Delicious, healthy Nut Bars, made with coconut and almonds,  similar to “Kind Bars”! A gluten-free, paleo, grain-free, granola bar recipe that you will fall in love with!
Delicious, healthy Nut Bars, similar to "Kind Bars"! A gluten-free, paleo, grain-free, granola bar recipe that you will fall in love with!
To bring happiness to others, we must be happiness. ~Thich Nhat Hanh
For the past several weeks, I have been cranking out batches and batches of these  Nut Bars – I can’t seem to keep them in stock! Chewy, with a nice crunchy snap, these “energy bars” are packed full of protein, are gluten-free, and not too sweet. These are my take on the Kind Bars available at most grocery stores, and they came about one day after watching Brian eat four (!) Kind Bars in one sitting, as I mentally calculated the cost. In this house, frugality is the mother of invention. So right then and there, I decided I would start making them.  This basic recipe can be used as a jumping-off point to create your own personalized versions.

Delcious, healthy, Coconut Almond Bars, similar to "Kind Bars"! A gluten-free, paleo, grain-free, granola bar recipe that you will fall in love with! #granolabars #paleo

Nut Bars Ingredient notes

  • Raw almonds
  • Raw cashews
  • Unsweetened coconut flakes
  •  honey
  •  salt
  •  vanilla (optional)
  • Other ingredients to add: dried fruit, any other nut, seeds (chia, sesame, flax, poppy)

How to make Nut Bars

Step one: Toast the nuts and coconut. Place in the oven, for 10 minutes @ 325F , stirring halfway through. This really enhances the flavor!

A simple tasty recipe for Coconut Almond Bars, similar to "Kind Bars". Gluten Free, sugar free, sweetened with honey. | www.feastingathome.com
Step 2. Heat the honey. 

Heat the honey, water, and a pinch of salt, on med-low heat until it reaches 270F (hard ball stage) on a candy thermometer. Please see the recipe notes if you don’t have a candy thermometer

If you heat the honey any longer it will still taste good, but result in a very brittle bar. If you heat the honey to a lower temp, the bars will be too soft and not hold together. 
Heating the honey may take longer than you think.…about 20 minutes on med-low heat. I have found that once the honey reaches 250F, don’t walk away. It will go quickly from there.

Delcious, healthy, Coconut Almond Bars, similar to "Kind Bars"! A gluten-free, paleo, grain-free, granola bar recipe that you will fall in love with! #granolabars #paleo
Step 3: Combine! Once the honey reaches 270F, stir in the toasted nuts and coconut mixture into the same pot, coating well. It will seem like a fairly dry mixture, but just stir until everything is lightly and evenly coated.  Place in a parchment-lined baking dish, 8 by 8 inches, or  5 by 9.
A simple tasty recipe for Coconut Almond Bars, similar to "Kind Bars". Gluten Free, sugar free, sweetened with honey. | www.feastingathome.com
Step 4: Flatten and cool! Spray the top of a metal spatula,  with cooking spray and use it to press down the mixture very firmly so it is compressed and flattened and pressed down into all the corners.  Let it sit at room temp for 45 minutes – don’t let them completely cool before cutting.
Delcious, healthy, Coconut Almond Bars, similar to "Kind Bars"! A gluten-free, paleo, grain-free, granola bar recipe that you will fall in love with! #granolabars #paleo
Step 5: Cut the Nut bars!  Flip this out of the pan onto a cutting board- it will feel solid. Flip it over, and using a sharp knife, cut into any size portion you like. TIP: You want to cut these before they are completely cool.  If you miss your window and allow them to cool completely, you can still cut them, but they may crumble. To prevent this, place in a warm oven for just a few minutes to soften.
Delcious, healthy, Coconut Almond Bars, similar to "Kind Bars"! A gluten-free, paleo, grain-free, granola bar recipe that you will fall in love with! #granolabars #paleo

How to store Nut Bars

Allow to cool completely before transferring to an airtight storage container with parchment paper between layers. For take-along convenience, use parchment paper and string to wrap individual bars—store at room temperature for up to 10 days.

Wrap Nut Bars for Gifting!

Cut parchment into strips and wrap, then tie with string.
Delcious, healthy, Coconut Almond Bars, similar to "Kind Bars"! A gluten-free, paleo, grain-free, granola bar recipe that you will fall in love with! #granolabars #paleo
A sweet Hostess gift! So similar in flavor to Kind bars, my husband says he even prefers these!

Delcious, healthy, Coconut Almond Bars, similar to "Kind Bars"! A gluten-free, paleo, grain-free, granola bar recipe that you will fall in love with! #granolabars #paleo

I hope you enjoy these as much as we have!

xoxo

Sylvia

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Delicious, healthy, homemade, Nut Bars, similar to "Kind Bars". These grain-free nut bars are the perfect snack!

Homemade Nut Bars

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Description

Delicious, healthy Nut Bars, similar to “Kind Bars”! A gluten-free, paleo, grain-free granola bar recipe that you will fall in love with!


Ingredients

Units Scale
  • 3/4 cup raw almonds, lightly toasted
  • 3/4 cup raw cashews, lightly toasted
  • 1 1/2 cup unsweetened coconut FLAKES, lightly toasted
  • 1/2 cup honey
  • 3 tablespoons water
  • Generous pinch salt
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla (optional)
  • Other ingredients to add: dried fruit, any other nut, seeds (chia, sesame, flax, poppy), vanilla, puffed rice or millet.

Instructions

  1. Preheat Oven to 325F ( to toast nuts and coconut)
  2. Heat honey, salt, water and vanilla (optional) in a small pot over medium heat until it starts bubbling. Stir occasionally. Lower to med-low heat and continue simmering uncovered until honey reaches 270F. You need to use a candy thermometer to get this exact ( available at most grocery stores in the baking section.) This will take about 25 minutes on med-low heat, and will happen rapidly once it reaches 250F.
  3. In the mean time, lightly toast nuts and coconut, in the oven, just until coconut is fragrant and lightly golden about 8-10 minutes.
  4. When honey has reached 270F, turn heat off and pour the nuts and coconuts into the pot, stirring well to coat. Mixture may seem dry, but just keep mixing, until evenly coated. Spread out on a parchment lined 8×8 inch pan, or baking sheet, to about ¾ inch thick.
  5. Using a greased spatula, spread out evenly and press down firmly, compressing it down as much as you can. Cover with parchment and use the bottom of a cup or pot or even your hands (if it’s not too hot) and press down really hard, compacting it as much as possible. This will help the bars stay together when you go to cut them. Let cool uncovered on the kitchen counter for 45 minutes. ( no longer)
  6. Once it has cooled 45 minutes, place a cutting board over the mixure and gently flip it onto the cutting board (in one piece). With a big sharp knife, cut bars before they cool down completely (otherwise they will break when you try to cut them).
  7. After you cut them, let them cool down completely on parchment (a couple hours) before storing. Store in an air tight container layered with parchment, or just leave them on the counter like I do and watch them disappear. Or wrap them individually with parchment and string.

Notes

If you don’t have a candy thermometer.   Heat honey, just until warmed. Combine with remaining ingredients and spread out in a parchment-lined 8×8 baking dish, flattening firmly with a wet spatula. Bake at 300F on the middle rack. Check at 25 mins, rotate if need be, and continue baking.  For a chewy consistency, take them out at 40-45 minutes, for a crispy crunchy consistency, let cook the full 50 -55 minutes.  Keep in mind, all ovens are different, so heat may vary. The key is….You want to take them out when they are perfectly golden, before they get too dark. So watch them like a hawk after 35-40 minutes. If you take them out too early (before they are golden) they can be too sticky.  Pay attention to the color.

For example, I’ve cooked these in two different ovens. In the gas oven, 50-55 minutes delivered perfectly golden bars. In the electric oven, 40 minutes were enough for perfectly golden. 55 minutes would have totally burnt them.

Remove from oven, and cool completely. You could place in the fridge to cool faster. When it’s completely cooled, take the parchment out of the pan, turn it over and remove parchment. Flip back over and cut into desired shapes or bars. Store at room temp.

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1 bar
  • Calories: 144
  • Sugar: 12.5 g
  • Sodium: 198 mg
  • Fat: 9.6 g
  • Saturated Fat: 6.2 g
  • Carbohydrates: 15.6 g
  • Fiber: 2.1 g
  • Protein: 2 g
  • Cholesterol: 0 mg

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Comments

  1. Hello,
    I am getting ready to a make these, but was wondering if I had to put the in the over. Would it work if I only pour the hot liquid and let it cool? thinking of Lara bar type of snacks.
    Thanks

    1. Yes, I am sure there are other ways, but I have only tested this recipe for this way. 🙂 You would have to experiment…which could be fun!

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