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    Home » Recipes » Recipes

    June 28, 2017 94 Comments

    Perfect Vegan Nanaimo Bars

    7.5K shares
    Jump to Recipe

    Perfect Vegan Nanaimo Bars! Omnomnom. If you're new to the world of Nanaimo bars, let me explain this delicious Canadian Classic with a vegan twist! After making The Ultimate Vegan Poutine, I wanted to share another Canadian classic recipe, but this time: a dessert!

    Perfect Vegan Nanaimo Bars! This Canadian classic dessert is made up of a coconut and chocolate cookie base, a creamy custard layer, all topped with chocolate. Dairy free, egg free, gluten-free. #itdoesnttastelikechicken

    My Vegan Nanaimo Bars are Made up of 3 Layers of Sweet No-Bake Awesomeness:

    Layer 1: graham cracker, coconut, nuts, and chocolate make up this cookie base. Yes, all of those delicious flavours packed into one awesome crunchy layer.

    Layer 2: sweet and sticky, vanilla custard layer, which tastes similar to the inside of a creme egg. Omnomnom.

    Layer 3: more chocolate. Because chocolate.

    Perfect Vegan Nanaimo Bars! This Canadian classic dessert is made up of a coconut and chocolate cookie base, a creamy custard layer, all topped with chocolate. Dairy free, egg free, gluten-free. #itdoesnttastelikechicken

    Yes, they really are every bit as amazing dessert goodness that they sound like.

    If you have a serious sweet tooth, these will hit the spot for you! I love to keep mine stored in the fridge so the custard and chocolate stays firm, then you get the treat of a real melt in your mouth experience paired with crispy cookie crust. Drool.

    Perfect Vegan Nanaimo Bars! This Canadian classic dessert is made up of a coconut and chocolate cookie base, a creamy custard layer, all topped with chocolate. Dairy free, egg free, gluten-free. #itdoesnttastelikechicken

    To Make Perfect Vegan Nanaimo Bars:

    In a medium sauce pan, add the chocolate chips and vegan butter. Melt over low heat, remove from the heat just as there are few chocolate chips left, to ensure you don't burn the chocolate, and stir in to finish melting. You could alternatively do this in a double boiler.

    Perfect Vegan Nanaimo Bars! This Canadian classic dessert is made up of a coconut and chocolate cookie base, a creamy custard layer, all topped with chocolate. Dairy free, egg free, gluten-free. #itdoesnttastelikechicken

    Add in the graham cracker crumbs, coconut, nuts (if using), and vanilla and stir to combine.

    Perfect Vegan Nanaimo Bars! This Canadian classic dessert is made up of a coconut and chocolate cookie base, a creamy custard layer, all topped with chocolate. Dairy free, egg free, gluten-free. #itdoesnttastelikechicken

    Pour into the bottom of the lined pan and press down firmly. Pop it in the fridge to chill while you are preparing the next layer.

    Perfect Vegan Nanaimo Bars! This Canadian classic dessert is made up of a coconut and chocolate cookie base, a creamy custard layer, all topped with chocolate. Dairy free, egg free, gluten-free. #itdoesnttastelikechicken

    To Make the Custard Layer:

    Add all of the ingredients to a medium bowl and use a mixer to blend well.

    After my expert recipe testers (aka friends) tasted these, I was told that this middle layer is sometimes soft and gooey (like I enjoy), but sometimes it's a bit more firm. So you can add more or less non-dairy milk to reach your preferred consistency, keeping in mind it firms up more when refrigerated.

    Fun side note: the standard custard powder used in Nanaimo bars happens to be vegan!

    Perfect Vegan Nanaimo Bars! This Canadian classic dessert is made up of a coconut and chocolate cookie base, a creamy custard layer, all topped with chocolate. Dairy free, egg free, gluten-free. #itdoesnttastelikechicken

    Pour the custard filling on top of the cooled bottom layer. Spread it out so it evenly covers and then pop in the freezer for 15 minutes.

    Perfect Vegan Nanaimo Bars! This Canadian classic dessert is made up of a coconut and chocolate cookie base, a creamy custard layer, all topped with chocolate. Dairy free, egg free, gluten-free. #itdoesnttastelikechicken

    To Finish the Bars:

    Add the chocolate and vegan butter to a small sauce pan and put over low heat. Melt the chocolate until just a few chips remain then remove from heat to avoid burning the chocolate. Stir to finish melting the chocolate. Alternatively, you could do this in a double boiler. Pour over the custard layer, and spread to evenly coat.

    Perfect Vegan Nanaimo Bars! This Canadian classic dessert is made up of a coconut and chocolate cookie base, a creamy custard layer, all topped with chocolate. Dairy free, egg free, gluten-free. #itdoesnttastelikechicken

    Cool in the fridge for a couple of hours or overnight before slicing. For perfect slices, heat a large knife in hot water, dry off completely then use the hot knife to cut the bars. This will help cut through the chocolate layer, and not cause cracking. Store the bars in the fridge in an air-tight container. So much yum!

    Perfect Vegan Nanaimo Bars! This Canadian classic dessert is made up of a coconut and chocolate cookie base, a creamy custard layer, all topped with chocolate. Dairy free, egg free, gluten-free. #itdoesnttastelikechicken

    Common Questions:

    Can Nanaimo Bars be Frozen?

    Yes, you most definitely can! If stored when cooled and kept in an air-tight container, they can last up to 2-3 months in the freezer.

    Can Nanaimo Bars go Bad? 

    You should not leave Nanaimo Bars unrefrigerated. If storing in the fridge, they will last approx. 4 days. If you are looking to store them for longer, I recommend freezing them.

    Can Nanaimo Bars be Gluten-Free?

    They can. But make sure you are using a vegan gluten-free graham cracker when making your bottom cookie layer.

     

    Bon Appetegan!

    Sam Turnbull

     

    Print Recipe
    4.97 from 65 votes

    Perfect Vegan Nanaimo Bars

    This Canadian classic dessert is made up of a coconut and chocolate cookie base, a creamy custard layer, all topped with chocolate. 
    Prep Time30 mins
    Cook Time10 mins
    Total Time40 mins
    Course : Dessert
    Cuisine : Canadian
    Servings: 16 regular sized bars or 9 giant ones (as seen in the pictures)
    Author: Sam Turnbull • It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken

    Ingredients

    For the bottom cookie layer:

    • ½ cup vegan chocolate chips
    • ½ cup vegan butter (such as Earth Balance)
    • 2 cups vegan graham cracker crumbs (or other hard vegan cookie crumbs, see notes)
    • 1 cup unsweetened coconut flakes
    • ½ cup chopped almonds or walnuts (optional)
    • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

    For the middle custard layer:

    • 2 cups powdered sugar
    • ¼ cup vegan butter (such as Earth Balance)
    • 1 - 3 tablespoons non-dairy milk (such as soy or almond milk)
    • 2 tablespoons vegan custard powder

    For the top chocolate layer:

    • â…” cup vegan chocolate chips
    • 2 tablespoons vegan butter (such as Earth Balance)
    US Customary - Metric
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    Instructions

    • Line a 8" x 8" pan with parchment paper or foil.
    • To make the bottom cookie layer: in a medium sauce pan, add the chocolate chips and vegan butter. Melt over low heat, remove from the heat just as there are few chocolate chips left, to ensure you don't burn the chocolate, and stir in to finish melting. You could alternatively do this in a double boiler. 
    • Add in the graham cracker crumbs, coconut, nuts (if using), and vanilla and stir to combine. Pour into the bottom of the lined pan and press down firmly. Pop it in the fridge to chill while you prepare the next layer.
    • To make the custard layer: add all of the ingredients to a medium bowl and use a mixer to blend well. For a soft and gooey custard use 3 tablespoons of non-dairy milk, for a firmer filing, reduce the non-dairy milk to 1-2 tablespoons. Pour on top of the cooled bottom layer, spread evenly, and pop in the freezer to set for 15 minutes. 
    • To make the top chocolate layer: add the chocolate and vegan butter to a small sauce pan and put over low heat. Melt the chocolate until just a few chips remain then remove from heat to avoid burning the chocolate. Stir to finish melting the chocolate. Alternatively, you could do this in a double boiler. Pour over the custard layer, and spread to evenly coat.
    • Cool in the fridge for a couple of hours or overnight before slicing. For perfect slices, heat a large knife in hot water, dry off completely then use the hot knife to cut the bars. This will help cut through the chocolate layer, and not cause cracking. Store the bars in an air-tight container in the fridge.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 258kcal
    Did You Make This Recipe?Tag @itdoesnttastelikechicken on Instagram and Hashtag #itdoesnttastelikechicken

    Bon appetegan!

    Sam.


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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Joanne says

      March 03, 2023 at 2:39 pm

      5 stars
      I finally gave these a try. Nanaimo bars have been my absolute favourite bars before going vegan over 10 years ago and I have not found one yet that matches the taste until now. Wow! as I'm eating these bars, I'm almost in tears. Thank you so much for this recipe!

      Reply
    2. Naomi says

      December 17, 2022 at 11:52 am

      I've loved every recipe of yours, but this one really didn't turn out. The bottom layer was too thick and crumbly, and the middle layer wasn't thick enough. Too bad.

      Reply
    3. Shelaki says

      December 15, 2022 at 1:33 pm

      5 stars
      These are great! BTW the unintentionally vegan custard powder you use has no sugar in it and has many other uses to give an eggy vibe, for both savoury and sweet stuff. It is my stealth ingredient in a tofu scramble bwahaha

      Reply
    4. Ariel says

      October 07, 2022 at 11:11 am

      Where do you get vegan custard powder? Thanks!

      Reply
      • Sam Turnbull says

        October 20, 2022 at 3:24 pm

        I used this one 🙂

        Reply
    5. Mary says

      December 26, 2021 at 6:59 pm

      4 stars
      These tasted great and were overall very easy to make. For my own personal tastes I felt the cookie layer was too thick and the custard layer too thin, they should’ve been swapped for thickness. My base was a tad dry and I did anticipate that but didn’t modify it because I wanted to try the recipe as written for my first go. I was very happy with my first ever homemade Nanaimo bar. If you’re like me, double the custard Ingredients for a standard recipe and I will be reducing the amount of the graham cracker crumbs. I made my custard layer with three tbsp and even then it was super thick and firm. Definitely recommend!

      Reply
    6. Siobhan says

      December 20, 2021 at 2:32 pm

      5 stars
      Made these for Christmas and they came out perfect! Going to make another batch this week with peppermint in the custard layer!

      Reply
    7. Camille says

      December 14, 2021 at 2:41 pm

      5 stars
      5 giant stars!

      Reply
    8. Camille says

      December 14, 2021 at 2:39 pm

      These turned out amazing, thank you! I think they are even better than the non-vegan ones I had growing up! I made two batches and froze one right away because I knew it wouldn't last if I didn't lol. I used coconut cookie crumbs instead of graham crumbs, so good!

      Reply
    9. Holly says

      December 09, 2021 at 2:08 pm

      5 stars
      OMG - this recipe is perfection! This was so easy to make. The only change I made was I used gluten-free graham cracker crumbs. I was hoping to freeze some and save for an upcoming holiday party. There's no way they'll last that long. Thank you for this!

      Reply
      • Sam Turnbull says

        December 11, 2021 at 8:03 pm

        ahaha!! Love it so much! Thanks Holly!

        Reply
    10. Chloe Gauthier-Schaub says

      December 06, 2021 at 4:24 pm

      5 stars
      I made these today and WOW!!!!! Pretty easy, sooooo delish and vegan!!!!! Will definitely make these again

      Reply
      • Sam Turnbull says

        December 11, 2021 at 7:08 pm

        Aww amazing! So happy you loved them so much Chloe 🙂

        Reply
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