Almond Joy Bars

All the coconut lovers out there will love the sweet coconut and almond crunch of these homemade Almond Joy bars.

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Prep Time30 minutes mins

Total Time2 hours hrs

Servings23

These homemade Almond Joy bars are out of this world! They’re made with a rich and creamy almond, coconut, and cream cheese filling and topped with decadent chocolate that’s sure to satisfy any sweet tooth.

Almond Joy Bars Ingredients

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Almond Joy bars are an explosion of deliciousness with each bite!

The delicate sweetness from the chocolate pairs perfectly with the earthy nuttiness of roasted almonds and the fluffy fresh coconut for a blissfully indulgent treat.

To make this homemade confection, you’ll need:

• 8 ounces of cream cheese, softened to room temperature
• 2 tablespoons of salted butter, softened to room temperature
• 1 teaspoon of coconut extract
• 4 cups of powdered sugar, plus more for dusting/shaping candies
• 1 cup of sweetened shredded coconut
• 60 whole almonds
• 2 (11.5-ounce) bags of milk chocolate chips, divided in half if you will be working at a slower pace
• 2 tablespoons of shortening, divided in half

PRO TIP:

Make sure you are using the sweetened shredded coconut found in the baking aisle of your grocery store for this Almond Joy recipe. This is not the time for a natural or unsweetened coconut.

Substitutions And Additions

CHOCOLATE CHIPS: If you favor dark chocolate or semi-sweet chocolate more than milk chocolate, you can certainly swap out the milk chocolate for semi-sweet chocolate chips in these homemade Almond Joys.

I would not suggest using anything darker than the semi-sweet chips.

CHOCOLATE COATING: You can also use chocolate almond bark, milk, or semi-sweet chocolate melting discs for the chocolate coating of these coconut delights.

If you use either of these options, then you should omit the vegetable shortening and follow the melting instructions on the package.

How To Make This Almond Joy Bars Recipe

The first part of making these homemade chocolate bars is to create a creamy coconut filling. You’ll form this mixture into oval shapes and top it with two almonds. Pop in the freezer to firm up.

Once the chill time is up, you will coat each of the ovals with the milk chocolate coating that has been melted in the microwave. Let the chocolate set, and you’ll have your very own homemade candy bars.

STEP ONE: In a medium mixing bowl, use a hand mixer or a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment on medium speed to cream together the softened cream cheese, salted butter, and coconut extract until smooth. 

STEP TWO: Beat in two cups of the powdered sugar until fully incorporated.

Add the remaining two cups and beat again until all the powdered sugar has been incorporated and the mixture is smooth. Your mixture will be very thick.

STEP THREE: Stir the sweetened shredded coconut into the cream cheese mixture until evenly incorporated.

STEP FOUR: Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and chill the coconut mixture in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to one hour.

STEP FIVE: Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.

Using a 1½-inch cookie scoop, scoop out a ball of Almond Joy filling and shape it into a 1½-inch x 2¼-inch oval. Your scoop should be full but not heaping.

You will need to have a bowl of powdered sugar handy to lightly coat your hands or the ball of filling to help shape the Almond Joy bars if they are too sticky when handling.

STEP SIX: Place the shaped bars onto the parchment-lined baking trays.

Once you have shaped all your Almond Joy bars, you will top each bar with two whole almonds.

STEP SEVEN: Place the baking tray into the freezer for a minimum of one hour to allow the bars to get really firm. 

STEP EIGHT: Once your Almond Joy bars have hardened in the freezer, you will want to melt the milk chocolate. 

STEP NINE: Add the milk chocolate chips and shortening to a microwave-safe bowl.

Heat in 30-second intervals, stirring between, until the chocolate is melted and smooth.

If you have a melt option on your microwave, you can follow your manufacturer’s instructions.

STEP TEN: Dip one frozen Almond Joy bar into the melted chocolate at a time. You can use a spoon to fully coat the top of the candy with melted chocolate. 

STEP ELEVEN: Using a large dinner fork, lift the chocolate-coated bars out of the chocolate and tap the side of the bowl to allow any excess chocolate to drip off and back into the bowl.

STEP TWELVE: Place each dipped Almond Joy bar back onto the wax paper. You can use a toothpick to carefully push the bars off of the fork if needed.

This will help keep the chocolate looking nice on your bars.

STEP THIRTEEN: Place the tray of chocolate-coated Almond Joy bars into the refrigerator for 15 minutes to set the chocolate.

Once the chocolate has firmed up, you can place the Almond Joy bars on a serving plate or into a storage container.

How To Serve

This delicious treat will be a huge hit when you surprise all of the coconut lovers in your life.

Wrap them up in a cookie tin along with our Martha Washington candy and peppermint bark to share with friends and family.

To really elevate this decadent dessert and create a culinary experience like no other, try serving it alongside a scoop of your favorite ice cream.

Vanilla or red velvet ice cream will perfectly complete each bite.

If you are looking for a few more sweet treats, you’ll love our cashew brittle and rainbow popcorn.

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Storing Almond Joy Candy Bars

Whether you’re making them ahead of time or simply looking to savor the leftovers, here are some handy storage tips to ensure your bars stay at their best.

MAKE AHEAD: If you’re planning ahead, you can make these Almond Joy bars in advance. Store the container in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight.

You can make these bars up to two days ahead, ensuring you have a delightful treat ready to enjoy at any time.

IN THE FRIDGE: You will need to keep these coconut bars refrigerated, in an airtight container, until ready to eat. They will keep for up to a week in the refrigerator. 

IN THE FREEZER: You can store Almond Joys in the freezer in an airtight container for up to three months. Thaw them in the fridge or enjoy them frozen.

Why We Love This Recipe

DELICIOUS COMBINATION OF FLAVORS: Almond Joy bars are known for their perfect blend of sweet and nutty flavors. The combination of creamy coconut, sweet chocolate, and crunchy almonds creates a delightful taste sensation that many find irresistible.

SIMPLE PREPARATION: Many Almond Joy recipes are straightforward and require only a few ingredients. This simplicity makes it accessible to both novice and experienced bakers, making it a go-to choice for those looking for an easy yet satisfying dessert to make at home.

Almond Joy bars are so delicious with their gooey filling and crunchy almonds. Now you can skip the store-bought version, and you can make this yummy treat in your own kitchen with a handful of simple ingredients. 

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Almond Joy Bars

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All the coconut lovers out there will love the sweet coconut and almond crunch of these homemade Almond Joy bars.

Prep Time 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 2 hours hours

Servings 23

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Ingredients

  

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• 8 ounces cream cheese, softened to room temperature
• 2 tablespoons salted butter, softened to room temperature
• 1 teaspoon coconut extract
• 4 cups powdered sugar, plus more for dusting/shaping candies
• 1 cup sweetened shredded coconut
• 60 whole almonds
• 23 ounces milk chocolate chips, divided in half if you are working slowly
• 2 tablespoons shortening, divided in half if you are working slowly (I used Crisco)

Instructions

 

• In a medium mixing bowl, use a handheld mixer or a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, on medium speed, to cream together the softened cream cheese, salted butter, and coconut extract until smooth.
• Beat in 2 cups of the powdered sugar until fully incorporated. Add the remaining 2 cups and beat again until all the powdered sugar has been incorporated and the mixture is smooth. Your mixture will be very thick.
• Stir the sweetened shredded coconut into the cream cheese mixture until evenly incorporated.
• Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to 1 hour.
• Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Using a 1½-inch cookie scoop, scoop out a ball of Almond Joy filling and shape it into a 1½-inch x 2¼-inch oval. Your scoop should be full but not heaping.

  You will need to have a bowl of powdered sugar handy to use to lightly coat your hands, or the ball of filling, to help shape the Almond Joy bars if they are too sticky when handling.
• Place the shaped bars onto the parchment-lined baking trays. Once you have shaped all your Almond Joy bars, you will top each bar with two whole almonds.
• Place the baking tray into the freezer for a minimum of 1 hour to allow the bars to get really firm.
• Once your Almond Joy bars have hardened in the freezer, you will want to melt your milk chocolate.
• To a microwave-safe bowl, add the milk chocolate chips and shortening. Heat in 30-second increments, stirring between, until the chocolate is melted and smooth. If you have a melt option on your microwave, you can follow your manufacturer’s instructions.
• Dip one frozen Almond Joy bar at a time into the melted chocolate. You can use a spoon to fully coat the top of the candy with melted chocolate.
• Using a large dinner fork, lift the chocolate-coated bars out of the chocolate and tap the side of the bowl to allow any excess chocolate to drip off and back into the bowl.
• Place each dipped Almond Joy bar back onto the parchment paper. You can use a toothpick to carefully push the bars off of the fork if needed. This will help keep the chocolate looking nice on your bars.
• Place the tray of chocolate-coated Almond Joy bars into the refrigerator for 15 minutes to set the chocolate. Once the chocolate has firmed up, you can place the Almond Joy bars on a serving plate or into a storage container.

Notes

• Make sure you are using the sweetened shredded coconut found in the baking aisle of your grocery store for this Almond Joy recipe. This is not the time for a natural or unsweetened coconut.
• If you don’t tend to work quickly with dipping/coating items in chocolate, then you can melt your chocolate in two separate batches. Melt 1 (11.5-ounce) bag plus 1 tablespoon of shortening in a medium bowl. This ensures that your chocolate does not seize up halfway through dipping your candies.
• I sometimes have to put half the batch of Almond Joy candies that have not yet been dipped in chocolate into the freezer to firm up again. You have to work really fast if you want to get them all dipped in one batch.
• These taste even better the next day! Chill them overnight to firm up even more.

Nutrition

Calories: 239kcal | Carbohydrates: 33g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 13mg | Sodium: 53mg | Potassium: 36mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 31g | Vitamin A: 174IU | Vitamin C: 0.2mg | Calcium: 39mg | Iron: 0.4mg

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