Paleo Almond Joy (V, GF, DF): a 5-ingredient recipe for deliciously satisfying homemade Almond Joy candy bars bursting with coconut and chocolate. Paleo, Vegan, Gluten Free, Dairy Free. Try Homemade Almond Joy Cups here.
Candy. It makes the world go ‘round. Wait, is that the right saying? Eh, who cares when it’s obviously the tastiest saying! 😉 It’s just that the fall, a case of the Mondays, and waaaay too much excitement for Halloween has me craving/making/eating LOTS of homemade candy and other goodies.
Exhibit A: peanut butter cups. Exhibit PB: peanut butter cup brownies.
And don’t forget Exhibit C (for coconut): Paleo Coconut Macaroons. Oh yes!
Meanwhile, as I see more and more pumpkin recipes, caramel spice yum, and all things fall sprinkled warmly and lovingly around the web, I get to thinking about All Hallow’s Eve. Way back when, and even still to this day, my momma’s FAVORITE candy of all time was Almond Joy. Even before she took to making sure I trick-or-treated in high school safely. But, more on those fun hijinks later. 😉
As some of y’all might know, she’s not allowed to eat things like Almond Joy candy bars anymore. One of the reasons why I started this blog in the first place was to learn how to make her favorites better, healthier, more whole for her—without sacrificing taste.
It’s been too long that I’ve put off this super important recipe. Sorry, Mommy! But, hey, it’s still early for Halloween, right? Hello there, Silver Lining. 😉 So, Mommy, this one’s just for you: Paleo Almond Joy. Woot woot!
I wanted to publish this recipe early enough so that you, me and a couple other homemade candy lovers could practice our hands at getting this just right—with the perfect drizzle; proving we can do it better than a machine. You in? 😉 That way, by the time Halloween, or Christmas, or some super important homemade-candy-required life-changing event happens, we’ll all have something beyond impressive to show.
Yeah!!!
But before I tell you all about how easy this Paleo Almond Joy candy is to make, I MUST tell you about one of my most memorable Halloween memories with my mom. What are the holidays for, if not to reminisce on the most embarrassing, awkward family memories? Together? 🙂
It was a long time ago… on a gloomy evening in spooky San Jose, California. Okay, fine, it never really gets that gloomy in San Jose and it’s not always spooky ;), but you know what I mean. Ahem. I was in high school, a mere 16 years old. On one of just four total trick-or-treating excursions I would ever go on in my life.
Dramatic much? Most certainly! You see, my parents thought that trick-or-treating was extremely dangerous, full of opportunities for creepsters to snatch kids, and most of all, replete with tainted temporary tattoo “treats” and poison-injected candy bars… Thank you, 90s news. Thank you for your feel-bad fear broadcasts that led to a very sheltered childhood.
I was allowed to go trick-or-treating twice in elementary school, but only because I went on a field trip that I’m not totally sure my parents were fully aware was going to turn into forbidden, high-danger-zone, life-risking trick-or-treating. Oh well.
Anyway, by the time I got to high school, I finally convinced my too-generous mama to let me go trick-or-treating. Sure, I was too old, too big, and too whatever for it. But who cares! Life’s too short to care what people think anyway. Don’t you think? … Wait a minute. ????
I had somehow convinced a friend of mine, Brigitte (who cared even less about others’ opinions) to go with me. And even though she was vulnerable to those danger tattoos and poison candies like I was, she did not let her 17 years on earth hold her back. Plus, she had gone every year since she was little. Um.
So, at 4:30pm on a brisk evening in San Jose, we left on foot, with pillowcases in tow, convenient excuses for why we were still trick-or-treating at this age in hand, world-was-our-oyster attitudes on. We started chatting about what houses to go to first, strategy on the best neighborhoods, and so forth.
Pretty soon, the sun set and orange streetlamps cast eerie dark shadows across the pavement. Things that looked normal in the daytime looked completely freaky at night. Oh, and seeing car-sized spiders, hanging witches and sinister-faced jack-o-lanterns did not help. At all.
I remember feeling the skin prickle at the back of my neck as we continued walking. We approached the first house, and then the next. Slowly but surely, our pillowcases started filling up. Some people didn’t even ask us if we were out collecting candy for our sick-from-the-flu much younger siblings.
As we turned a corner, I saw a dark figure move quickly out of the corner of my eye. I was obviously letting the Halloween mood get to me. “Let’s walk faster,” I told my friend. We picked up the pace and went to more houses. She started telling me about this boy she liked, and how she didn’t think he had the… pumpkins to ask her out. And how…
Me, stage-whispering: “Oh dude!!! I think someone’s following us.”
B: “You are seriously paranoid.”
Me: “No, I’m serious!!!”
B: *Eye roll* “Anyway, Seth is like, so hot. But I don’t know if I should do something, like—“
Me: “Forget Seth!! Someone is following us. We seriously need to move. Dude, it’s pitch black out here. My mom was right!!! Trick-or-treating is the WORST, most dangerous thing ever. Why did I—“
B: “—grab his hand during lunch. Or maybe offer him some gum after class. What do you think?”
Me: “Dude, I’m going home. Like, NOW!!!”
B: “You are so dramatic. Like, high school dramatic. That’s saying something.”
Me: “Gosh darn it!!! Just–”
I grabbed her hand and dragged her along with me, practically running/stomping my way back home, looking over my shoulders as we went. Brigitte, ever the calm one, walked like it was a lazy Sunday afternoon. I tried to carry her, but to no avail.
My heart started racing, my palms got sweaty and I was seriously doubting Halloween as a legit holiday, as a whole. Like, who wants to be scared? Are we stable for wanting to be scared? What’s up with candy shaped like spiders? Or cakes shaped like gravestones. This ish is scary!!! Why oh why. I need my mommy!!!
I’m almost home, I think. But suddenly, the weight of dragging Brigitte by the hand is gone. I turn back and almost stumble over some lovely disembodied limbs. Plastic, of course. I turn back and Brigitte is standing there, calm as can be.
I frown and look at her, questioning/debating whether or not to leave her behind. She puts her hand calmly into her now-stuffed pillowcase and retrieves an Almond Joy out of it. She proceeds to eat it. Standing there, in a pool of orange, black and gray shadows, she says to me:
“It’s your mom.”
Whaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa? Of course, I can barely hear her over the exuberant chewing of Almond Joy. Did she just say? And what does she? Will we live today? Why is Halloween a thing? And—OH. I see.
I whip my head toward that clump of tall bushes just beyond the bend. I narrow my eyes and will my mom to come out. I also half-expect a Wolfman or a vampire to appear. Because: Halloween. “Mommy?”
Gingerly, a head pokes out. One all too familiar. One such lover of the exact candy Brigitte is chewing on right now. One such mother to the wildly-active imagination of the mini me. She shrugs, comes completely out from behind the bushes, shakes off some twigs and stands tall.
“I just want you to be safe.”
“Mommy, you’re SO embarrassing!!!!”
“I just love you. Do you remember those dangerous tattoos and the poison candy when you were little? What about all the kidnappings? Someone could kidnap you!! Do you have any extra Almond Joy for mommy? Did you have fun my baby? How about we do this next year?”
Brigitte holds out an extra Almond Joy to my mom. I stare her down, then burst out laughing. My mom starts chuckling and B cracks a huge grin. “I’ll never forget the time you did this, Mommy. You know I can embarrass you about this forever and ever, right?”
Mommy: “I love Almond Joy!! I can’t wait to do this next year!!! I like Brigitte!!”
And that’s how I came to love Halloween. And hold Almond Joy in very high regard. And applaud my mom for always doing what she felt was right, not giving a hoot about how “embarrassing” something was.
So allow me to dedicate this Paleo Almond Joy to the best mom in the world. Here’s to more Halloweens full of super-embarrassing, super-loving, and unforgettable moments. With you. And LOTS of candy.
This Best Halloween Ever Thanks to You Mommy, Paleo Almond Joy is:
- made with just 5 ingredients
- vegan, paleo, gluten free and dairy free
- bursting with chocolate, coconut and almond… joy! 😉
- plant-based and allergy-friendly
- full of ingredients you can feel good about
- made for someone really special
So tell me, what are some of your favorite memories of Halloween? Is there any thing, any candy, or even a costume that reminds you of one very epic Halloween? Tell me all about it below. In the meantime, allow me to wish you a safe, happy and heartwarmingly embarrassing Halloween this year! It’s never too soon to start celebrating right?
Sending you all my love and maybe even a dove, xo Demeter. ❤️
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Food Processor | Paleo Vegan Dark Chocolate | Gluten Free Unsweetened Coconut | Vegan Chocolate Chips | Coconut Oil | Baking Pan (8-inch) | Maple Syrup | Unbleached Parchment Paper | My Favorite Knife
- 1 ½ cups unsweetened coconut, shreds or flakes
- ¼ cup coconut oil, solid or melted
- 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
- ½ cup vegan chocolate chips or chopped paleo vegan chocolate
- 1 teaspoon coconut oil
- 32 unsalted almonds
- 2 tablespoons vegan chocolate chips or chopped paleo vegan chocolate
- ¼ teaspoon coconut oil
- Line an 8-inch loaf pan or 9-inch loaf pan with parchment paper or wax paper. Set aside for later.
- Make the Coconut Bars: Add all Coconut Bars ingredients to a food processor: coconut, coconut oil and maple syrup. Blend until you get a wet and sticky mixture, with smaller, but still noticeable coconut pieces.
- Pour coconut mixture into the prepared loaf pan. Using a rubber spatula, press down and smooth until you get a tightly packed, even layer. Freeze for 15-20 minutes.
- Remove from freezer. Lift the coconut bars out of the loaf pan. Cut into 16 rectangular bars. Line a baking sheet with wax paper or parchment. Lay these bars on the sheet, evenly spaced apart. Place back into the freezer while you prepare the chocolate layer.
- Make the Chocolate Dip Layer: Use the double boiler method, or the following. In a medium, microwave safe bowl, add the Chocolate Dip Layer ingredients: ½ cup vegan chocolate chips and 1 teaspoon coconut oil. Heat in 20-second increments until just slightly softened and melted. Stir until smooth.
- Remove coconut bars from the freezer. Dip the bottom of one coconut bar into the bowl of melted chocolate, creating a thin coating. Use the side of the bowl to scrape off excess chocolate. Place back onto the baking sheet. Repeat until all coconut bars have been coated.
- Dip one side of an almond in the melted chocolate and press into half the surface of one bar, leaving room for another almond. Dip another almond in chocolate and press into the remaining surface of the bar. Repeat for all bars. Place baking sheet back into the freezer while you make the chocolate drizzle.
- Make the chocolate drizzle: Add the Chocolate Drizzle ingredients to the bowl of leftover melted chocolate: 2 tablespoons chocolate chips and ¼ teaspoon coconut oil. Heat in the microwave in 20-second increments until just softened. Stir until smooth.
- Using a rubber spatula, scrape melted chocolate into a plastic zip bag with a very small tip cut off, or a small piping bag fitted with a very fine tip. Holding the bag over one candy bar, pipe the chocolate in a zigzag motion, starting from one end of the bar and finishing at the other. Repeat for all bars.
- Place baking sheet into the freezer for 10-15 minutes. Thaw for 10-15 minutes before serving. Enjoy! Storing instructions below.
- More Paleo sweet treats: chocolate coconut cups, almond butter fudge cups, ultimate fudgy paleo brownies, Almond Joy cups.
© beamingbaker.com. All content and images are protected by copyright. Please do not use my images without my permission. If you wish to republish this recipe, please re-write the entire recipe using your own words and include a link to this post for the recipe.
☀ More deliciously decadent paleo dessert recipes
Just in case you’re feeling more like cups… check out my delicious 5-Ingredient Homemade Almond Joy Cups. Delightfully paleo, vegan, gluten-free and dairy-free! 🙂
Paleo Almond Butter Fudge Cups (V, GF, Paleo, DF): Just 3 ingredients to rich, indulgent fudge cup bliss.
Chocolate Coconut Truffles (Paleo, Vegan, Gluten Free, Dairy-Free). 4 easy, whole ingredients to chocolate, coconut truffles bliss.
Homemade candy is the best, don’t you think? 😉 Try my Paleo Almond Butter Cups (V, GF, Dairy Free). This is what Chocolate Almond Butter Love tastes like.
When candy just won’t do… because you needUltimate Fudgy Paleo Vegan Brownies a brownie! Whip up a batch of my (V, GF, Paleo, DF). ????
4 Ingredient Chocolate Coconut Cups (V, GF, DF, Paleo)
No Bake Paleo Chocolate Almond Butter Bars (V, GF, DF, Paleo, Protein-Packed)
Paleo Mocha Frappe (V, GF, DF, Paleo, No Added Sugar)
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Your Mom is seriously too funny, Demeter! And you are so dramatic, lol….like me 😀 hehehe! Makes for a lot of fun stories, though, doesn’t it?
I totally remember taking pillow cases trick or treating! I remember coming home and laying out all the candy and chips on the floor and organizing into categories. I think the last time I stopped was 13/14 years old. I’m on the taller side (though, I don’t feel I’m as tall as a lot of kids these days) and was starting to wonder if people would not want to give me candy, so I stopped going then.
I love coconut flavoured stuff, so these almond joy bars are just PERFECT! And you pics are stunning, as usual, girl! Pinned, of course 🙂
Have a fab week! xoxo
Aw, thanks Dawn! I’ll have to tell her how funny she is… but I suspect she already knows. 😉 Aw… I wish you didn’t have to stop so early, but yeah, people do tend to get suspicious. Lol. Oh, people. Thanks for the kind comments, D. Have an awesome week!
Candy definitely makes the world go round! I really miss the days of trick-or-treating! I’d have to say that my favorite candy was (and still is) Reese’s! Unfortunately, I don’t care for coconut, but I would always give the almond joy bar to my brother…he LOVED them! I will have to make these for him sometime, they’re still his favorite candy. Love the looks of these, Demeter! And I’m sure they’re WAY better than the store bought kind! Pinned! Hope your Monday is off to a great start!
Yeah!!! I knew you’d agree with me on this, Gayle. 😉 I absolutely understand the lifelong love of chocolate and peanut butter. I hope you do get a chance to make these for him. 🙂 Thanks so much for pinning and chatting with me. Happy Monday! xo
Hi, I love your recepies, my question is can I use honey insted of mapel syrup?
Hi Jelena, thank you! Yes, you can use honey instead of maple syrup. Enjoy!
Demeter,
This story is so freaking funny! HAHAHA! I laughed so loud I woke our dog! Thank you for sharing this hilarious memory. Moms are the best, aren’t they? Thanks for also giving us plenty of time to practice making this candy so that we will have it perfect by the holidays! If I didn’t have to go to work soon, I would start right now! It looks ridiculously delicious! Yum! The perfect holiday treat!
Aw, your poor dog! 🙂 Tell me your dog woke up laughing too! 😉 Moms are most definitely the BEST. I can’t wait to hear what you think of these, Lucy. Thank you for always stopping by and chatting with me. 🙂
This story made my morning…my day…my week….I love your mom(!) and your ability to tell a story. I was literally pulling Brigitte along with you! Almond Joy is a favorite of mine – and now I will forever attach it to your fantastic memory! Thank you!! I’m just picturing your little mama jumping out from behind the bush and saying, “I just love you.” The best! Really…the best! xoxo
Aw, thank you SO much for your sweet words, Annie. My mom is simply amazing. I hope you get to meet her one day–you’ll know instantly why she’s the inspiration for this blog. <3 Thank YOU for coming along this ride with me, my friend. Big hugs! xoxo
Your mom reminds me of my friend’s mom..she was always very concerned about there being razor blades in the Charleston Chews and would always do an inspection of that day’s candy haul before letting her eat any. I’m far too old to go trick or treating, but I’m pretty sure I went until I was in college. Free candy is a hot commodity!
One embarrassing Halloween anecdote – I was Barney the Dinosaur in elementary school. Not just once, but two years in a row. In middle school I was insistent on wearing a grim reaper costume. I’m not entirely sure how I turned out as normal as I did…you would not expect it from my costume choices in the days of yore.
These almond joy bars look incredible. I used to hate coconut as a child, but I’ve come around and can’t wait to make these goodies!
Woah… razor blades! Erik was telling me about how the news used to announce that people found those in apples! Freaky! Free candy = YES. Wow on those costumes! You must’ve been the best Barney there ever was. Work it, Jess! 😉 I can’t wait to hear what you think! Thanks for sharing your Halloween memories with me. 🙂
So when will your first novel be coming out? I just want to know so I can plan your book launch party???? Or are you going to start with short stories? Dang girl, you have such a knack for narration! You build the tension and suspense but keep it funny and the dialogue–it’s all there, publishers would be fighting over you! But then you might not have time for blogging, and I need your stories in my life much too badly so actually never mind…forget I said a thing???? All those years of trick or treating I never came back with a story this good, I did not see that ending coming???? I also never came back with any Almond Joys because remember I used to not like coconut…silly me. And silly Almond Joy for covering up the beautiful coconut almond arrangement with chocolate when your drizzle version is so much more attractive???????? I love chocolate candy recipes, never too early for those! And with all those
almond joy-less years, I better make up for lost time???? xo
Lol. One can only dream. 🙂 Did I just share a short story?? Lolol. I was ALWAYS scared of writing those! Let’s just say I was merely chatting with you, my friend. Now, that’s better. 🙂 I’m so happy that you enjoyed the post, Nat! Lolol on Almond Joy. I actually did a version with the bar fully coated, but it didn’t seem right! You couldn’t see those charming lil almonds peeping out. Not. Cool. 😉 Thanks so much for the sweet words and a good chuckle, my friend. Muah! xoxo
My FAVORITE candy is the Almond joy! (And mounds…since it’s the same thing sans almond)! But those and junior mints were my candy prized possessions back in the day..the glory! Halloween wsa always so fun and we have many stories trick or treating back in the day! #Childhood!!!!!!!
The candy glory! I love it! #Childhood yeah! 🙂
Bahahahahahahaha! Oh I LOVE that it was your mother who was following you!! I totally laughed out loud at that part and I love love love that she wanted to do it again next year. your Mom ROCKS! And can we just talk about the fact that Almond Joy used to be my FAVORITE candy EVER before I developed an allergy to cocoa! It was! It WAAASS! Clearly your mom has excellent taste. 😉 And these homemade candy bars are torture to my soul, Demeter! i want like 703,452 of these peeeertty bars pronto! Mahhhhhh! i hate my stupid allergy. I’m demanding you eat a billion of these for me! Pinning for all the cool kids who can eat chocolate of course! 😉
P.s. I was SUPER sheltered growing up but in a weird way (my husband always makes fun of me and says my parents made no sense). Like I could NOT watch the simpsons and I didn’t have a door handle on my bedroom door, but I was allowed to go trick-or-treating.. with their supervision of course. Anyways. Yay to be sheltered weirdos togther! xoxo
Oh, gurl, you and my mom would SO get along!! For real. She’s sassy, like you! And since we’re basically sisters anyway, I’m pretty sure you’d be an immediate adopted child for her. So… look behind bushes when you do something thrilling. Lol. I will happily eat a billion of these for you. 😉 P.S. Dang! For reals? Is that how you ended up so sassy? Like, as a rebellion? Hehe. You know what though, growing up weird TOTALLY makes for a way cooler adult. I know you, so I can say this without hesistation. <3 Yay for sheltered weirdos!! xoxo
Your mum is the sweetest, haha! 🙂 Sounded like you had fun though! I went trick-or-treating every year as a kid with my mum and siblings. Like hell would my mum let us go alone LOL I stopped going when I was in my teens, thinking I was getting too old 😉 But no one’s too old for candy!
These Almond Joy candy bars look incredibly delicious, Demeter! I bet your mum will love them! 🙂
She’s amazing. 🙂 And… quirky, let’s just say. Haha. LOL on your mum not letting you kids go by yourselves. Well, I’m glad you kiddos knew that she was there, at least. Hahaha. Seriously, NO ONE is too old for candy! Thanks so much Marsha. It’s always a pleasure. 🙂
That has got to be the funniest story I’ve ever heard! lol! Your Mom is too funny! Loving these healthy almond joys. When I would find almond joys in my halloween candy bag, I would open them up, promptly remove the almond, eat it, then throw away the rest. I adore coconut and chocolate but always found these bars to be overly sweet. Now I can make my own and enjoy eating them for the first time in my life! Yay Demeter for sharing this recipe (and yay to your Mom too for inspiring you).
I’m so glad you enjoyed it, Karrie! 🙂 My mom is seriously a hoot! 😉 Removing the almond– that is SO you!! So you were more of a Mounds fan then? 😉 Thanks so much for chatting with me, Karebear. <3
I love EVERY SINGLE THING about this post – your mama sounds like she is one in a million (and I love that she is one of the reasons you started this delicious blog!)…and of course I love all the Almond Joy scrumptiousness! xoxo!
Thank you SO much, Kate! 🙂 She is so special and unique. I’m very lucky to have her in my life. <3 Big hugs to ya, my friend! xo
Awww – such a sweet (and hilarious) dedication post, Demeter! But, being a mom myself, I kinda understand your mom’s reasoning for doing what she did. You know what? My daughter has never gone trick or treating without me – even when she was in 5th/6th grade, her friends and her would get together and vote that I chaperone – which I was secretly thrilled to do because of all those crazies out there – right? 🙂 And, also there was this one house that would get all decked out for Halloween for the kids – but they’d go one further and have a table set up with goodies for the adults that stopped by too – from bloody boozy milkshakes and energy bites and the likes – it was too cool to pass on stopping by that house every year! By the way, Demeter, your healthier almond joy bars are the perfect homemade treat – though, they look way too good to share (just like all your treats do) and girl, your drizzle action looks pretty perfect to me right now!
I’m so glad you liked it Shashi. 🙂 Oh, you TOTALLY would’ve been the coolest mom! I’m not surprised that the kids voted for you as the chaperone. 🙂 That house sounds AMAZING!!! These *might* just be too good to share. 😉 Thanks Shashi! xo
What a lovely, funny story Demeter! I was -almost- going to miss this one. Sorry, I don’t have any Halloween memories, definitely not a thing in Italy when I was young. I love your healthy version of the famous treat and love love that you dedicated it to your adorable mom! (We’re still on holiday, so, still no thinking about Fall or Halloween for us. This morning we’re heading to the beach 😉 ). But first, pinning your almond joy!! Ciao, my friend!
Aw, thank you Nicoletta! I’m so glad that you didn’t miss this one! 🙂 It’s very near and dear (plus humorous) to my heart. 🙂 Have a wonderful time on vacation! Have an extra long swim for me too! Ciao, Nicoletta! xo
Ha ha ha!!!! Oh my gosh, Demeter – fellow 90s sheltered child! Such a great story 🙂 My parents never let me trick or treat by myself and always inspected my candy – & tested it (just an excuse to eat it!) I love almond joys and love that you made these for your mom. These are a must make for sure 🙂
Hehe… maybe that’s why we’re friends?? Lolol. “Tested” it: RIGHT. We both know better than that. Lolol. 😉 Thanks so much Megan! xo
That sounds like something my Mom would do. She’s always playing tricks on people! I actually am not a big fan of Halloween. Too many scary things and I get spooked easy. On another note, these look exactly like almond joy bars! I’m not a big candy person, but I may need to make an exception for these.
Your mom sounds like a fun and sassy lady! 😉 Aw… too bad you don’t like Halloween. Great news is that Thanksgiving and more are right around the corner for ya. 😉 Thanks Megan!
You are the funniest and your mom is the sweetest! You always make me laugh so much 😀
And though I never celebrate Halloween (it’s not so popular here), your Halloween treats definitely make me super happy! Coconut, chocolate and almonds are so lovely together <3
Aw, thanks E! 🙂 It is always my pleasure to make you laugh. 🙂 So interesting hearing about Halloween (or the lack thereof) in other countries. Thanks for stopping by my friend. <3
LOVE this idea of “healthier” candy. Chocolate anything is good with me. Will make it for my gang. Too bad (not really) that my husband hates coconut but still hasn’t caught on that i cook with it periodically – so more for me. Sounds pretty easy actually. Impressed that something so pretty can be only 5 ingredients makes more sense than the zillion of processed ingredients in the store kind. Your story had me smiling and nodding. My dad has this “halloween is evil” thing so my first memories are going to church events that had lots of candy celebrating fall or harvest time instead. After my parents split I went trick or treating with my siblings and friends or taking them to make sure they were safe. The most memorable halloween was actually when I was a jr in high school. I was all dressed up for the homecoming dance and waiting for my date, extremely nervous, when my 3 siblings and some of their friends and two of my cousins all meet up intending to go trick or treating together but when they found out i was waiting for my date to arrive they decided to stick around and tease me a little. Was a little humiliating 15 pairs of eyes of staring at my date and myself as my mom very excitedly took too many pictures and stuck me with the pin and flowers. Hahah only family can embarrass you the worse. right? 😉
Hi Stephanie! Thank you for such a thoughtful and super fun comment! 🙂 I’d say it’s definitely better not having to share these with your husband. 😉 Memorable Halloween: wow, that must’ve been quite the scene! Your story totally made me feel like I was there–I was cringing (and wincing at the pin sticking) with you! Yep, family is special like that. 😉 I hope you love this candy as much as my (joyfully embarrassing) family does! 🙂
Hey D,
Just a question, can I prepare the chocolate layer in the loaf pan, freeze it, then spread the coconut layer on the hardened chocolate then freeze a second time? After frozen I can cut or break it apart to serve? Seems easier and quicker this way instead of dipping individual coconut layer squares into chocolate.
Hey J! Great question. Actually, I tried that first when I was recipe testing. Unfortunately, it didn’t work–the coconut layer separated from the chocolate layer. When you dip the bars individually, the chocolate coating really sticks to the coconut. Hope this helps! 🙂
Hi Demeter! Thanks for sharing your awesome story about your loving and Almond-Joy-loving mom! It brought back a great memory of the time I was sick at home with the mumps while all my brothers and sisters went Trick-or-Treating without me. I had this vinegar-y blue stuff that was painted on my giant cheek (the most colorful Chinese medicine I’ve ever come across – perfect for Hallowe’en!) while I dreamed what, if anything, my siblings would bring back for me in their pillow cases. As it happened, another great mom – my best friend’s mother, a German mama, came back with a full pillow-case of stuff just for me! I can imagine her trying to explain in her thick German accent how her daughter’s best friend was sick with the mumps and could she have some candy for me while I sat, extremely sadly, at home, missing out on all the fun! They probably didn’t even believe her…
In any case, I just wanted to thank you for your wonderful story that made me laugh out loud. That’s rare, much as I laugh at life! Thanks for your inspiration, Demeter, and a hug to your mom too, for being the amazing mama she is to you and your sisters. Gotta love our Asian mamas! ((( <3 )))
Hi Daisy! It’s truly so wonderful to read your comment. 🙂 There’s little better than telling a story, then hearing one in return–especially such a heartfelt one. <3 Your best friend's mother and your mom sound like incredible people! Thank goodness for all the amazing moms in the world. My mom and I are sending you the biggest hugs ever. P.S. I'm going to be reading your comment loudly to my mom (just the way she likes/requires it haha) when I visit her this week. xoxo
Hi Again, Demeter! I love that you will read this comment to your mama out loud, and that she can understand English. My mom passed on 16 years ago, but she never read English though she was learning even in the final year that she died. She and your mom probably would have gotten along great as they are/were great Asian mamas who loved to eat and take care of others! (But then again, what Asian mom doesn’t love to cook and take care of the kiddies, right?) Because of my mom’s health, I was also inspired to learn more about nutrition and to put a healthy spin on all my cooking, whether traditional Chinese or western dishes, since I am a product of the West and East. I also became a Qigong teacher in seeking out complementary methods of healing, which has changed my life and many of the people I teach.
Sometimes our lives take a very different direction because of the people we love. I’m glad your mom is your inspiration in creating your sweet blog (pun intended!) and that you continue to love and support each other in all you do. Take good care of each other, and glad she doesn’t have to hide in the bushes to support your Hallowe’en jaunts anymore! (unless she does Qigong or Tai Chi, in which case, it will just keep her fit to dress up as a “crouching tigress in a bush”! 😉 🙂 xoxox
Hi I tried making these. THe coconut layer crumbled when when i tried to cut them.wonder what I did wrong? I had in freezer for 20min
Thank you
Hi Jan, a little crumble is normal. Next time, try packing the coconut layer down as tightly as you can–when you think it’s a tightly-packed layer, pack it some more. The coconut filling can be a bit tricky. Good luck! 🙂
I made this delicious, easy, impressive recipe the other day. I’m scared that I know this exists. Maybe if I O.D. on them, I won’t be so tempted to eat a few every day? Hmm….
Hi Nancy, I’m so happy to hear you’re enjoying my recipe! 🙂 They’re totally my mom’s fave too! Haha–would that even work? 😉 Thanks for letting me know how they turned out. Enjoy!
Would this be with unrefined or refined coconut oil?
Hi Reagan, either will do. 😉 Refined will have less of a coconut scent/flavor. Enjoy!
I came for the recipes, but stayed for the stories! Seriously, I just discovered your blog as I was looking for a paleo cinnamon pecans recipe. At first, I scrolled quickly past all the WORDS, until I – finally!- got to the recipe. Then I started looking at a few other recipes, until I gave in and started reading the words, and I was hooked! Loved this story about your mom, and I look forward to reading more.
So glad you enjoyed the stories Meredith! ????