Almond Joy Recipe
Ginny McMeans
Published:
September 18, 2015
Last Modified:
May 9, 2024
Copycat Almond Joy Candy Bars taste exactly like the original. Easy to make and the no-bake middle treat gets dunked in chocolate. Add candy eyes for fun!
Why You’ll Love This Homemade Almond Joy Recipe
No-Bake Recipe- This homemade candy recipe requires no baking, only a few simple steps to create the perfect homemade almond joy!
Delicious- The combination of sweet coconut, creamy chocolate, and crunchy almonds makes a truly mouth-watering homemade almond joy recipe that you’ll be proud to share with family and friends.
Easy- This recipe is easy enough for most novice of bakers to make. It only requires a few basic ingredients and simple instructions, so you can whip up your almond joys with ease!
Equipment Needed
- Parchment Paper
- Cookie Sheet
- Food processor
- Pastry Cutter (Optional)
- Microwave Safe Bowl
- Stirring Spoon
- Fork
- Toothpicks
- Measuring Cups and Spoons
Ingredients
For The Candy Bar:
- Un-Sweetened Coconut Shreds- Used to create the texture and sweetness of the filling.
- Coconut Oil- Used to bind the shredded coconut together.
- Maple Syrup- The main source of sweetness in these bars.
- Almond Extract- Enhances all the other flavors in this recipe and adds complexity.
- Salt- Balances out the sweetness from the maple syrup.
- Raw Almonds- Gives a nice crunchy texture and flavor to the Almond Joys.
For The Coating:
-
Semi-Sweet Vegan Chocolate Chips- Used to make the chocolate coating.
-
Coconut Oil- Helps thin out the melted chocolate so it can be poured over the bars.
How To Make Homemade Almond Joys
If you love almond joys, you will love how easy this great recipe is! Start off making homemade almond joys by preparing a parchment-lined baking sheet for effortless removal and cleaning. Afterward, put the unsweetened shredded coconut, maple syrup, almond extract, coconut oil, and salt in your food processor. Thoroughly blend the coconut mixture until the coconut shreds become broken down into small pieces. Scoop out the coconut filling and create a large ball. Divide this larger ball into 12 smaller portions and place them evenly spaced apart on your cookie sheet. Then, press down each one with the palm of your hand to flatten. Use the side of a pastry cutter or knife to turn each piece into rectangles and lightly press one almond in the center. Place these coconut and almond combinations in the freezer for at least 60 minutes before they’re ready to be coated.
After freezing for an hour, or longer, it’s time to start coating your bars. Begin by melting the vegan chocolate in the microwave for 15 seconds at first, stir; then repeat every 5 seconds until fully melted. Finally, stir in the coconut oil until smooth.
Remove the candy bars from the freezer and submerge each one into the melted chocolate. A toothpick can come in handy at this point if you have any on hand; simply insert a pick into each bar to make coating easier. Lift them out of the chocolate, using a fork’s flat side to cleanly swipe off excess chocolate, then place back onto parchment lined baking sheet to let the chocolate harden or transfer the baking sheet to the fridge to harden quickly.
Note: If you’re looking to dress up this recipe for the holidays, remember to decorate each one when you place them back on the lined cookie sheet, this ensures that the chocolate remains soft enough for decorations to easily stick.
Popular Substitutions & Additions
To make this homemade recipe for almond joys your own, try adding some of your favorite ingredients! Here are a few ideas:
- Use chia seeds or hemp hearts instead of almonds.
- Swap out the raw almonds for roasted almonds, pecans, walnuts, or pistachios.
- Add cocoa powder to the coconut mixture for an extra chocolate flavor.
- Dried fruits like cranberries, cherries, or blueberries
- Substitute the semi-sweet chocolate chips for a vegan variety of dark chocolate chips or milk chocolate chips. Vegan chocolate melts or bars are more chocolate options.
- Flaked sea salt on top of the chocolate coating to add a hint of salty sweetness.
- Add a couple of drops of almond or vanilla extract to the coconut mixture for more flavor.
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For extra festivity during the holidays, decorate your candy bars with fun and creative faces using candy eyes, sprinkles, and vegan dark chocolate drizzled on top.
Can You Freeze Homemade Vegan Almond Joys?
Yes, you can definitely freeze your homemade almond joys! Simply wrap them individually and place them in an airtight container. They will stay fresh for up to 3 months if stored properly in the freezer. When you want to enjoy a frozen treat, simply remove one or more of the homemade almond joys from the freezer and let it thaw at room temperature before enjoying them.
You can also refrigerate your almond joys instead of freezing them. Store them in an airtight container lined with wax paper. Evenly space each homemade almond joy in a row, adding wax paper between each layer, making sure the chocolate doesn’t stick together.
Almond Joy Recipe
Ingredients
- 8 ounces unsweetened shredded coconut
- 3 tablespoons coconut oil
- 1/4 cup maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon almond extract
- pinch salt
- raw almonds
For the chocolate coating
- 12 ounce vegan semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 1 tablespoon extra coconut oil
Instructions
- Lay a piece of parchment paper on a cookie sheet.
- Add the shredded coconut, coconut oil, maple syrup, almond extract, and a pinch of salt to a food processor.
- Process for about a minute or two until all is mixed well and the coconut is in very small pieces.
- Remove from the processor and form into a ball. Divide into 12 balls.
- Space out on a cookie sheet and press down a bit with the palm of your hand.
- I used the straight edge of a pasty cutter to push all four sides of the flattened balls into rectangles. It moves easily and isn’t hard to do.
- See the photo above to show the pre-dunked pieces.  Lightly press an almond into the center of each rectangle.
- Place in the freezer for at least an hour. They can be left overnight too.
- When you are ready to dunk:
- Melt the chocolate in a microwave for 15 seconds. Stir and then cook every 5 seconds until smooth.
- Stir in coconut oil.
- Take the candy out of the freezer.
- Carefully dunk down into the chocolate. I stuck a toothpick into the end of each one as I dunked.
- Use a spoon to cover all of the candy bar if needed.
- Lift and lightly swipe some of the chocolate off of the bottom with the flat side of a fork.
- Place back onto the parchment paper.
- Place two candy eyes on each piece as you go so that the chocolate is still very soft.
- I also used a toothpick to swirl hair and/or mouth. They look good without any swirls too.
- Let harden.
- You can put them in the refrigerator to harden faster.
