Healthy Coconut Candy Bars (Bounty Bar/ Mounds Bar)

These homemade coconut candy bars use just 5 ingredients and are refined sugar-free, vegan, and can be made Paleo and Keto-friendly. A delicious replacement vegan Bounty chocolate bar (or Mounds Bar in the USA)!

Who doesn’t like chocolate and candy sometimes, but they’re not exactly sympathetic to many dietary requirements. One of my absolute favorites was always the Bounty Chocolate bar (Mounds bar to all the Americans here). However, it’s packed with sugar. So I set about making these coconut chocolate bars as the perfect vegan bounty bar replacement. 

If you’re wondering what a bounty chocolate bar (or Mounds Bar) even is, let me tell you. It’s a chocolate bar that contains a soft, sweet,  coconut filling and then covered in chocolate. There are different versions available with milk and dark chocolate. However, all are non-vegan and packed with refined sugars.

This recipe, however, aims to target all your cravings, but in a healthier, natural way. All you need for this recipe is five ingredients. Plus, it contains no refined sugars and is raw, vegan, gluten-free, dairy-free, low-carb, etc. Plus, these coconut chocolate bars can be made Keto-friendly and paleo. 

The Method

What I love about this coconut candy recipe is that it only takes around 15 minutes of prep, and is super simple to follow – with just five simple ingredients (and a pinch of salt), four of which can be homemade:

• Shredded coconut (unsweetened coconut)
• Coconut Oil (I have a DIY for Virgin and Extra Virgin coconut oil)
• Maple Syrup (or another sweetener – as written in the notes below)
• Vanilla Extract
• Dark chocolate (or milk chocolate, if you prefer)

The Steps:

Begin by preparing the coconut filling. You can mix all of the ingredients in a medium bowl or simply transfer to a blender/food processor. Blend for 1-2 minutes, until you have a sticky, thick texture. 

Spread the coconut filling over a wax paper/baking paper lined container or silicone mold and place it in the freezer to chill for at least thirty minutes. 

Just before removing the coconut bars from the freezer, you’ll need to melt your chocolate. It’s best to do this using a double boiler method (a heat-proof bowl over a pan of simmering water). However, you can also do it in the microwave at 10-15 second increments. 

Remove the coconut candy bars from the freezer and dip into the melted chocolate. I double-dip so that all the surfaces are adequately covered.

Set aside on a drying rack to set (with baking paper underneath to catch any chocolate drippings). 

You could also pop the coconut bars back in the fridge/freezer to set if needed. 

Once set, your coconut chocolate bars are ready to enjoy. 

How To Store

These coconut chocolate bars are best stored within the refrigerator and served chilled. Keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week. 

You can also store the bars in the freezer within an airtight container. Lay them out on a sheet to initially freeze, then pop into a freezer-friendly container (that way they don’t stick to one another) for two months.

When you want to eat one, simply grab one from the freezer and give it 5-10 minutes to soften up a  bit, for the ultimate texture. 

Recipe Notes & Variations

• You don’t need a silicone mold for this recipe; however, it’s great if you want perfectly symmetrical bars. Otherwise, spread in any baking paper lined tray/container and cut into size once set.
• For Keto-friendly coconut candy bars: Use erythritol, stevia, monk fruit sweetener, or another keto-friendly sweetener in place of the maple syrup. The same goes for the chocolate- either use unsweetened or add a keto-friendly sweetener. 
• For a Paleo-friendly Version: Maple syrup is technically Paleo-friendly. However, as it’s high sugar- I know many still avoid it. In that case, you can use any of the sweeteners mentioned above (erythritol, monk fruit, stevia). My preference would be to use erythritol. 
• If you want to make a Bounty Milk Chocolate version, then it may be harder to cater to all dietary requirements. However, you can use homemade milk chocolate with a sweetener of your choice. 
• For a ‘lighter’ option: Swap out some (if not all) of the coconut oil for coconut yogurt instead. This will give you a softer center to the coconut candy bars and will make the treats even healthier. 
• It’s possible to swap out the coconut oil for coconut butter. This won’t be a ‘lighter’ option, but tastes amazing!
• You can use leftover coconut pulp from Homemade Coconut Milk within this recipe. I suggest only swapping out a small amount (less than 50%), rather than the entire coconut. This is because the coconut pulp won’t have as much fat content and will affect the coconut chocolate bars’ texture.
• These Mounds bar/Bounty chocolate bar copycats can be turned into square coconut chocolate bars. Simply make a digestive biscuit/ graham cracker crust from graham cracker crumbs and coconut oil or dairy-free butter. Then top with the coconut filling and pour the chocolate on top. 

Other Healthy Candy Bar & Treat Recipes You May Like

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For a similar treat to these vegan Bounty Chocolate bars, you may like these 3 Ingredient Healthy Coconut Bliss Balls. For other healthy candy bars, then how about my Homemade Snickers, healthy vegan Twix bar, or 5 Ingredient Healthier Vegan Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups. 

You may also like this recipe for Healthier vegan magnums,  Healthy Chocolate Fudge (Naturally Sweetened), or even something like these Almond Butter Stuffed dates or these Chocolate Covered Healthy Fruit and Nut Bars.

If you have any questions, feel free to ask them in the comments. I’d also really appreciate a recipe rating and any feedback, and feel free to tag me in your recreations on Instagram @Alphafoodie.