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Try these raw vegan Nanaimo bars in place of the traditional version! Filled with nuts and coconut, and sweetened with maple syrup. I'm from Victoria Island, where Nanaimo bars originate, and while these are a pretty far cry from the custard-based version, they're so good. If you're into less sweet, refined sugar-free desserts, try these bars.
For some more small chocolate-y whole food desserts, try my 4 ingredient vegan chocolate truffles, hazelnut chocolate balls, and sweet-and-salty miso chocolate chunk cookie bars.
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- Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
- Top Tips
- How to Store
- FAQ
- More No-Bake Treats
- Recipe
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
- Dates: these don't need to be medjool dates. Any soft date will work well, and if they're not soft enough to blend, they can be soaked instead.
- Coconut oil: if you want to avoid a slight coconut flavour, you can use refined oil, but note that the bars won't be fully raw.
- Maple syrup: for fully raw bars, use all raw honey in place of any maple syrup. For fully vegan bars, use only maple syrup and no honey.
- Cocoa butter: if you just want vegan Nanaimo bars and aren't worried about the raw aspect, the topping can be replaced with melted dark chocolate instead of making your own raw chocolate.
Top Tips
- Slice with a hot knife: while you should let the bars warm up a bit before slicing, heating up the knife will also help to prevent the chocolate topping from cracking. Run it under hot water, then dry well before using.
- Cut small bars: these are very rich, just like the traditional version, so it's best to cut into small pieces.
- Prepare in advance: the cashews for the filling need to be soaked overnight, so plan a bit ahead of time. It's best to soak them in the fridge just in case.
How to Store
Storage: keep the bars in a sealed container in the fridge for up to a week. They shouldn't be stored at room temperature.
Freezing: transfer bars to an airtight container and freeze for up to two months. Thaw in the fridge before serving.
FAQ
How do you cleanly cut Nanaimo bars?
The very best way to cut Nanaimo bars is with a hot, dry knife. Heat the knife with hot water from the tap, then dry well with a tea towel. This will melt the chocolate as it glides through and make perfect slices.
Are Nanaimo bars a Canadian thing?
They are indeed, and named after the town of Nanaimo in British Columbia! There's some debate about where they originate, with many people saying they're actually from Victoria.
What is another name for Nanaimo bars?
Nanaimo bars are sometimes called Victoria bars or simply chocolate slice. As they've become even more popular outside of Canada, they are almost always called Nanaimo bars these days.
More No-Bake Treats
- Easy No-Bake Coconut Date Balls
- Blueberry Cashew Cheesecake (No Bake)
- Raw Chocolate Macaroons
- Peach and Ginger Cashew Cheesecake
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Recipe
Raw Vegan Nanaimo Bars
Try these raw vegan Nanaimo bars in place of the traditional version! Filled with nuts and coconut, and sweetened with maple syrup.
Prep Time10 minutes mins
Chilling Time1 hour hr
Total Time1 hour hr 10 minutes mins
Servings: 16
Author: Sophie
Equipment
Measuring cups and spoons
Food processor
8x8 in. pan
Ingredients
Base
- 1 ¾ Cup Unsweetened Coconut
- 1 ½ Cup Walnuts
- ¼ Cup + 2 Tbsp. Dates
- 3 Tbsp. Maple Syrup or liquid sweetener of choice
- 4 Tbsp. Coconut Oil
- 3 tablespoon Cacao Powder
- ⅛ teaspoon Sea Salt
Middle
- 1 ¼ Cup Cashews soaked overnight
- 4 tablespoon Coconut Oil
- 5 tablespoon Maple Syrup or liquid sweetener of choice
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla
- ⅛ teaspoon Sea Salt
Topping
- ¼ Cup + 2 tablespoon Cacao Powder
- 2 Tbsp. Cocoa Butter
- 2 Tbsp. Coconut Oil
- 2 Tbsp. Honey or liquid sweetener of choice
- ⅛ teaspoon Sea Salt
Instructions
Base
Puree all the ingredients together in a food processor. Once the mixture comes together, press into a parchment lined 8" by 8" pan. Set in the refrigerator while you make the filling.
1 ¾ Cup Unsweetened Coconut, 1 ½ Cup Walnuts, ¼ Cup + 2 Tbsp. Dates, 3 Tbsp. Maple Syrup, 4 Tbsp. Coconut Oil, 3 tablespoon Cacao Powder, ⅛ teaspoon Sea Salt
Middle
Puree the soaked and drained cashews in a food processor until very finely ground. Add the oil, maple syrup, vanilla, salt, and continue to puree until smooth. Spread the filling over the base (using the back of a spoon helps to create a smooth surface) and refrigerate until the filling is set, approximately 30 minutes.
1 ¼ Cup Cashews, 4 tablespoon Coconut Oil, 5 tablespoon Maple Syrup, 1 teaspoon Vanilla, ⅛ teaspoon Sea Salt
Topping
Melt all the ingredients over a double boiler and pour over the filling. You might have to swirl the pan a bit to spread the chocolate all the way to the sides. Set in refrigerator until the chocolate is hard. Before slicing into bars, it's best to let it warm up a bit on the counter as to not crack to chocolate top.Store in the refrigerator.
¼ Cup + 2 tablespoon Cacao Powder, 2 Tbsp. Cocoa Butter, 2 Tbsp. Coconut Oil, 2 Tbsp. Honey, ⅛ teaspoon Sea Salt
Nutrition
Serving: 1g | Calories: 192kcal
