Salted “Almond Joy” No-Bake Bars

Line an 8×8 inch pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang over the sides. You’ll need this to use as a handle later.

Place almonds into a large food processor and process until broken down into crumbs. Add dates and process until dates are crumbly.

Transfer the mixture to a bowl and add 1 tablespon water. Using your hands, mix together until dates and almonds stick together and form a stick dough.

Press evenly into the bottom of the prepared pan. If it’s really sticky and hard to work with, I find it really helps to hold a piece of parchment paper, and use it help press the crust into the pan. Place into the freezer while you make the coconut cream layer.

Place chilled coconut cream and honey into a large bowl and beat, with an electric hand mixer, until well mixed. Try to get out an lumps of coconut cream so it nice and smooth.

Gently spread the coconut cream over top of the crust until even and smooth. Place back into the freezer until coconut cream has firmed up, about 1 hour.

Place almond butter into a large, microwave-safe bowl and microwave until melted and creamy. Pour almond butter into the pan over the coconut cream, and gently smooth around until butter is even and flat. Place into the freezer (make sure it’s sitting flat!) and chill until almond butter hardens, about 1–2 hours

Lift the bars out of the pan and place onto a cutting board, gently peeling back the parchment paper. If your almond butter is rock solid, let the bars sit a little bit at room temperature so they soften. This makes them easier to cut. I’ve found some almond butter hardens like a rock, and some will stay a little squishy in the freezer.

Gently cut into 16 bars so that you don’t crack the coconut cream or almond butter. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper and place the bars on it, and then place back into the freezer while you melt the chocolate.

In a medium, microwave-safe bowl, melt chocolate and coconut oil at half power and in 30-second intervals, stirring between each interval. Pour melted chocolate into a shallow plate with sides.

Take half of the bars out of the freezer and place onto a parchment-paper lined plate, keeping the other half of the bars in the freeze so they stay hard. Pick up each bar by the crust layer and dunk the almond butter layer into the chocolate, gently shaking off the excess. Working quickly, place it back onto the plate and sprinkle with a few almonds and sea salt. Repeat until all the bars are done.

Store bars in the freezer until ready to serve and then devour immediately! You may need to let them sit out for a bit before devouring, depending on how hard your almond butter is.

Notes:
1. Do not use an almond butter that you need to stir, as I did not have luck with it setting properly and sticking to the coconut cream. I used Maranatha No-stir natural almond butter and highly recommend it!
2. You really only need about 2 ounces of chocolate to cover the bars, but having some extra makes it so much easier to get them covered evenly and quickly. The nutrition information reflects 2 ounces, but definitely use 3 ounces to make it easier on yourself.