Have you ever had a 7-layer bar? If not, have you even lived?
When I was working at a coffee shop many years ago, the baker would often make 7-layer bars to sell, and I’ve had it in the back of my mind for a long time to recreate them “healthier” and vegan. Today is that day, friends. Let’s bake!
The base for this decadent 10-ingredient dessert is an almond-oat crust naturally sweetened with dates and maple syrup that originated from our Creamy Vegan Lemon Bars!
The result is a crispy, salty, slightly sweet crust that makes the perfect foundation for these ooey, gooey bars.
Now that you have one layer down, there are still six layers to go:
Date Caramel
Pecans
Peanut Butter
Coconut Butter
Coconut Flakes
& Chocolate Chips
Total swoon! After a short bake in the oven, your bars are ready to devour (the best part).
We hope you LOVE these bars! They’re:
Crunchy
Gooey
Salty-sweet
Decadent
Rich
Easy to make
& Uber delicious
These would make the perfect dessert for a party, a shower, or a dinner party. They are also great to make and have around the house for something sweet. Although watch out! It’s hard to have just one. ;)
For more desserts, check out our Peanut Butter Fudge, Easy Vegan Fudge, Vegan Gluten Free Cinnamon Rolls, Peanut Butter & Jelly Snack Bars, Creamy Vegan Lemon Bars, and Strawberry Rhubarb Crumble Bars!
If you try this recipe, let us know! Leave a comment, rate it, and don’t forget to tag a photo @minimalistbaker on Instagram. Cheers, friends!
Vegan 7 Layer Bars
Ingredients
CRUST
- 1 cup rolled oats (certified gluten-free as needed)
- 1 cup raw almonds (organic when possible // we don’t recommend sprouted almonds, which burn easily in the oven)
- 1/3 tsp sea salt
- 2 Tbsp maple syrup
- 2 whole medjool dates (pitted // if dry, soak in warm water for 10 minutes then drain)
- 3 Tbsp melted coconut oil*
DATE CARAMEL*
- 1 cup packed pitted dates (if dry, soak in warm water for 10 minutes then drain)
- 1-2 Tbsp water
- 1 pinch sea salt
COCONUT BUTTER + FLAKES
- 3 cups unsweetened coconut flakes (divided // process 2 1/2 cups (175 g) into coconut butter, reserve 1/2 cup (35 g) for topping)
THE REST
- 3/4 cup chopped raw pecans (or other nut or seed of choice)
- 1/3 cup creamy salted peanut butter (or sub other nut/seed butter of choice)
- 2/3 cup dairy-free chocolate chips (we prefer Enjoy Life brand // or sub cacao nibs for a less rich dessert)
Instructions
- Prepare crust by preheating oven to 350 degrees F (176 C). Line an 8×8-inch baking dish (or use multiple pans if making a larger batch) with parchment paper and extend paper up over the edges.
- Add oats, almonds, and sea salt to a high-speed blender or food processor. Pulse into a fine meal.
- Add maple syrup, dates, and coconut oil and pulse until a “dough” forms that holds together when you squeeze it between your fingers. If it appears too dry, add more dates or water for moisture.
- Add crust to the parchment-lined pan and use your hands to spread it into an even layer, pushing the crust up to the edges of the pan so it contains the filling well. To achieve a uniform layer, cover a flat-bottom object (such as a drinking glass) with parchment paper and press down firmly.
- Bake for 12 minutes. Then remove from oven and set aside.
- In the meantime, prepare date paste by adding dates to a food processor and blending until small bits remain or a ball forms. Then add water 1 Tbsp (15 ml) at a time until a spreadable caramel paste forms. Add a pinch of salt and blend once more.
- Begin layering: To the crust, add date paste and then pecans, peanut butter, coconut butter, coconut flakes, and lastly chocolate chips.
- Bake for 10-12 minutes more or until the edges are golden brown and the toppings are slightly toasted. Be careful not to burn the coconut flakes.
- Remove from oven to cool for at least 20 minutes. Then carefully cut and serve warm. Otherwise, let cool until the chocolate and coconut butter are firm – 6 hours or overnight. To speed cooling time, you can also chill in the freezer or refrigerator. Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator up to 5 days or in the freezer up to 1 month.
Video
Notes
*In place of the date caramel, for even more decadent bars sub a batch of our Easy Vegan Caramel Sauce.
*Nutrition information is a rough estimate for 1 of 24 bars calculated with the oil (I cut them into 9 bars for photos, but they’re quite rich and we would recommend smaller servings).
Clare says
Hi, I haven’t yet made this (but fully intend to!), however I noticed something I wanted to check on – in this recipe you referenced needing unsweetened coconut flakes and this is what you make the coconut butter from. However, in your linked coconut butter recipe, you use specify desiccated or shredded coconut (I’m not sure if it is just in Australia, but desiccated, shredded and flakes are 3 completely different cuts of coconut). Does this mean you can use any of these to created the coconut butter? Thanks! Clare
Hi Clare, yes, you can use any of those. We hope you love the bars!
Faye says
These are amazing! Making my second batch today.
Thanks for the great recipes.
Thank you for the lovely review, Faye! We’re so glad you’re enjoying them! xo
Leah says
These were great! Super rich! I was worried about the coconut butter after reading some of the other comments. I used the smoothie carafe of my blender and only 2 cups of coconut (because that’s all that would fit). It took a while, but got smooth and I don’t think the reduced amount of coconut detracted from the bars.
Amazing! We’re so glad you enjoyed the bars, Leah. Thank you for sharing your experience! xo
Caitríona says
Another winner! Thank you, Dana!
For once, I followed the recipe exactly (99% – I used coconut butter instead of coconut oil in the crust). Just in case this is useful information: my homemade peanut butter was not drippy and my homemade coconut butter (made a few days ago) was rock-hard, so I just dolloped the peanut butter onto the pecans/date caramel/crust base and sprinkled on the chopped coconut butter, put it in the oven for a few minutes until it softened, took it out and spread it easily, then added the rest. Delicious!
Yay! We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Caitríona. Thank you for the lovely review and for sharing your method! xo
Sue Reade says
Very good! I will make again!
Yay! Thank you for sharing, Sue! xo
Nicole says
I followed the recipe precisely. Until I got to the step to add the coconut butter. I anticipated/ expected instructions on how to make coconut butter, but there weren’t any. I looked in the notes, but no notes on making coconut butter. Because I had already started the recipe, I didn’t have time to toggle over and research it, so I only ‘processed’ (blended) coconut and not for long enough. I used my blender, not food processor, (I had a chance to research it now that they are in oven baking) and it was finely processed, just not buttery. I hope it comes out ok! I am excited to try it, regardless.
Maybe add a hyperlink to the coconut butter recipe?
Thank you!!! They are baking, hoping for a yum dessert!!! :)
Oh goodness! We’re so sorry that hyperlink wasn’t in there, Nicole. We will definitely add it! Apologies for the oversight and thank you for letting us know!
Lara says
Hi,
I would love to make these. Any suggestions for a substitute for the rolled oats? I am allergic.
Thanks
Hi Lara, Hmm, oats are kind of key in this recipe, as almonds can be a little crumbly on their own. We’d probably recommend buckwheat flour (untoasted), quinoa flakes, or shredded coconut in their place. Hope this helps!
Linda Chau says
What if I already have almond flour and oat flour in the pantry? How much of each should I use?
Hi Linda, the bottom layer won’t have as much texture, but we think it would still work! We’d suggest starting with 3/4 cup each and adding more if needed to achieve the right texture. Let us know how it goes!
Bowie says
Also regarding the peanut butter – my homemade peanut butter is made with only peanuts (no added oil) and I refrigerate it so it’s like the thickest kind of peanut butter possible. It softened a bit after being microwaved but was still by no means easily spreadable. I just put down dollops and kind of distributed it with my hands while pressing it down to flatten everything. It was definitely not completely even by the end but this was a minor inconvenience/imperfection that I was ok with. I’m sure if people find their peanut butter not creamy enough and are bothered by it quickly mixing it up with some flavorless oil should just about fix it.
Bowie says
This came out really tasty (duh) but I did have some trouble with the coconut butter. I have the exact same model of food processor that you recommend and use it to make peanut butter all the time without issues, but today it just made sandy coconut flakes for me after at least 20 minutes of processing (I took breaks so I was on it for an hour). It didn’t seem like it was gonna go anywhere (it turned sandy after 5 min and there was no change in texture whatsoever that occurred in the next 15 min). So I toasted my sandy coconut a bit (it was refrigerated and maybe not the freshest) then tried to process it in my 9 cup 1000w ninja blender. Although the quantity was barely enough to reach the lowest blade, my sandy coconut did turn buttery pretty quickly and at which point the volume had contracted enough that I had to again transfer the content this time to my small 250w food processor because otherwise nothing touched the blade anymore. Luckily it was up to the task and was able to take it all the way. I ended up with something that looked like smooth butter but was definitely grainy to taste which I didn’t exactly mind. If I ever make it again hopefully it’ll go smoother and I’ll have enough patience to blend it for longer to see if the texture can be improved.
Sorry the coconut butter gave you trouble, Bowie! We find if there’s not enough volume of coconut in the food processor/blender, that can cause it to not get creamy.
Georgia says
Really tasty but the chocolate chips and coconut flakes aren’t staying attached to the layer below, so I haven’t found a way to cut them up without them falling apart. Maybe I needed fewer coconut flakes or to get my coconut butter more buttery. But I’d love any idea for fixing everything together. Maybe I can spray it with sugar water or strip the flakes and put honey beneath.
Just a request, I would have skipped these if I had read initially that they depended on a Cuisinart blender. It would be more helpful to add that info right at the top where the coconut ingredient is listed.
Hi Georgia, thanks for sharing your experience! It does sound like your coconut butter might need to be more “buttery” to help keep things together, but you could also mix the toppings in with a bit of the date caramel to help everything stick.
Tonya says
These take awhile to make, but oh so good!
Thank you for all your lovely reviews, Tonya! xo
Teressa says
Just made this. I’m an idiot and forgot to finish baking it but then re read it and baked and oh dear heavens. So good. I used 60% dairy free chocolate chips!!
Yum! Thanks so much for the review, Teressa. So glad you enjoyed!
Jill says
How long does it take to liquefy the coconut flakes? I ran my food processor for over 15 minutes and it was still flakes thanks
Hi Jill, it will depend how powerful your food processor is! It usually takes us about 8-10 minutes. You can find more details here. Hope that’s helpful!
Odette says
Amazing!! Great recipe. Thank you x
xoxo!
Diane says
I have an allergy to coconut, what oil can I use to replace.
Hi Diane, we’d suggest vegan butter, or for an oil-free option, subbing a 1/2 + 1/2 mixture of applesauce and water for the oil. Hope that helps!
Caitlyn says
Can you recommend any recipes for a caramel that is not date based? Is that even possible to do? I can’t always afford them but this recipe looks so good
Hi Caitlyn, we have a caramel recipe without dates here, but it’s not as thick.
Lisa says
Can you use store bought coconut butter?
Yes, that should work! Hope you love them =)
Kacy says
This recipe also has dates.
Sorry about that! You can try more coconut sugar instead in that recipe.
Emma says
Hey there! I’m allergic to almonds. What would be the best sub for them in this recipe? More oats? A different kind of nut?
Hi Emma, walnuts or pecans would be best! We’d suggest starting with 2 Tbsp oil instead of 3 and only adding more if needed. Let us know how it goes!
Amanda C says
Hi! Do you think we could use almond flour instead of almonds? If so, about how much almond flour would be used? Thank you, I can’t wait to make these :)
Hi Amanda, that should work! We’d suggest starting with 3/4 cup and adding more if needed to achieve the right texture. Let us know how you like them =)
Carlee Faye Hemming says
I made this for Fathers Day today and it was a hit! Everyone (grandfather, fathers, husband, brothers, etc) loved it. I didn’t have any leftover because every family took extras home. I used walnuts instead of pecans since that was all I had on hand. Great recipe.
Aw, yay! We’re so glad everyone enjoyed them. Thank you for the lovely review, Carlee! xo
Andy says
Is it ok to replace the almonds in the crust with almond flour?
Hi Andy! We haven’t tried it but we think it would work, though the measurements will be a little different. Let us know how it goes if you try it!
Samantha says
I’ve made this recipe many times and I have to say it is always a big hit! It’s extremely versatile to what you might have in the pantry. Modifications to the curst included … using water instead of coconut oil to bring my crust together and skipping the 2 TBS of maple syrup in the as my dates were very ripe and juicy!
Filling modifications included …subbing tahini for the peanut butter, using hemp hearts and a few rough chopped walnuts instead of pecans and sprinkling unsweetened coconut flakes instead of coconut butter. Finishing touch of chocolate chips!
Amazing! Thanks for sharing, Samantha! Appreciate your feedback as always! xo
karla says
you don’t say how much coconut butter. I am in the middle of this. what a mess.
I assume you’re using store-bought? If making from scratch, 2 1/2 cups coconut flakes should yield roughly 3/4-1 cup coconut butter.
Shivany says
Loveedddd it, these are quite dense and super delicious. Utterly indulgent.
I skipped the coconut butter and added shredded unsweetened coconut instead, turned out delicious:-)
We’re so glad you enjoyed them, Shivany! Thanks so much for the lovely review!
Mandy Ross Screven says
We loved these! I made them without the oil and used 2 Tbsp unsweetened applesauce in lieu of oil and it was perfect!
I am making them again tomorrow for Father’s Day and I made my coconut butter a few days ago to save a step. Can’t wait to share these again!
We love your recipes.
Aw, thanks Mandy! We’re so glad you enjoyed them! xo
Stacey Miller says
I love magic bars, I whipped these up before we walked the dogs tonight. These are so good and better for you too! Thank you 😊
We’re so glad you enjoy them, Stacey! Thanks for sharing!
Vicky says
WOW! These are just so perfectly delicious! And kind of healthy! will definitely make these over and over again… also I cant help but think a slightly unhealthier version of these would be replacing the dates paste with dulce de leche mmm so tempting to make!
Thanks for this amazing desert, it makes my pregnancy a bit easier :D
We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Vicky! Thanks so much for the lovely review!
Kara Tsukerman says
I couldn’t make coconut butter happen and I was afraid my food processor would get overheated so I just sprinkled the coconut “flour” on it instead and it still turned out delicious! My food processor is very old. Could I substitute with coconut milk next time? Either way these were excellent!
Hi Kara, we think buying coconut butter would be your best bet! We think coconut milk might make it soggy.
Luciana says
This sounds so tasty! Could I use quinoa flakes instead of oats? I am non-celiac gluten sensitivity and certified GF oats make my tummy upset.
Hi Luciana, we haven’t tried it that way, but it might work! Let us know if you try it!
Lauren Anderson says
Also, I have coconut butter. If I use this instead of processing the coconut will I still use 2.5 cups??
Hi Lauren, you’d want to use less because it condenses down. Use about 1/4 as much coconut butter as coconut flakes.
Lauren Anderson says
Excited to make these tomorrow! Wondering if I need to get almonds or if I can use the bag of mixed nuts I have instead? I saw something about sprouted almonds burning more easily so not sure if that would be the case with mixed nuts as well?
Thanks for any advice!
Hi Lauren, mixed nuts might burn more easily, but you could maybe try reducing the time/temp and watching closely. They could also change the amount of oil needed, so just watch for that. Almond would be best though.
Cheryl says
Minimalist Baker has some pretty good recipes but this just wasn’t one of them. I couldn’t get the date paste correct (although that could have been my fault, I didn’t use medjool dates and didn’t put them in water beforehand), and honestly, I’m not going to kill my mixer to make to coconut butter by blending coconut for 10 minutes. The crust was the only usable thing, then I used sweetened condensed coconut milk and layered with coconut flakes, chocolate chips and pecans. It tasted pretty good although the crust fell apart a bit, but as I said I didn’t use the right dates, so it would have been better if I had I suppose. I think this
recipe needs an overhaul.
Hi Cheryl, so sorry to hear you didn’t enjoy the recipe. This one is a bit more involved and requires the dates to be soft to turn out right, but other readers have really enjoyed it. For the coconut butter, a shortcut would be to use store-bought. We’ll take another look and see if we can make improvements.
Ashley says
I made this for thanksgiving lunch and it was a hit! We have df and gf people and people who can eat anything. EVERYONE loved it.
Wonderful! Thanks for sharing, Ashley!
Ashley says
Are you able to make any of this ahead of time?
Hi Ashley, these will keep up to 5 days in the fridge. Otherwise, you could definitely make the caramel in advance.
Alli says
Soooo delicious!! Super easy to make. I followed the recipe almost exactly except for the coconut butter. Must not have the right food processor. Brought these to a girls night and everyone loved. Will definitely make again!!
We’re so glad everyone enjoyed them, Alli! Thanks so much for sharing!
Nealie Anderson says
Hello, how much coconut butter is used to mix with the coconut? It says the process 2 1/2 cups with coconut butter but also drizzle with coconut butter. I’m confused. Thanks for the help!
Nealie
Process 2 1/2 cups (175 g) into coconut butter, and reserve 1/2 cup (35 g) for topping. Use all of the coconut butter produced after processing for the bars.
Laura says
These ?? Are ?? Le-git ??. Seriously delicious and so easy to make. Make them immediately and fool your non-vegan friends and family
Laura says
I should add I used a mixture of pecans and pistachios and they were ?
haha YAY! Thanks for sharing, Laura!
Ami says
I made this recipe and it turned out amazing! I used raw coconut rather than coconut flakes and didn’t use any coconut oil. Next time I’d use fewer dates. Otherwise, it came out great. Thanks for the recipe!
Thanks, Ami!
Laurie says
These are very delicious! Next time I make them I will add the peanut butter after the date paste because it was hard to spread on top of the pecans. Thanks for another winner!
Dede says
Hey! These bars taste so good, they are sweet but not overbareing. I do want to note that the yield says 24 bars but I have made the recipe twice now and they only come out to 10-11 bars and pretty small at that fact.
Anways! Make them they are so good:)
Hi Dede, So glad you enjoyed them! To keep these at a proper serving size, we cut them into 24 bars. But you can certainly cut them larger- just know that the nutrition information will be different. Hope that’s more clear!
Galina Noskova says
It has been my dream to make these bars healthy. I made these without coconut butter because I didn’t have enough coconut flakes. But I still wanted to have 7 layers so I added marshmallows on the very top at the end of baking and also instead of just chocolate chips put a mix of chocolate and white chocolate chips. So my version made it not so vegan. But It is one of the best and most sophisticated deserts I’ve ever had. Thank you Dana!
Very creative! Thanks so much for sharing, Galina!
Linda says
One word… DELICIOUS!
Meredith says
oh, I forgot! Sorry! Here is my rating ;)
Thanks, Meredith!
Meredith says
These were INCREDIBLE. I doubled the recipe and put it in a 13×9 pan with no problems. It left a little thicker crust, but we didn’t mind…it was worth having twice as much for the same amount of work. I also melted the nut butter before spreading and that seemed to help. I used cashew butter instead of peanut. We ate these for breakfast, dessert, snacks, etc. Thank you for such a great recipe!!
Thanks so much for the lovely review and for sharing your modifications, Meredith. We are so glad you enjoyed these! Next time, would you mind leaving a rating with your review? It’s super helpful for us and other readers. Thanks so much! xo
Kelly says
Really good and really rich. I made this recipe as written–except for no coconut butter. Thank you for the recipe, Dana!
ANNE TWINE says
Hi, I made this today and it has 5* from me, my husband, my daughter and granddaughters. I made it raw by adding more dates/sultanas to the crust. Best yet
ANNE TWINE says
Hi, This looks delicious, is there anyway I can add flaxseed into this as I want the family to have more omega 3 in the diet. Maybe in the crust?
Marjorie Lafrenz says
I love all of your recipes. ALL of them. I have made so many and all but one have turned out better than I thought and with the most amazing flavor. My husband is a respectful and avid public lands hunter. We eat a lot of wild game, gathered nuts, herbs, berries and mushrooms. I make your recipes for meatless options on some dinners for the week. Wonderful and wholesome choices my family really appreciates. I agree with another previous comment, you should create an app. I would download it! Thank you for creating these fabulous recipes. Oh, the one that didn’t work, was the chocolate chia pudding. I think I should have added more almond milk? It was too thick, and the chia seeds globbed together. I know it was me. Not you. Haha. Well done, Dana. Keep it up! ♡
Dawn says
I was excited to make these for Christmas. Unfortunately they didn’t work out. I couldn’t get the coconut to become coconut butter despite 10 minutes of processing in my Kitchenaid food processor. The peanut butter was difficult to spread over the pecans and after baking they wouldn’t stay together.
Patrice says
Would this work with store bought coconut butter/manna?
Yes, that should work!
Shanthi says
Oh my goodness! Dana, this is simply delicious and SO GOOD! All of my non-vegan friends are raving about it. I have made it twice and will definitely be making it again. Thank you for the wonderful recipe and love your blog!
Shanthi
Toronto
Ann Robbin says
Hi! I an confused about the coconut butter/coconut flake part. How much coconut butter are we supposed to use?
Ann Robbin says
Ok, I see a previous answer to this question. How do you process into coconut butter? Just using a food processor?
Danny says
What can I use instead of almond? Thanks!
Hi Danny! I’d say walnuts or pecans!
Michele says
I had the same issue! Would love some more clarity on how to make the coconut butter. Mine failed miserably…but I want to learn how its done effectively.
Hi Michele, here’s our tutorial on making coconut butter: https://minimalistbaker.com/how-to-make-coconut-butter/. Hope that helps!
vegangirl says
These were amazing. Well worth the steps involved.
Hanna says
These are amazing!!!!! I’ve made them 3 times and they are perfect every time! They are such a crowd pleaser! I’ve switched up the nuts depending on what I have on hand and used almond butter instead of peanut butter!
pamela says
Am I just missing something or did I read right past it, but I don’t see how much coconut butter to use? I see 3 cups of coconut flakes and to add it to the coconut butter but I just want to make sure I don’t screw these up! lol :)
Hi Pamela! Process 2 1/2 cups (175 g) into coconut butter, while keeping 1/2 cup (35 g) set aside for the topping) Hope this helps!
Alice Matzke says
I made these for my husband’s nurses and they devoured them! But…. I made the coconut butter and I really did not care for the taste of it (I like coconut too!) So I actually just skipped putting it on … and sprinkled extra huge flakes of coconut on top… It was a hit! and I loved it! Added lots of peanut butter :)
Woot woot! We are glad they were a hit, Alice! Thanks for sharing your recipe changes :D
Liza says
My new fave dessert! So yummy, sweet-tooth-satisfying and healthy that i feel happy after eating it. I added pumpkin seeds as well and still turned out yummy! Thanks for sharing this! So far, all the desserts i’ve made from your recipes are delicious, and i feel good that they have healthier twists in them! Thanks so much!
soyoung says
i made this for the first time about 3 months ago and seriously, i have made a batch almost every single week since! i love taking it on camping trips as a reward for all the hiking and as an after dinner treat. also mighty fine with morning coffee, hehe. these are so so so seriously delicious. it takes time to make but it is worth the effort!! highly recommend! :)
Vee says
This is very delicious. One of my roommates who doesn’t like desserts or coconut loved it and got seconds! ^.^ He said he likes how it didn’t have added sugar and was not too too sweet.
I have a question: How do you make the coconut creamy? I processed it in my food processor for a long time (3+ minutes) and it just turned into a powdery texture, no creaminess. Should I have combined it with something? Was I supposed to mix it with coconut butter or should it turn into coconut butter?
Hi Vee! We are glad that you and your roommate enjoyed the bars! Regarding your coconut butter, the only thing I can think it would be is the equipment you’re using. The coconut should go through three stages on its way to turning into butter. First the texture will be finely shredded, then thin out into a grainy liquid, then finally turn into a smooth, thick liquid. The finished butter will seem runny, but when you taste it the texture will be like thick, sticky, slightly grainy peanut butter. We highly recommend this food processor as we have had the most success with it!
Cristina says
I would LOVE to make and try this recipe, but what can you recommend to replace the dates with?
Thank you!
FYI. I am trying out your Lentil mushroom stew over mashed potatoes tomorrow night! I have been Vegan for almost 10 years, the only one in my family. I have invited a few family members over to try it out with me. Thank you for having this channel.
Thanks Christina! The dates in this recipe can be subbed with this caramel, just leave out the dates! And just add 1-2 Tbsp more maple syrup in the crust in place of the 2 dates there. Good luck!
Abigail says
Honestly, these vegan and gluten-free seven layer bars are the first seven layer bars I’ve eaten, to my memory! I followed the recipe this morning and emerged from the kitchen with sweet, nutty, rich bars that supremely satisfied the girls in the family. (I can’t speak for the guys, who preferred their death by chocolate cake over these delicious bars.)
To avoid excess dishes and unnecessary cleanings of the food processor, I made the base “dough” first, substituting an extra two Medjool dates for the two tablespoons of maple syrup. While that baked, I chopped the pecans in the uncleaned processor and set them aside in a bowl, then prepared the coconut butter and set that aside too. After the coconut butter I blended the date paste together, which I spread right from the processor once the base was set.
I accidentally used much less coconut flake quantity than called for (3/4 pureed and 1/4 left whole), but this mistake did not take away from the end product. I found the peanut butter a little hard to spread over the chopped pecans, so I ended up just mixing them together and making a crunchy peanut butter layer. After sprinkling the coconut flakes on top, I chopped some Trader Joe’s dark chocolate in the then-clear food processor and distributed that over the flakes.
In the future, I think I’ll melt the chocolate instead of chopping it. After the bars baked and I cut them into pieces (I yielded 16 squares), the chocolate just rolled off. Altogether, though, these bars fulfilled all of the expectations I had for a healthy “indulgence” – easy, texturally interesting, and made with whole foods. Thanks, Dana!
Penny Bergstrom says
Loved this! But the coconut butter recipe didn’t work for me. I have a very efficient food processor and blended it for 30 minutes before giving up. I ended up adding the coconut to the peanut butter and added some water so that I could spread the mixture.
Kara De Maria says
Hi, I made this but need clarification on two points:
1. How did you get your peanut butter to drizzle consistency? I’ve never seen peanut butter like that and was very difficult to spread mine evenly on top of the soft date caramel.
2. You say in the recipe to use 3 cups coconut flakes divided. However in the video you use shredded coconut to blend – does this make a difference?
I blended flaked coconuts for EVER and no coconut butter, all that happened was tiny hard flakes.
I made the recipe and the flavours were delicious however the texture of the tiny coconut flakes were unpleasant and I want to know how to make coconut butter.
Hi Kara! Thanks for reaching out.
1. The consistency of peanut butter can vary depending on whether you’re using a natural pb with no thickeners. If you are having a tricky time spreading it, you can warm it up slightly at that should help?
2. Check the coconut butter page for tips! We share the food processor that we highly recommend as well as cover FAQs.
Heather Hanselmann says
What would you recommend as a substitute for the almonds in the crust? I can easily leave out the walnuts but the almond clearly makes the crust. My hubby is allergic to nuts and I would like to share this yummy treat with him. Thank you!
larisa says
omg i’ve missed these SO much. genius. thank yoU!!
kerri torrey says
I don’t usually comment on threads but this recipe was sooooo good. I didnt use the proper kitchen equipment so my coconut “butter” was more like coconut crumbles and the dates were like a date paste. But this was a winner. My husband has been plant based for 6 days now. So I showed him how great plant based could be. This is a treat and I wont make them too often as we have very little self control haha.
These are a winner and were eaten in one day, ugh!!
We’re so glad to hear this, Kerri! Thanks for sharing!
mamycooks.com says
Yaaassss!!! These look amazing! All the layers, all the days.
Anne says
Made this in a pinch. Super easy.
Kristen says
Another winner! I made these for a potluck and they were devoured. Thanks again for your consistently terrific recipes!!
Shelly says
Hi Dana
I made the vegan bars last night and they are scrumptious!!!
Woot woot! We’re glad you enjoyed them, Shelly!
Sarah Randall says
These turned out delicious! I especially liked the crust. My only tip would be if your peanut butter is a little too thick, whisk with some warm water so it will drizzle more easily!
Leah says
So good. Amazing flavor and so decadent tasting. I made it almost exactly as written, although I subbed the maple syrup for a few extra dates +water in the crust, and used unsweetened carob chips to make it completely refined sugar free. I tried making the coconut butter in my ninja blender and it failed, and I moved it to the food processor and it worked right away. I heated up my peanut butter before spreading which made it a lot easier. Thanks for the great recipe!
Liz Skidmore says
What a great recipe! So much better than regular layer bars since they’re so healthy and full of all-natural ingredients. I made them tonight for a work party and they got eaten up so quickly. The date caramel was my favorite layer…great texture and nice kick of sweetness. I layered the peanut butter on top of the date caramel, then added the pecans, because I thought it might be hard to spread the PB on top of the chopped nuts. They were very crumbly and messy but that’s part of the fun. Thanks for this keeper recipe, Dana!
Ah, thanks Liz!
Kristen says
So so so so YUMMY! I made these last night and have nearly eaten the whole batch myself! I used less of the coconut butter as I only have a little of my homemade batch left but they are still super delicious! Thanks for the fabulous recipe!
Yay, thanks for sharing!
Caroline says
Hey!
Just wondering what you would recommend in place of coconut butter? I only have a small amount of coconut which I want to put on top. I do have coconut milk powder and creamed coconut??
Hi Caroline, creamed coconut should be the same thing!
Vanessa says
After 20 min in a brand new kitchenaid food processor, my coconut will not butter. At this point, I’m adding coconut oil and coconut creamer in drizzles to try and coax it forward.
So strange! What size bowl does your processor have? Perhaps it’s too large? Did you add enough coconut flakes to get the mixture going? Perhaps it’s the FP model?
Vanessa L says
It was a standard sized bowl, but it has a mini bowl insert. Perhaps next time I can try using that. The recipe turned out great, but the coconut puree shred was a bit messy and sand like.
Drew Nelson says
Hello Dana! Didn’t know how else to hey ahold of you but I wanted to ask you if their is any chance of you or ‘Minimalist Baker’ getting an app available? I think it would be such a hit and so many people would looove it!
Thanks for the kind words, Drew! It is not something we’re currently working on but we appreciate the support!
Priya says
I love the date layer specially as i never add salt in date recipes. this recipe looks super fudgy, chewy, moist and melt in mouth. I am damn sure that mr.husband will definitely love this.
Thanks for sharing.
Shawn says
Ya it is the food processor that I’m using. The supra kitchen system came with blender , processor and nutri ninja cups . Expensive machine 1200 Watts . This coconut butter is the only thing its failed on ☹ I’m thinking its the blade alignment . Maybe I can find different blade for it .
shawn says
hey . my food processor is 1.2 HP ninja supra kitchen system and it just will not make butter out of the coconut … frustrating . Any ideas , maybe its the S blade
I’ve had hit and miss experiences with Ninja’s. They don’t seem to want to blend things super fine (like hummus or dates, for instance). Do you have a food processor by chance? That’s best for coconut butter!
Miriam says
Who would have thought that I could make coconut butter in a cheaper food processor than the mighty magic mix
Hannah says
So I made these with no adjustments (and it took about 2 hours, mostly because homemade coconut butter is a persnickety thing and not all equipment is created equal but a WHOLE BAG of Bob’s Unsweetened Coconut Flakes + Vitamix with pluger was finally the key), and because I’ve been following a nutritarian diet (oil free, no added sugar or salt), these were SO rich and sweet to me that i basically fell off the wagon for a couple days, and when I popped my head back up, they were all gone WHOOPS WHAT WAS I THINKING. I’m no quitter, so I’m now interested in scaling back to an oil-free crust and cocoa nibs version, and also maybe somehow diluting the coconut butter, or making sure it’s very warm and can be applied in skinny little drizzles, or at least mixing it with either the date caramel or the PB in order to keep it softer. My coconut butter blobs stayed hard and squished the layers below with each bite (it’s not coconut oil melting point weather her in Seattle just yet). If you’re reading this and you’ve had success with an oil-free crust or thinner/softer/more dilute coconut butter or sell safety nets for wagons, please let me know and THANKS.
Vicki says
In didn’t mean to make an oil free crust, I just forgot to add it. I added soaking liquid from my dates to help bind the crust. It’s very crunchy, maybe too thick of a layer, but still very good
Abigail says
I don’t know about wagon safety nets, but I did have success just using three tablespoons of water in place of the coconut oil.
As for the coconut butter, I didn’t actually blend the coconut flakes for the full ten minutes recommended to achieve a “butter” consistency because there was a baby in the house trying to rest and it would have been inconsiderate to run the machine that long. Basically, I let the machine cut the flakes into really small pieces that I scattered over the peanut butter layer, then added the bigger, full coconut flakes. I didn’t have a problem with the coconut layer squishing the others.
I hope this helps, Hannah!
Sharon says
I’m allergic to almonds. Would another nut work in place of the almonds in the crust? Would pecans, walnuts or cashews work instead?
I’d say walnuts or pecans!
Achem says
This looks so great! Thanks for such delicious photos and recipe
Cassie Thuvan Tran says
I can imagine how addictive this may be! I would probably eat all of the bars in one sitting, so there’s no point in cutting up nine or twenty four bars! I can take any rich delicious dessert any day!
Hannah says
I can confirm their addictive qualities when made as written.
Saira says
Hey, Would there be any alternative to oats that would work in this? I just can’t seem to get myself to like them!
Hmm, oats are kind of key in this recipe, as almonds alone can be a little crumbly on their own. I’d probably recommend some sort of buckwheat flour (untoasted) or shredded coconut in their place. Hope this helps!
gillian says
if using prepared coconut butter, how much should i use?
thanks,
gillian
~ 3/4 cup!
Lara says
Instead of grinding almonds, could I use almond meal or flour?
So yes, but the measurements will be a little different. Let us know what amounts you come up with!
Laura says
This sounds delicious! The crust is so simple, but looks so tasty! I’m definitely going to give this a try.
Maria Koutsogiannis says
OMG these look so tasty and I love anything with dates in them!
We hope you love the recipe, Maria!
Laura says
Can i make this recipe raw? I would rather not bake all this good ingeredients, would it work?
Hmm, the crust needs to be baked, but the rest doesn’t have to be. To make a raw crust, follow one of our cheesecake recipes! https://minimalistbaker.com/vegan-no-bake-coconut-yogurt-cheesecake/
Rosie says
Really good and I enjoyed all the different components that I learned to make. I feel like I can use the crust, caramel, and the coconut butter all in other ways. Thanks so much Dana .
Yay! Thanks for sharing, Rosie! Lovely name, btw : )
Annaliese says
OMGGGG these look AMAZING. Def on my to-bake list! I too remember 7 layer bars, and the coconut component was always my favorite. Well done, Dana!
Trish says
With what can I replace the coconut?
Nikki says
Same… so many people I cook For don’t dig on coconut ?♀️
Trish says
Any idea with what to replave ut with Nikki???
Hmm, I’d say coconut butter is pretty central in this recipe. Otherwise, maybe double up on peanut butter and date caramel and add way more chocolate chips!
Vicki says
Could add scotch chips for another flavor profile, it make vegan condensed milk
Donna says
These look delicious! I’ve been on paleo since the beginning of the year and lost over 20#s!! I can have the oats :(. Any similar paleo options??? Thank you!! D
Donna says
I can’t have oats!!!
Hmm, oats are kind of key in this recipe, as almonds alone can be a little crumbly on their own. I’d probably recommend some sort of buckwheat flour (untoasted) or shredded coconut in their place.
Natalie says
These look absolutely delicious!
J says
Can’t wait to try these!! Yum!
Victoria says
So I saw you post this on Instagram and I decided I had to have it, immediately. So I ran to the store, got the few ingredients I was missing, and headed home to make these. I just finished eating my first one, and I can say that they are just as delicious as they look in the photo. Thank you so much for sharing!
You work fast! Thanks for sharing, Victoria! xo
Tina Kistner says
Looks Great Dana!! Can’t wait to make these! Yum!!
Sandra says
I’ve been on an anti-inflammation diet for over a month-getting bored with it, and here you come on a lazy Saturday morning with this recipe loaded with anti-inflammatory ingredients! I couldn’t get to the kitchen fast enough-these are amazing! You guys are my heroes!
Yay! thanks for sharing, Sandra!
Kungaa Joseph says
I don’t want to make it; I just want to eat this. The past few recipes are comfort food and sinful. Thank you for this.
Tracey says
I have always LOVED 7 layer bars!! So excited to try these. I wonder if I could use the leftover almond pulp from making almond milk in the crust, instead of whole almonds? I guess I would need a little something more to bind together. I’m always trying to find ways to use my pulp ?
Emily Roque Cisneros says
I always throw my pulp into my smoothies! I freeze it until I need to use it.
JEnnie says
Have u tried to make an unrefined sugar almond paste with ur pulp? I think it could work!