Easy Almond Coconut Bars (Grain Free, Gluten Free)

These flourless almond coconut bars are gooey, nutty, and just the right amount of sweet – all without the gluten or refined flour. Lightly sweetened with honey and brown sugar, they’re a cross between your favorite treat and a nourishing snack – with a drizzle of dark chocolate to take them over the top! Whether it’s living gluten free, or grain free, or just looking for a delicious dessert, these bars will satisfy everyone on your list.

I love everything about these almond coconut bars – the chewy texture, the honey-coconut flavor, and the touches of chocolate.

And the fact that they are a dessert? Well, if you’ve read my health journey you’ll know that I do still eat sweets in moderation – I believe not feeling deprived is one of the keys to weight loss and maintenance.

That belief, and the fact that these almond coconut bars are a pretty nutrient-dense food, makes them a great treat option, in my opinion. They are packed with good things like coconut with fiber and vitamins, and anti-oxidant rich almonds with protein and good fats.

And the chocolate? Let’s talk about dark chocolate.

Here’s the thing about it: all you need is a bit to be satisfied, and in fact I find I can’t eat as much of dark chocolate as I used to of milk chocolate. We’ve never had regular desserts at our house, but a few years ago we started having a small piece of dark chocolate after our dinners, which is actually really satisfying and seems to help curb sweet cravings.

After awhile of this practice, both Brian and I found that our tastebuds have adjusted and milk chocolate doesn’t taste like chocolate anymore, just blandly sweet. Which is probably a good thing, as I never eat milk chocolate anymore!

Back to the bars – when my daughter tried one, she thought it was like pecan pie or a nut pie bar, and it does remind me of that texture. It made me think of a passover macaroon, the kind made with a bit of almond meal – more like a cake than a dense cookie bar.

All this to say, these may be a slightly healthier cookie, but they are still a delicious one, so it checks all the boxes!

Coconut Bars Video

Recipe Ingredients

You’ll need the following ingredients to make these amazing coconut bar cookies:

When testing this recipe, I set out to eliminate the flour in an old recipe I found by substituting almond meal, not because I avoid flour or gluten, but because I wanted to increase the protein and nutrients in a typical bar cookie. Little did I know it was also going to improve the flavor tenfold!

Ingredient Notes & Substitutions

• Brown sugar: You can also use coconut sugar.
• Butter: You can substitute coconut oil.
• Almond flour: Or almond meal – this recipe works with both.
• Ground flaxseed: This is optional (I added it for more fiber and omega-3 fat) – you can simply use more almond flour.
• Honey: You should be able to use maple syrup, though I haven’t tested it.
• Unsweetened coconut: Using unsweetened keeps the sugar content down, but you can use sweetened coconut if that’s what you have.
• Chocolate chips: Use any kind you like – mini chocolate chips disperse more evenly in the batter, but you can use regular (or leave them out altogether). More is used for the drizzle, if you’re adding it.

Let’s Make Almond Coconut Bars

Step 1: Make first layer. Mix the butter and sugar and then add the almond flour and flax, if using. Press into a parchment-lined pan and bake 12 minutes.

Step 2: Make second layer. Beat the eggs in a medium bowl. Add all the remaining second layer ingredients and mix thoroughly.

Step 3: Bake. Pour the second layer onto the partially baked layer and pop it back into the oven for another 20 minutes or so before cooling.

Step 4: Optional drizzle. The chocolate drizzle is totally up to you, but it’s not only a delicious addition, it makes them look great, too!

TIP: Refrigerate the bars a couple hours or overnight before cutting and drizzling with chocolate – the bars firm up to make cutting them cleaner.

Storage

These store best in the refrigerator rather than at room temperature (especially if you use coconut oil for the crust). Keep them in an airtight container for 5 days.

For longer storage, these freeze great! Keep them airtight for up to 3 months for best quality.

In my desire for a slightly healthier bar cookie, I also lessened the sugar. There’s brown sugar in the shortbread-like crust layer and only honey in the coconut layer. And while these changes make for a more vitamin and nutrient-packed product (at about 150 calories per bar), they’re still a dessert that should be eaten in moderation.

But of course I think that about everything, which is why I feel free to enjoy them every now and then – and I hope you do, too!

I hope you love these almond coconut bars – if you make them, be sure to leave a recipe rating to let us all know! TIP: You can also save the recipe for later by pinning it or clicking on the heart in the lower right hand corner.

More Healthier Bar Cookies

• Grain Free Almond Chocolate Truffle Bars
• Whole Grain Apple Butter Bars
• Healthy No-Bake Fudge Oatmeal Bars

 

This recipe has been updated – it was originally published in June of 2014.