled the recipe and made them in a glass 9×13. I put them in the fridge overnight, and when I got them out in the morning, it was still soggy. ??? Does this recipe not double well? I followed the recipe exactly.
I would love some help…I don’t want to waste all these ingredients!
Thanks!
Hi Lauren, I’m not sure if it doubles well, sorry that happened to you!
OMG, So delicious!!! I tweeted to you earlier today that I had made these. Words can’t do justice (nor pictures) to how DELICIOUS these things are! So glad i made them. :) Thanks!
Aw, im so happy to hear that! Happy holidays :)
I was so excited to see this recipe as I was seriously bumming about missing this heavy dairy dessert this Christmas! We’ve decided to make a bundle of Oh She Glows Goodies for gifts this year and added these to the mix!
Unfortunately, while cutting these bars, I sliced my poor little thumb to the bone! In spite of the pain, these treats are quite Magical!
Thanks for the amazing recipe!
oh my gosh that sounds so painful…I’ve definitely been there before! I guess the excitement gets the best of us eh? Well I am glad they turned out regardless!
I just popped this in the oven…I made them with your pecan crust from the salty pecan pumpkin pie…here is hoping that worked out…haha! I needed a GF version.
ohhh let me know how it goes!
Worked out perfectly!! So amazing! Everyone LOVED them and ate the whole pan – fast! Thanks so much for your recipes – my daughter is allergic to dairy and eggs. We eat vegan pretty much all the time now because of it. Everything that I have made from you has been delish! (and even the 2 year old gobbles it up!) Merry Christmas!
Wonderful recipe OSG!
I made a gluten-free version by using the same gluten-free graham crackers that someone else mentioned in the comments. However, next time I want to try an oat flour-almond flour crust.
The only things that was unclear for me while making these was how “thick” the coconut milk should have been before taking it off the stove… I was really hesitant to take it off after 15 minutes of boiling because it still seemed really runny …but in the end my squares were awesome so I guess whatever consistency I had was the right one!
Excellent recipe! I did try a gluten free version with a twist. I made them with Mi-Del gluten free ginger snaps for an extra holiday spice variation. It turned out great, and I highly recommend this to all the other gluten free lovers out there!
Thanks for the tip!
I might try these with gluten free graham crackers tomorrow, so I’ll report back how they turned out!
I made these the other day for a holiday party and they were a hit! These are so easy to make and taste amazing! I will be making these again soon!! Thank you for sharing :)
Wowwwwww….I must try this :)
These are FABULOUS!!! I’m GF so used GF Graham Crackers for the crust and added some butterscotch chips (as my son loves them). Tried a tiny corner this morning and WOW… will definitely be making these again and probably soon as I doubt they’ll be any left after out X-mas eve gathering tonight :) Thanks!!
Thank you so much for all your work in creating recipes.
I’ve never failed with your cookie recipes so far and I’ve tried a few :)
Do you remember how much quantity of coconut milk you used?
I know you say to use an entire can, but I live in a different country where coconut milk
is typically available in small packs of 200 ml (around 6.8 ounces). So it’d help to know the
measure by volume or weight. Thanks so much!
for sure – it’s a 400 ml can :) hope this helps!
I made these for Christmas. I used this gluten free crust recipe (I followed the partial pre-bake instructions) http://www.againstallgrain.com/2012/02/10/honey-graham-cracker-pie-crust/
The crust worked great. In general this recipe is pretty good, but I think I would make a couple of changes next time. I think I would try using brown sugar instead of the coconut sugar (I LOVE brown sugar!) in the condensed milk and I’d mix the coconut flakes into the milk after thickening. We found that even with pressing the toppings into the milk, the coconut flakes fell off the finished bars too easily and made a big mess when you try to eat them. I’d pour that mixture on the partially baked crust and then sprinkle the chocolate chips and nuts (I used walnuts) on top of that, and press down. I think this is a great basic recipe that you can easily tweak to your preferences.
I made these bars a few nights ago with the same GF crust from Against All Grains blog. It was really good and I didn’t have any problems with the coconut falling off. My crust was a little thick and I baked it a little too long before I put the layers on top of it, but it turned out just fine. I will definitely be making this again!
They turned out just great with GF graham crackers! Yummy!
I make these every year and I wish I saw this before I made the traditional 7 Layer Magic Bars! Next year for sure. These look amazzzzzzing. :)
I made these and with so much going on,I was the only one who knew how YUMMY they are..until last night.I had some out on a plate and my husband asked “So,is that all there are left? How did I miss out on them!?!” He looked so forlorn that I fessed up that there were more in the freezer.Now I am going away overnight.I hope there are some left when I get back :). Another super awesome recipe…thanks for making it easy to show my family how un-weird vegan food can be!
hah that sounds familiar…I think Eric says that about once a week. ;) Hope you find some when you return! Thanks for trying it out.
Just wanted to comment and say THANK YOU! I made these for my family as a Christmas dessert & to say it was a hit is a total understatement. They could hardly wait for them to thaw from the freezer before half the pan was gone! Love hearing remarks like, “I can’t believe these are vegan!”. So, so good!
Hey Jenn, so glad to hear this! I never tire of hearing that either heh
Magic Cookie Bars are one of my family’s favorite Christmas treats – but this is the first Christmas we are gluten and (mostly) dairy free. I made these with GF graham cracker crumbs and dark chocolate chips. Better than the original and a huge hit. Thank you for the recipe!
Could the coconut oil possibly be substituted with nut butter?
Im sorry Im not sure Courtney. Please let me know if you try it out!
I just made these bars today and they are delicious! My only query is with regard to the chocolate chips; for some reason my vegan chocolate chips from Whole Foods did not melt. Any thoughts?
I had issues with my chips not melted fully too. I think you could melt the chocolate before baking and just drizzle it on maybe?
Will do! Thank you and happy new year!!
Thank you so much for your website, your pictures, your recipes! I have tried several of your recipes and people can’t believe they’re eating vegan food! I was so excited to see the magic bars, I made them right away..huge hit. I gotta tell ya…I love salty and sweet…so…I made them again but used chopped salted peanuts in place of the pecans…WINNER !! So happy to be able to make these and share and see the looks on my friends and families faces when I tell them their vegan…WHAT??? Keep on doing what you’re doing! :D
Oh boy, these are really, really delicious. Waay better than the original (too sweet) recipe.
Thanks for posting and hope you have a wonderful 2013!
I made these last night and they turned out great! I made my own gf graham crackers and let the coconut milk cook for about 45 minutes instead. Delicious!
Do you have the nutritional info for this? (Am I blind?! I’m not seeing it anywhere!)
Thanks – making these for a new year party tonight. I have also loved these my whole life. Even cheated on some non-vegan ones over Christmas, but THAT’s over ;) Yum, can’t wait!
I made this bars as a main desert for our New Years celebration. Everyone loved it!!!! Thank you for sharing this amazing recipe!
Yum, these look so incredible!!
I made these bars last night & they are delicious!!!! I actually spoiled my breakfast this morning by eating one; I couldn’t wait:-) Thanks, Angela!
Just made these tonight and couldn’t even wait the 2 hours to try them. After just an hour they sliced perfectly and I cannot express how amazingly decadent these are!! Thank you so much for the recipe; my non-vegan coconut-hating husband actually said they were incredible – how funny is that? :) I check your website daily and am always making something of yours, and I truly have nothing but high praise for everything on here… your talent and creativity is just amazing! Thanks for all you do for all of us!
I have tried the PPK version with GF graham crackers (both hand crushed into crumbs and given a whirl in a food processor) and it comes out great either way! So great that non-GF, non-vegans have told me that it’s the most amazing dessert they’ve ever had. I can’t remember the brand of GF graham crackers that I used, but one box is just scant of two cups crushed so it works out well. I also have concocted a really quick graham cracker crust with oat flour, sugar, cinnamon, and earth balance that turned out alright as well.
Hope that’s helpful for the GF vegans out there :))
Wow! These bars are INCREDIBLE! And I’m not just saying that!
I made them gluten free, using a recipe for graham cracker crumbs (which I thought was a clever idea….why make crackers only to crush them up?!), and they came out amazingly! :D
For the graham cracker crumbs, I used:
1 cup sorghum flour
1/2 cup tapoica flour
1/2 cup almond flour (other flour may work for nut-free)
1/2 cup melted Earth Balance soy-free butter substitute
1/2 cup brown sugar
I mixed that in a kitchen aid mixer, then poured it into a 9×13 pan (should be crumb-like…), and baked at 350 for 15-20 minutes, stirring once halfway through.
Watch carefully because they can burn quickly! :)
Then, I just used 2 cups of these crumbs for your crust recipe!
The bars came out great! I was so pleased with them :D Thanks for all your hard work Angela!!
(The only thing I found weird was the sweetened condensed milk part…i used a light can of coconut milk, as the recipe suggests, but used cane sugar instead of coconut sugar. I boiled/simmered it for a while and it never seemed to thicken up enough! It eventually got thick enough to use, but not exactly what I was expecting…also, it was a strange gray-ish color, but maybe because I didn’t use coconut sugar? The color was fine in the finished product though.)
Regardless of this, the bars were incredible, definitely a recipe to make again! :D
I made a version of these and used Gluten Free Graham Crackers that I ground in my vita mix. They worked great!
These look fantastic! Can’t wait to test them out!!
Girl, these bars look AWESOME!
These look absolutely delicious! I find it hard to find a good dessert recipe that doesn’t use butter or eggs. Coconut oil sounds like a great alternative! (Definitely helps that I LOVE coconut). Thanks for sharing!
This was delish!! I have made approx 10 or more recipes in the last month and all of your recipes come out delicious! I don’t have to test run a recipe. I’ve made the twix bars two times now and took them to a party. I took these delish morsels to work and the men loved it! Thank you for providing so many delicious recipes! I have discovered a whole new genre of cooking and I love it! (My daughter I’m nursing is dairy, soy, corn, egg, nut allergic.) Yes, most of the recipes I’ve tried were desserts, but I just made the tomato pesto and it is a hit! I’m going to try the lentil loaf this weekend. Thanks again.
Thank you for the feedback, I’m so glad you enjoy the recipes D!
Can you tell me how many ounces/ml are in the can of coconut milk?
Thanks
398 ml if I recall :) enjoy