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    You are at:Home»Dairy-Free Recipes»Alisa's Favorite Dairy-Free Recipes»Almond Joy Oat Bars (Soft & Chewy!)

    Almond Joy Oat Bars (Soft & Chewy!)

    27
    By Alisa Fleming on October 25, 2016 Alisa's Favorite Dairy-Free Recipes, Dairy Free Desserts, Dairy-Free Recipes, Dairy-Free Snack Recipes

    The idea was stuck in my head: coconut, almond and chocolate infused into a dessert fudge oat bar. I tried several no bake and baked versions, but all were a crumbly mess. Determined to use those wonderful Almond Joy-inspired flavors, I took a step back, and reformulated my original concept. The result was a batch of deliciously soft, chewy, cohesive and just-sweet-enough Almond Joy Oat Bars that are healthier and I think tastier than my first plan. I’ve since made them several times, refining the recipe to a perfect healthy treat or snack that I hope many of you get to enjoy, too.

    Almond Joy Oat Bars Recipe (Soft and Chewy) - no bake, dairy-free, gluten-free, veganThis Almond Joy Oat Bars recipe post is sponsored by Bob’s Red Mill, the pantry-filling brand that I’ve been buying for nearly a decade. Thus, the opinions, commentary, photos and recipe below are all honestly me.

    One of the keys to making soft and chewy Almond Joy Oat Bars is to use quick oats. Many people are under the illusion that “whole rolled oats” are healthier than “quick cooking oats”. After all, one sounds like wholesome, while the other sounds like convenience. But in reality, quick oats are just sliced rolled oats, which is why Bob’s Red Mill now calls them “quick cooking rolled oats”. They’re smaller, thinner and therefore less tough, but they have all the same fiber, protein and micro-nutrients as their chunkier predecessors. Nothing is removed. The consistency makes them my go-to for cookies and no bakes, like these Almond Joy Oat Bars.

    Almond Joy Oat Bars Recipe (Soft and Chewy) - no bake, dairy-free, gluten-free, vegan

    To keep this Almond Joy Oat Bars recipe gluten-free, I used certified gluten-free quick oats from Bob’s Red Mill. They have both Organic Gluten-Free and Conventional Gluten-Free Quick Oats (and rolled oats!) to choose from, and all are processed in the Bob’s Red Mill facility that doesn’t handle milk.

    I love making no bake bars in perfectly portioned muffin cups. Something about the shape is just so much more fun, and they are quite easy to make. But just in case you prefer a more traditional format, I’ve included the prep for square or rectangle versions of these Almond Joy Oat Bars, too.

    Almond Joy Oat Bars Recipe (Soft and Chewy) - no bake, dairy-free, gluten-free, vegan

    Reader Raves

    Thanks to Corrine for sharing recipe feedback on Facebook:

    This recipe is fantastic! I’ve made it lots, I make it in a cake pan and cut it into pieces.

    Special Diet Notes: Almond Joy Oat Bars

    By ingredients, this recipe is dairy-free / non-dairy, egg-free, gluten-free, peanut-free, soy-free, vegan, plant-based, and vegetarian.

    For nut-free Sunny Joy Oat Bars just swap sunflower seed butter (or your favorite nut-free “butter) for the almond butter. And you can skip the sliced almonds on top or sprinkle on some unsweetened shredded coconut instead.

    5.0 from 2 reviews
    Almond Joy Oat Bars (Soft & Chewy)
     
    Print
    Prep time
    20 mins
    Cook time
    5 mins
    Total time
    25 mins
     
    Author: Alisa Fleming
    Serves: 18 oat cups or bars
    Ingredients
    • ¼ cup + 1 teaspoon coconut oil, divided
    • ⅔ cup creamy salted natural almond butter
    • ⅔ cup maple syrup (see note below)
    • 1 teaspoon coconut extract (can sub vanilla or almond extract)
    • ¼ teaspoon salt
    • 2¾ cup quick oats (I use Bob's Red Mill Certified Gluten Free)
    • 1 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
    • ⅔ cup dairy-free semi-sweet chocolate chips
    • ⅓ cup sliced almonds, crushed
    Instructions
    1. Place ¼ cup of the coconut oil in a medium pan over low to medium-low heat. Once melted, whisk in the almond butter, sweetener, extract, and salt, until smooth.
    2. Add the oats and coconut, and stir frequently as it cooks for 5 minutes. The mixture will thicken to more of a dough consistency and this will help to remove the "raw" taste of the oats.
    3. Remove from the heat and let cool for just a few minutes.
    4. Press the mixture into 16 muffin cups or an 8x8-inch pan lined with parchment paper. If any oil comes to the surface, you can blot it with a paper towel (sometimes this happens, sometimes it doesn't, but it's okay either way!).
    5. Refrigerate the bars to cool.
    6. Melt the chocolate chips with the remaining 1 teaspoon coconut oil. If using a pan, pour the chocolate over the bars and level out. If making oat cups, invert them onto a plate or wire rack and spread chocolate on the tops.
    7. Sprinkle the almond joy oat bars or cups with the sliced almond pieces. Refrigerate until set.
    8. If making bars, invert the block onto a cutting board, remove the parchment paper, and cut into small bars (yes, I cut them upside down).
    9. Store in the refrigerator or freezer to retain freshness. You can eat them straight from the refrigerator, freezer or at room temperature.
    Notes
    Sweetener Options: You can substitute agave nectar, brown rice syrup, coconut nectar, or honey for the maple syrup. Each will have their own distinct flavor (which you might like!), but note that they may be stickier as maple tends to be less sticky than some of the other liquid sweeteners.
    3.5.3226
    Almond Joy Oat Bars Recipe (Soft and Chewy) - no bake, dairy-free, gluten-free, vegan

    Alisa Fleming
    • Website

    Alisa is the founder of GoDairyFree.org, Food Editor for Allergic Living magazine, and author of the best-selling dairy-free book, Go Dairy Free: The Guide and Cookbook for Milk Allergies, Lactose Intolerance, and Casein-Free Living, and the new cookbook, Eat Dairy Free: Your Essential Cookbook for Everyday Meals, Snacks, and Sweets. Alisa is also a professional recipe creator and product ambassador for the natural food industry.

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    27 Comments

    1. Nicole Dawson on January 28, 2017 10:15 am

      These look so good Alisa! SO much better than store-bought for sure.

      Reply
      • Alisa Fleming on February 1, 2017 7:42 am

        Thanks Nicole! I think they are 🙂

        Reply
    2. Sarah on January 25, 2017 6:34 pm

      These look amazing and I love Almond Joy Bars, well did as a kid. I’ve made raw ones before but they were so rich. These look like the perfect balance of sweet, on my list to make for sure!

      Reply
    3. Lauren on October 28, 2016 10:17 am

      These look perfect! Way better than regular almond joys!

      Reply
    4. Sharon @ What The Fork on October 27, 2016 7:12 pm

      My kids would love these, especially since they’re covered in chocolate!

      Reply
      • Alisa Fleming on October 27, 2016 9:17 pm

        Haha, chocolate wins everyone over!

        Reply
    5. Amanda on October 27, 2016 3:49 pm

      These look delicious. I love the tip about using the muffin tins. Thats a great idea!

      Reply
      • Alisa Fleming on October 27, 2016 4:20 pm

        I’m a muffin tin addict! My silicone ones are just wrecked (even torn) from use!

        Reply
    6. Emily on October 27, 2016 11:52 am

      There is no better flavor than almond + coconut + chocolate! These look amazing, I cant wait to try!

      Reply
      • Alisa Fleming on October 27, 2016 4:21 pm

        Agreed!

        Reply
    7. Rebecca | NOURISHED. the blog on October 27, 2016 10:54 am

      Love these!! They look so soft and chewy and I love all the flavours here too. Can’t wait to try them!!

      Reply
    8. Laura on October 27, 2016 6:25 am

      Ok these seriously look so delicious! I love almond joy bars and the fact that these are dairy free make them 100 times better!

      Reply
      • Alisa Fleming on October 27, 2016 7:26 am

        Thank you Laura! I was SO set on an Almond Joy theme!

        Reply
    9. Chrystal @ Gluten-Free Palate on October 26, 2016 5:40 pm

      I love how easy this recipe is. My girls (and I) would love to have these in our lunches 😉

      Reply
      • Alisa Fleming on October 26, 2016 7:49 pm

        They’re so easy, too Chrystal!

        Reply
    10. Maria on October 26, 2016 5:39 pm

      Great tip to use quick oats! It looks like these bars go together really nicely! Looks relish. 🙂

      Reply
    11. Cricket Plunkett on October 26, 2016 5:24 pm

      I love almond joys, but even more so when it’s in the form of a healthy snack!

      Reply
      • Alisa Fleming on October 26, 2016 7:50 pm

        Definitely! I”m actually growing quite addicted to these.

        Reply
    12. Lindsay Cotter on October 26, 2016 5:15 pm

      I’m loving everything about these bars! I need them in my life asap!

      Reply
      • Alisa Fleming on October 26, 2016 7:50 pm

        You do Lindsay! I think they are right up your alley 🙂

        Reply
    13. laura@motherwouldknow on October 26, 2016 9:20 am

      I adore almond joy bars. Making a healthier version sounds like a plan for heaven and no guilt – wow! Do I have to share?

      Reply
      • Alisa Fleming on October 26, 2016 9:39 am

        I don’t always share 🙂

        Reply
    14. Beth (OMG! Yummy) on October 26, 2016 9:10 am

      I love these for so many reasons (whole family is lactose intolerant for one!). Also the chocolate :-). Great explanation on the quick cooking oats too. This is going in my rotation.

      Reply
      • Alisa Fleming on October 26, 2016 9:40 am

        Well, I promise all will like this snack, lactose intolerant or not! 🙂

        Reply
    15. Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine on October 26, 2016 8:40 am

      Just love these! Almond Joys are my favorite!

      Reply
    16. Sarah Hatfield on October 26, 2016 7:07 am

      These look so good! We were just talking about trying to make homemade Almond Joy/Mounds bars the other night!

      Reply
      • Alisa Fleming on October 26, 2016 7:23 am

        Thanks Sarah! I love making those! These were a healthy compromise 🙂

        Reply

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