Almonds, coconut & chocolate come together in these delicious Almond Joy Granola Bars. Wholesome ingredients, gluten-free, vegan, super easy and totally addictive!
I love Almond Joy bars. Coconut, almonds & chocolate all together in one super tasty candy – it’s like a delicious, tropical party I can purchase for $1. Now that’s economical.
On the note of things tropical (and not that economical), I just got back from a sunny vacation that involved lots of coconut in pina colada form. Now I’m faced with the reality of snow on the ground and that I probably shouldn’t be having mixed drinks mid-week. So, I decided to take a slight break from holiday baking and make Almond Joy Granola Bars. All the delicious flavors of the chocolate bar, but made from scratch with healthier ingredients.
Plus – they’re a great energy boost for all your holiday activities
The delicious taste combo inspired from Almond Joy comes from using coconut flakes & coconut oil, roasted almonds & almond butter, and cocoa. Granola and Rice Krispies make your bars super chewy and gluten free. And since the ingredient list is so wholesome – you don’t need to feel bad about munching away. Plus – you can easily make them vegan by substituting honey for agave.
While the bars are no-bake, I definitely recommend toasting your almonds if they aren’t already roasted. I love the flavor of toasted almonds – plus they give your kitchen such an amazing aroma. Simply pre-heat your oven to 350F, place your almonds on a cookie sheet, and bake for about 10 minutes or until you can smell the nutty, amaretto almond deliciousness.
The bars come together in minutes. Then you’ll press the batter into your prepared pan and chill in the fridge or freezer for them to harden. I cut mine into 9 large squares and enjoyed rather quickly…. You won’t want store-bought granola bars after having these super chewy & chocolate-y Almond Joy Bars!
Almond Joy Granola Bars
Ingredients
- 1 and ½ cups quick oats , certified gluten free for gluten intolerant
- 1 cup Rice Krispies
- ¾ cup flaked or shredded coconut , I used sweetened
- ⅔ cups almond butter , stirred well
- 2 tablespoons coconut oil
- ⅓ cup honey or agave
- ¼ cup packed brown sugar
- ¼ cup cocoa powder
- 1 and ½ teaspoons vanilla
- ¼ to ⅓ cup roasted almonds
Instructions
- Line an 8x8 or 9x9 inch square baking pan with parchment paper or aluminium foil leaving about 2 inches of overhang on each side.
- In a medium bowl, toss together the oats, Rice Krispies & coconut. Set aside.
- In a medium sized heavy bottom sauce pan over medium heat melt the almond butter, coconut oil, honey or agave, packed brown sugar and cocoa stirring occasionally. Once all ingredients are melted together and the sugar is no longer in crystals/grainy, remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla. Pour the hot mixture into the oat mixture and stir with a large wooden spoon or spatula until combined.
- Press the mixture into your prepared pan. Sprinkle the almonds on top and press them into the batter. Cover and refrigerate or freeze until hardened (about 2 hours in the fridge or 20 minutes in the freezer). Cut into squares and store in an airtight container at room temperature
Nutrition
I love almond joy bars, but they aren’t the best for my health! I love that I can enjoy the same flavor in a healthy snack! Great recipe!
Thanks Bethany! Almond joy bars are definitely one of my weaknesses too!