Almond Joy Bars Remix
By Emma
Certified Culinary Professional
•
Recipe tested & approved
No bake coconut cream cheese bars coated in milk chocolate, topped with almonds. Creamy, thick filling loaded with shredded coconut and a dash of almond extract swapped in for coconut extract. Chilling reshapes texture, freezing firms bars for easy coating. Chocolate melts with shortening to keep shiny, smooth. Classic combo twisted with maple syrup replacing half the powdered sugar for depth and softer sweetness. Hands sticky, use powdered sugar as barrier. Almonds pressed on before freezing to avoid falling off later. Refrigerate after chocolate dip to let everything set just right. Crunchy, creamy, sweet, nutty. Some bite, not cloying. Classic flavors with a tweak and tested handling tips.
Prep:
35 min
Cook:
0 min
Total:
Servings:
30 servings
#no bake
#dessert
#coconut
#almond
#chocolate
#snack
#American
#easy dessert
Mid-mixed buttery cream cheese with shredded coconut, sweet hit of powdered sugar and almond extract, all chilled to a firm but pliant shape. A classic combo I like to tweak by swapping almond extract in instead of coconut; brings a little surprise twist. Thick, tactile dough that needs chilling before shaping or you’ll get sticky hands. Shape bars with powdered sugar near, otherwise they glue to your fingers. Freeze firm bars quick before the milky chocolate dip—warmer bars melt under melted chocolate. Spoon on chocolaty top; tap off excess, set in fridge. Almonds pressed on before freezing stick better than after dipping. Tried dipping warm bars once. Disaster. Chocolate slides off. You’ve been warned. Texture rich, sweet, nutty. Not too sweet, but a punch of coconut flavor in every bite.
Ingredients
- 8 oz softened cream cheese
- 1/2 cup salted butter softened
- 1 tsp almond extract instead of coconut extract
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- 2 cups sweetened shredded coconut
- Milk chocolate chips 12 oz
- 2 tsp vegetable shortening
- 60 whole almonds
- Powdered sugar for dusting hands
About the ingredients
Softened cream cheese and butter make a smooth base. Use salted butter for balance; unsalted throws off flavor. Almond extract swaps coconut here without losing nuttiness, but feel free to use vanilla extract if allergic or prefer mellow. Powdered sugar split into two for gradual thickening, plus maple syrup replaces a third of the powdered sugar adding a subtle molasses note and soft finish. Shredded coconut must be sweetened for proper flavor contrast; unsweetened makes bars dry and bland. Milk chocolate with a bit of shortening melts silky with shine—skip shortening if you want thicker chocolate, but expect dullness and cracks. Almonds whole and firm, not stale; pressing before freeze time prevents fight during dipping. For sticky hands, keep powdered sugar bowl nearby—a quick dust stops a sticky mess and saves your counters.
Method
- Cream softened cream cheese and butter using medium speed paddle attachment or handheld mixer until creamy and no lumps visible. Scraping bowl sides helps.
- Add almond extract. Beat in 1 cup powdered sugar until absorbed. Stop mixing; don’t overbeat here.
- Incorporate remaining 3 cups powdered sugar in two batches. Texture should become very thick, almost dough-like but still pliable. Thick enough to hold shape when scooped.
- Fold shredded coconut in evenly. You want moist flakes, not powdery. Odor of coconut peaks here.
- Cover bowl, chill in fridge between 25-40 minutes. Not long enough to freeze but enough for better shaping—cold filling holds together, less sticky.
- Line baking sheet with parchment. Scoop mixture using 1 ½ inch cookie scoop. Shape quickly into 1 ½ by 2 ¼ inch ovals. Use powdered sugar on hands; otherwise sticky mess. Oval shapes keep more surface for chocolate and almonds.
- Place shaped ovals on parchment. Press two whole almonds firmly onto each bar. If loose, push extra with finger; almonds stick better if bars are cold later.
- Freeze bars for about 55 minutes or until bars feel solid but not rock hard. Fewer freezer odors if covered loosely.
- Melt milk chocolate chips with shortening in microwave safe bowl. 25-30 seconds increments on medium, stirring between each until glossy and fully melted. Shortening smooths and adds sheen; skip only if you want thicker chocolate coating but risk cracking after chilling.
- Dip one frozen bar at a time, spoon chocolate over top to cover fully. Do this fast to avoid melting bars. Use fork to lift bars out, tapping side of bowl to drop excess chocolate back.
- Transfer bars onto fresh parchment. Use toothpick to carefully nudge bars off fork prongs—avoid chocolate cracks and marks.
- Refrigerate dipped bars at least 15 minutes until chocolate firms solid. Warm hands or kitchen heat melts chocolate easily, so keep cool once dipped.
- Store bars in airtight container with parchment layers between to prevent stickiness. Best eaten within 3 days but freeze well too for longer storage.
Cooking tips
Start slow creaming butter and cream cheese on medium speed. Too fast and you get air bubbles, the texture suffers. Adding powdered sugar gradual avoids a gritty mouthfeel; otherwise excess sugar clumps or leaves undissolved pockets. The mixture is thick; if it feels too wet, chill longer before scooping. Work quickly to shape balls before warming from your hands. Use powdered sugar on fingers to help shape and prevent sticking. Two almonds per bar pressed lightly but firmly before freezing keeps nuts attached through handling—tried doing this after chocolate dip, almonds fell off instantly. Freeze bars until firm but not frozen rock hard or you risk cracking during dip. Melt chocolate slowly in bursts, stirring between to prevent overheating and seizing. Shortening thins chocolate, makes coating silky and less prone to cracking when chilled. Dip bars immediately from freezer; warm bars melt the chocolate, lose shape. Drip excess chocolate off fork before plating; sharp tapping helps avoid dripping on work surface. Toothpick nudges bars off fork without smudging chocolate. Refrigerate dipped bars until chocolate snaps to touch, about 15 minutes. Wrap and store in airtight container separated by parchment layers to avoid clumping or chocolate sticking.
Chef's notes
- 💡 Cream cheese and butter must soften but not melt. Cold butter turns lumpy. Whip medium speed paddle attachment or mixer till no lumps, silky mix. Scrape bowl sides often. Slow sugar add stops gritty mouthfeel. Texture shift visible when dough thickens; dough should hold shape but stay pliable. Too soft? Chill longer. Too stiff? Thin with small maple syrup splash.
- 💡 Almond extract swap cuts coconut smell but keeps nuttiness. Use vanilla extract if allergy or mellow wanted. Adding all sugar at once ends gritty texture. Add 1 cup first then rest in two batches. Folding coconut even; no powdery bits but moist flakes. Smell changes—coconut aroma peaks here. Don’t skip chilling step. 25 to 40 mins cold tightens dough but no freeze.
- 💡 Shape filling fast. Use powdered sugar on hands or bars stick like glue. Scoop by 1½ inch cookie scoop, shape into oval 1½ by 2¼ inches. Oval increases surface area for chocolate and almonds. Two whole almonds pressed on top before freezing helps nuts stick during handling. Press extra if loose. Almonds snap better after freeze than after dip or they fall off instantly.
- 💡 Freeze bars 55 mins until solid but not rock hard. Covers loosely to avoid odd freezer aroma. Chocolate melts better when bars cold; warm bars melt it in seconds. Microwave choc with shortening in bursts 25-30 secs, stir well. Shortening helps glossy, shiny coat and prevents cracks from chill. Skip shortening if thicker coat wanted but expect dull, crack-prone surface.
- 💡 Dip one bar at a time fast. Spoon chocolate over to cover fully, minimize melting bars. Use fork to lift bar, tap side of bowl to shed excess chocolate back. Toothpick nudge off fork prongs gently—prevents smudges and cracks. Refrigerate dipped bars 15+ mins till firm. Warm hands melt chocolate instantly after dip. Store layers separated by parchment in airtight container to avoid clumping or stickiness. Eat within 3 days or freeze.
Common questions
Can I use vanilla extract instead of almond?
Yes, vanilla swaps fine. Lose that nutty twist but still tasty. Use same quantity. Different aroma; milder, less sharp. Good if allergy to almonds or coconut off-limits.
Why do my bars crack after dipping?
Chocolate too thick or bars too warm. Shortening thins chocolate, add if cracking happens. Dip bars straight from freezer. Warm bars melt and cause sliding, cracking. Chill bars firm but avoid freezing rock hard to prevent cracking chocolate coat.
How long keep bars?
Airtight container fridge best 3 days. Use parchment layers to stop sticking. Freeze fine for weeks but texture slightly changes. Thaw chilled, not room temp, to keep shape. Avoid moisture buildup or bars get soggy.
My hands get sticky shaping bars. Help?
Powdered sugar bowl nearby essential. Dust hands generously before shaping. Keeps dough from sticking to fingers and counters. If too sticky, chill filling more before scoop. Sometimes quick dips in sugar needed during shaping session.
