Healthy Almond Joy Bars (Sugar-Free & Keto)
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These Healthy Almond Joy bars are a chocolate and coconut lover’s dream. They’re an easy no-bake treat with a rich chocolate layer, coconut topping, and crunchy almonds. They’re naturally dairy-free and can easily be made sugar-free, keto, paleo, and vegan.
Since they’re made as bars, you can skip the dipping of many homemade candy bars, but still have an amazing treat to enjoy any time of day.
Why You’ll Love These Sugar-Free Almond Joy Bars
This recipe for Healthy Almond Joy Bars has got to be one of our all time favorites.
It’s one of the first healthy desserts that I made after starting on my sugar-free diet. I’ve shared these with sugar-free and non sugar-free folks alike and everyone has loved them.
I shared my original recipe for these right after I started blogging, and it was pretty good as it was. But thanks to some changes, it’s now truly amazing.
These bars are made with healthier ingredients than the traditional candy bar and since they are a bar variety, they’re easier to whip up than coated candies.
If you love the combination of chocolate, coconut, and almonds but want something easier than individually coated homemade candy bars, this recipe is for you.
Directions
Here are step by step photos of how to make these Almond Joy Bars. See the recipe card below for more details.
Combine almond butter and coconut oil and sweetener in pan. Melt. (steps 1 and 2)
Add cocoa powder and combine. (steps 3 and 4)
Spread chocolate base in pan. (step 5) Combine coconut topping ingredients in pan. Stir over heat. (step 6)
Spread coconut topping over chocolate base. (steps 7 and 8)
Recipe Notes and Substitutions
- Substituting Sweeteners: This recipe is quite forgiving. Granulated low-carb sweeteners such as xylitol or allulose can be used, and you can use a little less of the bulk sweetener and add stevia extract to reach your preferred sweetness.
- Using Stevia: Pure stevia extracts vary considerably in strength, so start with a very small amount and adjust to taste. Stevia works especially well here combined with another sweetener rather than supplying all of the sweetness by itself.
- Using Liquid Sweeteners: Liquid sweeteners can work, but adding too much may make the bars softer. Start with less and add stevia if additional sweetness is needed.
- Oil Options: You can substitute palm shortening, as well as butter, for the coconut oil.
- Nut or Seed Butter: If you’re allergic or needing to avoid nuts, you can substitute really any nut or seed butter, but almond is especially nice. See Homemade Nut/ Seed Butter for a make-your-own option. I’ve used homemade almond butter, homemade sunflower seed butter, as well as homemade pumpkin seed butter and they all worked out great.
- We love serving these chilled from the fridge or freezer but they don’t travel well in warm weather. You could make them with cocoa butter instead of coconut oil so they’ll hold up better in warmer temps.
- Keto/Low-carb: This recipe as written fits these diets.
- AIP: Use coconut butter instead of the seed/nut butter for AIP. Here’s how to make your own. I haven’t tried this, and the bars will for sure be more firm, but I think it can work.
More Healthy No Bake Treats
If you like this recipe, you’ll love
- Keto Mounds Bars – quite possibly the best Sugar-free Mounds Bar recipe out there.
- Bean Fudge – yes, I said “beans.” So easy and so good.
- Healthy Gummies – fun to make and funner to eat
- Healthy Snickers Bars – vegan, keto / low-carb, and refined sugar-free, and they’re peanut-free too!
Healthy Almond Joy Bars (Sugar-Free & Keto)
Ingredients
Chocolate / Carob Base
- 1/2 cup coconut oil
- 1/2 cup almond butter (or other nut or seed butter)
- 1/2 cup low carb sweetener (or preferred sweetener. See Recipe Notes)
- 6 tablespoons cocoa powder (or carob powder)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
Coconut Topping
- 1 2/3 cups unsweetened coconut
- 7 tablespoons coconut oil
- 1/3 cup low carb sweetener (or preferred sweetener)
- 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
- 1/4 teaspoon additional flavoring (optional)
- 2 teaspoons arrowroot powder
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- almond halves or slices (optional)
- melted low carb chocolate chips for drizzle (optional)
Instructions
Chocolate Base
- Melt the coconut oil and almond butter in a small saucepan over low heat.
- Add the cocoa powder or carob powder and sweeteners. Stir until thoroughly combined.
- Add the salt and continue stirring over low heat until the mixture thickens slightly. Remove from the heat.
- Stir in the vanilla.
- Pour the mixture into an 8-inch square pan. Place in the freezer while you prepare the coconut topping. The refrigerator will also work, but the base will take longer to firm up.
Coconut Topping
- Melt the coconut oil in a small saucepan over low heat. Add the coconut and stir to combine.
- Add the remaining topping ingredients and cook, stirring, until the mixture thickens slightly.
- Once the chocolate base is firm, gently spread the coconut mixture evenly over the top.
- Top with almond halves or slices, if desired. Return the bars to the freezer until firm.
- Let the bars soften slightly before slicing if they are too firm to cut straight from the freezer. Alternatively, you can use a knife dipped in hot water. Cut into 16 squares.
- Store in the refrigerator or freezer. Drizzle with melted low-carb chocolate before serving, if desired.
Notes
- Oil Options: Butter or palm shortening can be substituted for the coconut oil.
- Nut or Seed Butter: Almond butter is especially good in this recipe, but other nut and seed butters work too. Sunflower seed butter and pumpkin seed butter have both worked well.
- Sweetener Options: This recipe is quite forgiving when it comes to sweeteners. Granulated low-carb sweeteners such as xylitol, erythritol, or allulose can be used. Another option is to use a little less of the bulk sweetener and add a small amount of stevia extract to reach your preferred sweetness.
- Using Stevia: Pure stevia extracts vary greatly in strength. If using one, start with a very small amount and adjust to taste. Stevia works especially well here in combination with another sweetener.
- Liquid Sweeteners: Liquid sweeteners, including allulose syrup, can work, but using a large amount may make the bars softer. Start with less and add stevia if more sweetness is needed.
- Xylitol Safety: Xylitol is extremely toxic to dogs, so keep foods containing xylitol safely away from pets.
- Warm Weather: These bars are best stored chilled. They soften in warm temperatures because of the coconut oil. Cocoa butter can be used for a firmer bar.
- AIP Option: If making an AIP version, use carob instead of cocoa and coconut butter instead of nut or seed butter. This variation has not been tested and will likely produce a firmer bar.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate only. It may vary depending on ingredient brands, substitutions, and preparation methods. Optional ingredients are not included. Net carbs are typically calculated by subtracting fiber and sugar alcohols (such as erythritol) from total carbohydrates. This information should not be relied upon for medical or nutritional purposes.
I’d love to hear what you think of these once you try them!
Is your recipe for the topping missing some more liquid like coconut milk? When you just have oil and coconut there is nothing left in there to simmer. The texture of the topping is very dry, not like your photo as another person commented. Other recipes I’ve found have more liquid or something else added. What I made didn’t look like your photo at all so after putting it in the freezer I poured some coconut milk on top and put it back in the freezer. We will see how it turns out.
Hi there. Can you tell me the sites where you have seen other similar recipes? I have seen 1 that actually had less coconut oil than mine. Coconut oil will simmer when it gets heated. I know that sometimes when I make this I feel the topping is too thick and other times it works out great. I am not sure what happened. I would think your bars will have very solid frozen coconut milk that isn’t mixed in but I hope that they work. Let me know….
The base layer turned out fine but the top layer did not look at all like the picture. Once I added the vanilla the coconut lost it’s pure white color. The oil did not thicken and I tried X-gum and gluccie both. Simmering it resulted in a toasting the coconut so I quit trying to thicken and simply added it to the base and drizzled the melted oil on top. It harden in the freezer but is not all uniform and while like pictured.
Hi there. Sorry you weren’t happy w/ the results. Mine doesn’t thicken that much. In fact sometimes it’s pretty messy. I might have to work on it more but I heat mine on a low temp so it doesn’t toast. If it does, it’s still yummy or even moreso. I go for taste more than appearance. But I understand wanting a nice looking treat. Hope you enjoyed it regardless.
How about adding cornstarch, would that work?
Yes!
I haven’t made this yet, but I’ve made another “Almond Joy Bar” recipe, which includes full fat Coconut Milk, but no arrowroot or coconut oil.
I wonder if there’s too much oil in this recipe for the coconut mixture to set up., The arrowroot powder is a thickener. You could add a bit more arrowroot to see how it affects top layer or try another version with the same amount of Coconut Milk, omitting the coconut oil. (Adrienne: FYI: I am not trying to remake your recipe! Just trying to come up with a solution.)
Hello Mira – thanks for the comment and sorry for not responding sooner. I’m a bit confused–could you explain, please? Does the recipe you use set up at room temp? Thanks!
These “almond joy” treats are now my favorite low carb treat. Have now made it twice and I absolutely love it. Thank you
Yay! I’m making some tonight for my husband. He’s under the weather and has a BIG deadline tomorrow and needs a pick me up! I could use one too :).
How long does the base take to harden in the freezer? Thanks!
Oh I don’t know. Depends on how warm it was to begin with and how cold your freezer is.
Do you have the Nutrition facts? How much carbs?
I’m not sure if you already got a response – I responded earlier but I don’t see my response now. I don’t have this available but am looking at it. It’s complicated since I give so many alternatives. For now I would recommend inputting the ingredients that you use into an online calculator. I am not confident in the accuracy of the ones I have found for my blog. Thanks!
these look so yummy! need to give these a go!
Love Holly Jade at http://www.thelittleblogofvegan.com
Hello Holly. Sorry for not responding sooner – I’ve been so swamped and am trying to catch up. I hope you tried these and liked them. I just popped over to your blog – it’s lovely.
Take care and hope to see you around again!
Where might I find the nutritional info for this recipe?
Hi Danna. Thanks for reading!
I would recommend plugging the ingredients into a nutritional info site. Typically I have so many alternatives that I don’t post that information but I am considering it. Thanks!
Thank you found the recipe for almond joy bars. I love coconut oil and healthy recipes I Also have MS.so I am hoping kenetics helps me.
Oh good. What was happening? Do you mean ketogenic diet? I was just reading about that the other day. I had an MS scare years ago. I hope you do better!
Yes. Ketogenic.
I do not see the recipe for almond joy bars.
Hi Sherry,
Can you tell me what you mean, please? The recipe is in the post. If you can’t see it can you tell me if you are on mobile or desktop and what you are seeing? Thanks!
Just came cross your site its just amazing.Glad I found your site.Always healthy option is perfect. Can’t wait to try these Almond joys. Thank Xx
I hope you like them. Thanks!!