These nut and coconut bars are seedy, crunchy, chocolatey, and packed with fiber. Make a batch and store them in the freezer for an easy and healthy snack.
Easy Nut and Coconut Bars
Skip the store-bought granola bars and make these crunch nut and coconut bars. They have a fun texture and are a great snack to keep in the freezer all week. Not only are these bars tasty, but they are packed with fiber!
why we love these bars
- These bars have a seedy and amazing texture.
- They are naturally sweetened.
- You can easily substitute your favorite nuts or grains.
- Chocolate chips make everything better, including these bars.
Featured Ingredients
These nut and coconut bars are made with various grains, nuts, and chocolate chips. Below are the featured ingredients. We love the combination of ingredients we use, but feel free to substitute a different nut for the almonds! Or? Sub your favorite nut butter.
Simple Directions
- Puff the quinoa. Heat a large skillet over medium/high heat and add the quinoa. Let the quinoa pop until the quinoa starts to turn a golden brown. Immediately take the quinoa off of the heat to prevent burning.
- Mix Ingredients. Transfer the quinoa to a large mixing bowl and add the puffed rice, almonds, coconut, chia seeds, and chocolate chips to a bowl and toss. Set aside.
- Heat the sauce. Heat the brown rice syrup, honey, cashew butter, vanilla extract, and salt in a bowl and whisk until melted and smooth.
- Combine everything together. Pour the brown rice mixture over the quinoa mixture and toss until covered. The chocolate chips will melt and turn the sauce into a chocolate sauce.
- Freeze the bars. Transfer the ingredients to a parchment-lined 9×13-inch dish and press the bars into the pan. Freeze for at least 1 hour or until the mixture is set.
- Slice and store. Lift the parchment paper out of the pan and set the bars on a cutting board. Use a sharp knife to cut the bars into rectangles or squares. Store the bars in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 3 months.
a tip on puffed quinoa
Usually, puffed quinoa looks more toasted than puffed. You will hear the quinoa popping and most quinoas pop into small pieces rather than the store-bought puffed quinoa that looks more like puffed rice.
Tips for Nut and Coconut Bars
Be sure to let the bars set completely before trying to slice them. You don’t want them to fall apart
Take these bars up a level and sprinkle mini chocolate chips and more coarse salt on top of the bars before you press them into the pan. It adds a great extra saltiness.
You get to decide how you want to slice the bars. You can slice them into rectangles, squares, or even bite-sized pieces.
make it easy
Print Your Own
Keep common kitchen conversions like tablespoons to teaspoons and Fahrenheit to Celsius on hand at all times with our printable kitchen conversions chart.
Storage + Freezing
After you slice these bars, immediately transfer them to an airtight container or bag. Store them in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Ingredients
- 1 cup white quinoa
- 3 cups puffed brown rice
- 1 cup sliced almonds
- 1 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
- 2 tablespoons chia seeds
- ½ cup mini chocolate chips +more for topping
- ½ cup brown rice syrup
- ½ cup honey
- ⅓ cup creamy cashew butter
- 3 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon coarse salt + more for topping
Instructions
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Line a 9×13-inch pan with parchment paper and set it aside.
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Heat a large skillet over medium/high heat. When the skillet is hot, add the quinoa to the skillet. Gently move the quinoa around the skillet until it begins to make a snapping noise and begins to brown. Remove the pan from heat and pour the quinoa into a large mixing bowl.
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Add the puffed rice, almonds, coconut, chia seeds, and chocolate chips to the mixing bowl with the quinoa and toss to combine.
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Next, heat a small saucepan over medium heat and add the brown rice syrup, honey, cashew butter, vanilla extract, and salt and whisk to combine. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer until all the ingredients are melted together and smooth. Remove from heat.
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Pour the brown rice syrup mixture over the puffed rice and other ingredients. Stir the ingredients together until combined. Some of the mini chocolate chips will melt.
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Pour the mixture into the lined 9×13-inch pan and press the mixture down with a spatula or your hands. Evenly spread the mixture into the bottom of the pan. Sprinkle mini chocolate chips and coarse salt over the top of the bars and press them into the top of the bars.
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Place the pan in the freezer for about 1 hour to set. Remove the pan from the freezer and lift the sides of the parchment paper so the bars come out of the pan.
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Place the bars on a large cutting board and cut them into rectangles or squares.
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Transfer the bars into an airtight bag or container and place them in the refrigerator or freezer for later.
Tips & Notes
- You can substitute the cashew butter for almond butter or peanut butter.
Nutrition facts
Calories: 220kcal Carbohydrates: 34g Protein: 5g Fat: 8g Fiber: 2g Sugar: 19g
Photography: photos taken in this post are by Ashley McGlaughlin from The Edible Perspective.
