Love coconut, almonds, and chocolate? Need a gluten-free and dairy-free treat? Boy, do we have a candy bar for you!

This no-bake chocolate coconut bar is a healthy recipe alternative to an Almond Joy®. They also only require a few common ingredients you likely already have stocked in the pantry.

So prepare our homemade and healthy Almond Joy® recipe right to kick any candy bar craving with ease!

Almond Joy® Recipe: Healthy Chocolate Coconut Bars

Yield: About 12 small bars

Ingredients:

• 1 cup shredded coconut, unsweetened
• 2 Tbsp coconut oil, melted
• 2 Tbsp pure maple syrup or honey
• 4-ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 1/4 cup slivered almonds

Instructions:

1. Line a baking sheet with wax or parchment paper.

2. In a food processor, blend the shredded coconut, coconut oil, and maple syrup until it produces a sticky paste.

3. Scoop out a spoonful of the coconut mixture and form into 12 rounded rectangles. Freeze for roughly 20 minutes.

4. Slowly melt the chocolate over a double boiler or in the microwave until smooth.

5. Pull out the coconut rectangles and sprinkle with the slivered almonds. Lightly coat or drizzle with the melted chocolate.

6. Set candies in the fridge and allow the chocolate to harden.

7. Last, but especially not least, en'JOY' the healthy chocolate coconut bars!

Homemade Candy Bar Tips:

Preparing treats at home grants the autonomy to modify ingredients as desired. While the recipe is great as is, other tips to make candy bars your own include:

• Drizzle with peanut butter or almond butter for a nuttier taste.

• Prefer dark chocolate? Simply swap out the semi-sweet chips for dark chocolate chips.

• Double or triple the recipe to accommodate a large party.

• If not-so-nuts about coconut, give this healthy Twix® candy bar a try instead.

Nutritional Comparison

Making at home allows for tighter ingredient control, especially minimizing the sugar content in this recipe. It likewise offers the chance to use more natural ingredients such as pure maple syrup rather than refined sugar. Portion and serving sizes can be controlled with more ease, too.

The nutritional comparison of our no-bake Almond Joy® bars compared to store-bought highlights the benefit of making at home. Values are based on a one-bar serving:

• BistroMD's chocolate coconut bars: 111 calories, 1 gram (g) protein, 7 g fat, 10 g net carb

• Store-bought Almond Joy®: 235 calories, 2 g protein, 13 g fat, 27 g net carb