If you love chocolate you will really enjoy this recipe! These are Raw Nanaimo Bars! This recipe is really simple to throw together and was a huge hit in my house.
I made this recipe in a loaf pan instead of the regular 8×8 pan for a couple of reasons. First, I have a brand new silicone loaf pan and really wanted to try it. Let me tell you – the silicone pan for raw baking is a godsend. It is so easy to remove recipes! If you do a lot of raw recipes it is something you should definitely have in your kitchen.
Secondly, for us where there is only two of us here I wanted to make the recipe a bit thicker (height-wise) and cut thin slices. It turned out really great!
Make sure to store this recipe in the freezer as it is a freezer recipe. Letting them set out for a couple of minutes before serving will give you the best texture.
If your chocolate topping isn’t smooth once they are frozen go ahead and cut your squares. Then take each square, place it on its side and with a sharp knife cut some of the top chocolate layer off with one cutting motion. This will leave a smooth, silky chocolate top.
I hope everyone has a wonderful and safe long weekend! Please check out my Thanksgiving Survival Guide here! This post contains Thanksgiving Recipes, how to prepare for a Thanksgiving meal, how to handle eating at other’s homes and how to detox after a long weekend. It truly is an awesome post!
This recipe is vegan, gluten free, dairy free, raw, grain free, no-bake, chocolately and delicious!
Raw Nanaimo Bars (Vegan)
Prep time: 10 Minutes
Yield: Makes 12-16 Raw Nanaimo Bars
Chocolate Crust Ingredients:
- 1 Cup Slivered Almonds
- 1/2 Cup Soaked Dates
- 1/2 Cup Unsweetened Shredded Coconut
- 1/4 Cup Cocoa Powder
- Dash of Salt
Cream Ingredients:
- 1/4 Cup Coconut Oil
- 1/2 Cup Soaked Cashews
- 3 Tbsp Agave Nectar
- 1/4 Cup Coconut Cream (Pre-refridgerated – thick consistency)
- 1/2 Tsp Vanilla Extract
Chocolate Topping Ingredients:
- 1/2 Cup Soaked Cashews
- 1/2 Cup Cocoa Powder
- 1/2 Cup Coconut Oil
- 1/4 Cup Agave Nectar
Directions:
- Place all cream layer ingredients into your food processor and blend until completely smooth (stopping to scrape down the sides).
- Place into a bowl and set aside.
- Place all chocolate topping ingredients into your food processor and blend until completely smooth (stopping to scrape down the sides).
- Place into a bowl and set aside.
- Place crust ingredients into your food processor and blend until dough-like.
- Set aside.
- Place the crust mixture into an 8×8 silicone baking pan or a loaf pan (for thicker squares).
- Press down and even out the crust.
- With a fresh spatula top crust layer with your cream layer. Spread out evenly.
- Top cream layer with your chocolate layer (you will have extra of this layer so use as much or as little as you would like).
- Cover baking dish with saran wrap and place in the freezer for 3-4 hours.
- Remove from freezer, cut into squares and serve!
- *Tip – Store Raw Nanaimo Bars in the freezer.
DAMY Members – 1-2 Servings of this recipe is a great treat option.
What is coconut cream? Thx!
It is a thick creamy coconut confection which I have found in a squeeze bottle. You should be able to find it in grocery or natural food stores. I can’t remember the brand I have used but it is sooooo yummy!
Hey! Check out this link of details. Many stores now have it in cartons of pure coconut cream http://www.damyhealth.com/2012/02/how-to-make-coconut-whipped-cream/
YUM!!!!
made these today; can’t wait to let them loose on friends tomorrow night! This is my 4th one of your recipes and the fudge ones are next 🙂
So great to hear!!!! I love these too! I hope you had a great weekend!
Oh how I love Nanaimo Bars! My family lives on Vancouver Island and I indulge when there. I have made them for parties and friends, etc. I have been trying to think of ways to make a healthier version, and here you have done it – thanks so much. I must find some raw coconut and coconut cream and try this recipe. Would using Bird’s Custard in the filling be a problem?
Is there something that could be used to substitute for the agave syrup? I prefer not to use it in my diet….
Yes! You can use honey, maple syrup
use raw honey or raw coconut nectar – but maple syrup is not raw so if you want to keep it healthy and less acidic stick to the raw stuff. agave is not raw anyhow 😉
What or how do u “Soak” Cashews? n Im not a date &/or a raisin fan any other suggestions?
I would just place them in a bowl and only just cover with water and let them ‘soak’ until they are soft unless they are to be soaked in something specific for taste
soak for 4-6 hours in water. cover it with an extra inch on top or more. drain and rinse. drain and rinse again. let drip dry or toss into a tea towel and dry them up a bit with that. Now they are ready to use 😉
what is the calorie count?
Yes please to the calorie count
I am on a low carb diet for high cholesterol. Do you have the nutritional values for any if the recipes. I need to know carbs especially. Love your site.
I am on a low carb diet for high cholesterol. Do you have the nutritional values for any if the recipes. I need to know carbs especially. Love your site.
I am on a low carb diet for high cholesterol. Do you have the nutritional values for any if the recipes. I need to know carbs especially. Love your site.
I am on a low carb diet for high cholesterol. Do you have the nutritional values for any if the recipes. I need to know carbs especially. Love your site.
are medjool dates okay?
Yes, medjool dates are perfect Kaitlin!
if its RAW you should really differentiate between cocoa powder and cacao powder – one is really unhealthy and the other is a superfood 🙂
I made these in mini muffin pans. It gave me 30 mini nanaimo treats. They are so nice. Thank you for this recipe!
You are welcome Linda! Glad you loved them.
I was so excited to find these raw nanaimo bars! As I made them this morning, I made a few changes to the instructions that I found helpful for making the bars in an 8×8 glass dish. First, I doubled the amounts for the cream and topping layers. The crust was the perfect amount but I found the cream and topping were too thin for my liking. Then, I found that I couldn’t spread the topping along the cream layer without it mixing in, so I put the crust+cream in the freezer while I made up a second batch of the topping layer. This way, my topping won’t mix in. Many years ago, I made regular nanaimo bars and the freezing step was required before the topping as well, so I highly recommend this. Doubling the amounts of cream and chocolate may not be needed if you use a loaf pan, but I wanted my nanaimo bars to look like the photo so I doubled up!
I can’t wait to try them out!
What are you soaking the nuts
In??
Hi! Sounds super yummy…but I’m allergic to cashews…and all nuts sadly (but oddly not almonds). What can I substitute?
agave nectar…damages the liver the same as high fructose corn syrup, raw or not.
If this is a concern for you, you can use maple syrup or stevia 🙂
Is there a printer friendly version? I’m not finding it. Thank you so much 😘 They’re delicious!!! I’ve made them a dozen times since I found this recipe a few months ago. (I have a sweet tooth😋🙄!)
Because you have to put this in the freezer , Do you think it is okay to to send this dish with my kids in their lunch for school?
Is the coconut oil melted?