No Bake Bars

These No Bake Bars are easy to make with only 6 ingredients and make the perfect healthy no bake snack. They are gluten free, dairy-free, have no refined sugar and are paleo and vegan-friendly with a low carb keto sweetener option. 

PIN HERE for later and follow my boards for more recipe ideas

Updated June 2020

Healthy No Bake Bars

Craving a sweet treat but don’t feel like turning on your oven? We love making no bake recipes all year round but especially during the summer months of June, July and August when the weather is hot.

These No Bake Bars are the perfect easy recipe to make without having to heat up your house. If you are a fan of Girl Scout cookies, this delicious recipe combines the classic caramel, chocolate and coconut flavours of the the popular Samoa Cookies in a no bake bar. 

And if you’re looking for more no bake desserts, a few kid-friendly favourites include these no bake granola bars, no bake cookies, no bake peanut butter bars and Chocolate Peanut Butter Oatmeal Bars

Why we love this recipe

These No Bake Samoa Bars combine the classic caramel, chocolate and coconut flavors of the popular Caramel Delight Girl Scout cookies. They taste like you’re eating a decadent dessert but instead they’re made with wholesome ingredients that are gluten-free, grain-free, vegan, dairy-free, refined sugar-free and paleo-friendly.

All you need are 7 pantry-friendly ingredients and they come together in under 30 minutes. Perfect when you or your kids are looking for a healthy and wholesome snack.

Ingredients You Need for Paleo No Bake Bars:

For the gluten-free cookie bar layer:

How to make No Bake Bars

1. Line a 9 x 5 loaf pan with parchment paper. Set aside.
2. MAKE THE COOKIE LAYER: In a medium bowl, add shredded coconut, almond flour, liquid sweeteener and melted coconut oil. Mix with a fork, pressing down until a dough forms and sticks together. You may have to squeeze the dough with your hands or add more coconut oil as needed. Transfer to pan and press down firmly using a small spatula or your hands. Transfer pan to freezer and freeze for at least 10 minutes.
3. MAKE THE CARAMEL: Meanwhile, rinse & dry the bowl. Add the cashew butter, coconut oil, liquid sweetener and vanilla and mix until smooth and combined. Set aside 2 tablespoons for drizzling, if desired. Combine the remaining caramel with shredded coconut.
4. Remove loaf pan from freezer and spread the caramel layer evenly on top, pressing down firmly with a spatula or your hands. Freeze again for 10 minutes.
5. MAKE THE CHOCOLATE TOPPING / BASE: Melt the dark chocolate and coconut oil in microwave or over a water bath and drizzle over the bars, reserving half for dipping, if desired. Freeze again for 5 minutes.
6. Use the parchment paper to lift out the bars and cut into even squares. OPTIONAL: Dip each bar into leftover melted chocolate and drizzle remaining caramel over bars.

Substitutions and Variations

I have not tested these variations but here are a few ingredient swaps that may work:

• Coconut Oil. Sub with melted ghee or grass-fed butter if not vegan
• Shredded Coconut. If you’re not grain-free you can sub shredded coconut for quick-cooking oats, Rice Krispies or graham cracker crumbs just like the classic no bake bars. Keep in mind that you may need to add a little bit more cashew butter to keep the bars from getting too crumbly.
• Almond meal. If you have a tree-nut allergy in your family and are not grain-free, you can substitute with gluten-free all-purpose flour or oat flour.
• Cashew butter. Creamy peanut butter or any othernut or seed butter should work well in this recipe, however cashew butter is my favorite nut butter to give these bars the best flavor. The consistency will depend on the brand and type of butter you are using and you may need to adjust the amount used.
• Coconut nectar syrup. Any liquid sweetener can be substituted in ths recipe, however coconut nectar is my favorite low-glycemic liquid sweetener to give these bars the best flavor.

Other classic no-bake dessert variations

• Add some crushed peanut butter cups
• Swap the shredded coconut with cereal or graham crackers to make no-bake bars with Rice Krispies or no-bake graham cracker bars

How to store No Bake Bars

Storage 

• To store: Leftover paleo no bake bars can keep well at room temperature, in a sealed container. They will keep well, covered, for up to 1 week. To keep them longer, store them in the refrigerator.

How to freeze No Bake Bars

• To freeze: Place vegan no bake bars in a freezer-friendly container, or ziplock bag, and store them in the freezer. They will keep well frozen for up to 6 months.

More no bake desserts you might like:

Keto No Bake Cookies

Strawberry Shortcake Ice Cream Bars

0 from 0 votes

Print

No Bake Bars

Prep Time

30 mins

Chill Time

30 mins

Total Time

1 hr

 

These No Bake Bars are easy to make with only 6 ingredients and make the perfect healthy no bake snack. They are gluten free, dairy-free, have no refined sugar and are paleo and vegan-friendly! 

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: coconut dessert, dessert bars no bake

Servings: 12 squares

Calories: 335 kcal

Author: Kelly

Ingredients

For the Bars

• 1 cup shredded coconut
• 1 cup superfine almond flour
• 3 tablespoons coconut nectar , you can also sub with any other sticky liquid sweetener such as maple syrup, honey (if not vegan) or Lakanto sugar-free maple syrup for low carb
• 1/3 cup coconut oil , melted

For the Caramel Layer

• 1/2 cup creamy cashew butter , or any nut or seed butter
• 3 tablespoons coconut oil , melted
• 1/3 cup coconut nectar , you can also sub with any other sticky liquid sweetener such as maple syrup, honey (if not vegan) or Lakanto sugar-free maple syrup for low carb
• 1 1/4 cup shredded coconut , toasted,

For the Chocolate Drizzle

• 1/2 cup dairy-free chocolate chips , we like Hu's Gems or Lily's Sweets
• 2 tsp coconut oil

Instructions

1. Line a 9 x 5 loaf pan with parchment paper. Set aside.

2. MAKE THE COOKIE LAYER:

   In a medium bowl, add shredded coconut, almond flour, liquid sweeteener and melted coconut oil. Mix with a fork, pressing down until a dough forms and sticks together. You may have to squeeze the dough with your hands or add more coconut oil as needed. Transfer to pan and press down firmly using a small spatula or your hands. Transfer pan to freezer and freeze for at least 10 minutes.

3. MAKE THE CARAMEL:

   Meanwhile, rinse & dry the bowl. Add the cashew butter, coconut oil, liquid sweetener and vanilla and mix until smooth and combined. Set aside 2 tablespoons for drizzling, if desired. Combine the remaining caramel with shredded coconut. Remove loaf pan from freezer and spread the caramel layer evenly on top, pressing down firmly with a spatula or your hands. Freeze again for 10 minutes.Melt the dark chocolate and coconut oil in microwave or over a water bath and drizzle over the bars, reserving half for dipping, if desired. Freeze again for 5 minutes.

4. Melt the dark chocolate and coconut oil in microwave or over a water bath and drizzle over the bars, reserving half for dipping, if desired. Freeze again for 5 minutes.

   Use the parchment paper to lift out the bars and cut into even squares.

   OPTIONAL: Dip each bar into leftover melted chocolate and drizzle leftover caramel over bars.

Nutrition Facts

No Bake Bars

Amount Per Serving (1 square)

Calories 335 Calories from Fat 243

% Daily Value*

Fat 27g42%

Carbohydrates 22g7%

Fiber 2g8%

Sugar 12g13%

Protein 5g10%

* Nutrition facts are provided as a courtesy using the WPRM recipe calculator. It is best to make your own calculations to ensure accuracy. We expressly disclaim any and all liability of any kind with respect to any act or omission wholly or in part in reliance on anything contained in this website. Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.