Easy Vegan Nanaimo Bars recipe. This Canadian no bake dessert idea is made without raw eggs and makes a great snack.
Nothing says holidays quite like Nanaimo Bars.
But, I am still pregnant. So I can’t have the classic Nanaimo Bars with the raw egg. Time to veganize these bad boys.
These Vegan Nanaimo Bars come curtesy of It Doesn’t Taste Like Chicken. Most of the time, I am clueless on how to make a recipe vegan, and honestly her site helps with that a lot! I usually shy away from vegan recipes because I never have flax seeds at home, but this one doesn’t contain any!
Nanaimo Bars are essential during the holidays. I’m already giving up sushi, soft cheese, alcohol… basically all the good things for this pregnancy. The least I can do is make Vegan Nanaimo Bars. This delicious treat is going to keep me happy for the rest of my pregnancy.
What is a Nanaimo Bar?
A Nanaimo Bar is a classic Canadian treat consisting of a chewy chocolate base, a custard filling and a melted chocolate layer on top. They are named after the small city of Nanaimo on Vancouver Island, British Columbia. They are about as Canadian as maple syrup, everyone knows them as a classic Canadian dessert.
A classic Nanaimo bar is made with raw eggs, but in this recipe I am opting out of that. There is also no need for a flax egg in this vegan version.
Quick Notes
Storage: Store these bars in an air-tight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. I would not suggest storing them at room temperature as the chocolate may melt depending on your house temperature and humidity.
Don’t have graham cracker crumbs? Get some vegan graham crackers and place in a food processor. Pulse until they resemble fine crumbs, then add to the coconut crust mixture.
Vegan Nanaimo Bars Ingredients
It looks complicated, but I promise you it is not! All you need is:
Base Layer:
- sliced almonds
- chocolate chips
- vegan butter
- vegan graham cracker crumbs
- unsweetened shredded coconut
- vanilla extract
Cream Layer:
- powdered sugar (or icing sugar)
- vegan butter
- coconut milk
- instant vanilla powder
Chocolate topping:
- chocolate chips
- coconut oil
That’s it!
More No Bake Bars
Like this vegan Nanaimo bar recipe? Then you will love these dessert bar ideas:
- No Bake Peanut Butter and Chocolate Oat Fudge Bars
- Peanut Butter Cheerio Bars
- Chocolate Peanut Butter Squares
If you try this recipe, let me know! Rate it, leave a comment and tag me with #atasteofmadness on Instagram! I always love seeing what you are creating!
Vegan Nanaimo Bars
Ingredients
Bottom Layer
- 1/2 cup sliced almonds
- 1/2 cup vegan chocolate chips
- 1/2 cup vegan butter
- 2 cups graham cracker crumbs
- 1 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Middle Layer
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 1/4 cup vegan butter
- 1-3 Tbsp coconut milk from carton
- 2 Tbsp instant vanilla powder
Chocolate Layer
- 4 oz vegan chocolate chips
- 2 tsp coconut oil
Instructions
- In a food processor, pulse the almonds until they look like fine crumbs. Set aside.
- Line a 8 inch square baking pan with parchment paper. Set aside.
- In a medium saucepan, melt the chocolate chips and butter over low heat, stiring continuously until smooth. Keep an eye on it so it does not burn. Remove from heat.
- Mix in the graham cracker crumbs, coconut and almonds into the chocolate mixture. Stir in the vanilla. Press the mixture into the prepared baking pan and place in the fridge while you prepare the next layer.
- In the bowl of a stand mixture, cream together the middle layer ingredients until smooth. Spread this layer on top of the bottom layer and place in the fridge to cool.
- In a microwave safe bowl, melt the chocolate layer ingredients in the microwave in 30 second intervals, mixing until smooth. Pour over the middle layer.
- Place in the freezer for 1-2 minutes. Score on top where you want to cut into bars. Return to the freezer or the fridge until hardened. Cut along the scores to cut into bars.
Notes
- Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
- Recipe adapted from It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken.
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These nanaimo bars look incredible! I love that now i can. make hem vegan with just a few simple swaps Great recipe!
Thanks!
These are little bites of heaven. Love that you made them without egg too! Perfect for those in my family that can’t eat eggs.
Or for people who don’t like eating raw eggs 😉 So glad you liked it!
What a great idea! I always like no bake dessert ideas.
Me too!!
My kids loved these! We can’t wait to make again! 🙂
I am so glad that they were a hit with your kids!
I made the bars this morning, and the batch is almost gone!! I highly recommend the recipe: easy, yummy, and delicious!
They don’t last long in my house either 😉
One of my friends is vegan, and she is going to visit me this weekend.
I will be preparing this dessert for her, and I am sure she will love it!
Yum!
Yay! Hope she loves it as much as I do!
This is the first I’ve heard of Nanaimo bars but I made some today and they are so delicious!. Love that you put a healthy spin on them.
That makes me so happy to hear 🙂
Awesome! This bar looks absolutely yummy! Plus it’s Vegan which is good for everyone. I’ll definitely make this at home! Thanks for sharing this with us!
Let me know how it goes 😉
These bars sound delicious! I have never had these before, but seem very simple to make. Excited to give them a try!
You need to give them a go! 🙂