These quick and easy No-Bake Chocolate Coconut Bars come together with 5 ingredients. It has a quick cocoa and condensed milk biscuit base with a melted milk chocolate topping with desiccated coconut.
Quick no-bake slices like these chocolate coconut bars and this No-Bake Chocolate Fudge Slice are great recipes to have on hand when you're short on time.
Table of Contents
🍫 Why You Will Love This Recipe
- Created with 5 ingredients.
- No-bake slice.
- Quick and easy to make.
- Can be made gluten and dairy free.
This recipe comes together in less than 30 minutes which makes it ideal to make when you need to whip up a quick snack for the family.
These bars includes a biscuit base, which is one of my favorite ways to make easy slice recipes.
You can create many variations of a biscuit base like in these chocolate coconut bars or another flavor such as lemon, caramel, and apricot.
📋 Ingredient Notes & Substitutions
Arrowroot biscuits - Or any plain, sweet dry biscuit/cookie such as digestive biscuits or Marie biscuits. You could even try Graham crackers!
Cocoa powder - Use either unsweetened cocoa powder for baking or Dutch-process cocoa powder.
Desiccated coconut - Shredded or flaked coconut are too large, stick with the desiccated.
Sweetened condensed milk - If you want to use unsweetened, you can, keep in mind the bars will lack any sweetness, only a little from the milk chocolate topping.
🥣 Step By Step Instructions (with photos)
How to make these no-bake chocolate and coconut bars from scratch in 8 easy steps!
There is a full and detailed recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Step one: In a high-speed food processor, crush biscuits into crumbs, leaving some larger chunks. Pour them into a large mixing bowl.
Step two: Stir through the cocoa and coconut with a wooden spoon until well combined.
Step three: Pour in condensed milk and mix until well combined, it's easier to use your hands for this step.
Step four: Press mixture firmly into the lined tin. Set aside.
Step five: Melt chocolate in a double boiler on the stovetop until completely smooth and melted then remove it from the heat.
Step six: Pour melted chocolate over the base. Evenly spread the chocolate out with a spatula or spoon to cover the top.
Step seven: Sprinkle over the extra desiccated coconut, adding more if desired. Refrigerate for 1 hour or until the chocolate has set. NOTE: the coconut will sink into the chocolate slightly as the chocolate is still runny, this is ok!
Step eight: Before cutting, remove it from the pan and allow it to sit at room temperature for 10-15 minutes so the chocolate topping slightly softens, making it easier to cut through. Enjoy!
💭 Tips For Recipe Success
- Crush the biscuits into crumbs easily in a food processor. It's ok if there are some large chunks of biscuits left, it just adds to the delicious crunchy texture!
- I find it easier using my hands to mix the condensed milk into the dry ingredients. Pop on some food-safe gloves and enjoy the faster process.
- Press the biscuit base firmly into your lined baking tin using your hands then smooth it out with a rubber spatula to create an even top.
- Gently melt the milk chocolate in a double boiler on the stovetop as opposed to melting it in the microwave where it can easily burn.
- The coconut will sink in slightly when you sprinkle it over. Just sprinkle over more so you can get a nice thick layer of coconut. Alternatively, sprinkle over your coconut when the chocolate is half set in the fridge.
⏲️ Storage Instructions
Store in a sealed airtight container, refrigerated, for 1 week.
Freeze these chocolate coconut bars in individual squares, wrapped tightly in plastic wrap, and stored in a freezer-friendly container or zip-lock bags for up to 3 months.
It's best to wrap the squares tightly to prevent discoloration of the chocolate topping. When you notice the chocolate develop white streaks or spots, it's known as chocolate bloom. It's still perfectly safe to consume.
Thaw the unwrapped bars at room temperature for several hours until they're soft again.
💬 Recipe FAQ's
Yes! Simply use gluten-free arrowroot biscuits for the biscuit base or the recommended alternatives but in their gluten-free version.
Easily crush your biscuits by placing them in a zip-lock bag and take a rolling pin and roll it firmly over the biscuits in the bag until they're crushed. Some larger pieces are ok to leave in.
It's crucial to use condensed milk in this recipe for the base to stick together properly. For a healthier substitute, try using unsweetened condensed milk or condensed coconut milk.
Yes! Substitute the condensed milk with sweetened coconut condensed milk and a block of dairy-free milk chocolate to make vegan chocolate coconut bars!
If you enjoy this recipe, please consider leaving a ⭐️ star rating and a comment review below. I love to hear what you think and it's much appreciated. Thank you! Your email address will not be published. Sam x
Recipe Card
No-Bake Chocolate Coconut Bars
Ingredients
Base
- 250 g packet plain arrowroot or Marie biscuits, or plain digestive biscuits or graham crackers
- ¼ cup natural unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 ½ cups desiccated coconut
- ¾ cup sweetened condensed milk
Topping
- 200 g block plain milk chocolate, broken into squares
- 3 tablespoon desiccated coconut
Instructions
Base
- Line a 8-inch x 8-inch (20cmx20cm) square baking tin with parchment paper, set aside.
- In a high-speed food processor, crush biscuits into crumbs, leaving some larger chunks.
- Pour crushed biscuits into a large mixing bowl.
- Add cocoa and coconut, and mix with a wooden spoon until well combined.
- Pour in condensed milk and mix until well combined, it's easier to use your hands for this step.
- Press mixture firmly into the lined tin. Set aside.
Topping
- Prepare a double boiler by placing a medium-large heat-proof mixing bowl over simmering water.
- Add broken-up milk chocolate to the bowl.
- Melt over low heat, stirring occasionally, until completely melted.
- Remove from the heat.
- Pour melted chocolate over the base. Evenly spread the chocolate out with a spatula or spoon to cover the top.
- Sprinkle over the extra desiccated coconut, adding more if desired.
- Refrigerate for 1 hour or until the chocolate has set.
- Before cutting, remove it from the pan and allow it to sit at room temperature for 10-15 minutes so the chocolate topping slightly softens, making it easier to cut through.
- Enjoy!
- Store in a sealed airtight container, refrigerated, for 1 week.
Notes
- Crush the biscuits into crumbs easily in a food processor. It's ok if there are some large chunks of biscuits left, it just adds to the delicious crunchy texture!
- I find it easier using my hands to mix the condensed milk into the dry ingredients. Pop on some food-safe gloves and enjoy the faster process.
- Press the biscuit base firmly into your lined baking tin using your hands then smooth it out with a rubber spatula to create an even top.
- Gently melt the milk chocolate in a double boiler on the stovetop as opposed to melting it in the microwave where it can easily burn.
- The coconut will sink in slightly when you sprinkle it over. Just sprinkle over more so you can get a nice thick layer of coconut. Alternatively, sprinkle over your coconut when the chocolate is half set in the fridge.
- Store in a sealed airtight container, refrigerated, for 1 week.
- Freeze these chocolate coconut bars in individual squares, wrapped tightly in plastic wrap, and stored in a freezer-friendly container or zip-lock bags for up to 3 months.
- Thaw the unwrapped bars at room temperature for several hours until they're soft again.
Nutrition
This recipe was originally published in January 2018. It was republished in December 2022 with new images and helpful information.
Yasmin says
Can we use something healthier than the condensed milk?
Samantha says
Hi Yasmin! If you can get your hands on a can of unsweetened coconut condensed milk, that will make a wonderful substitute! 🙂
Suravi agarwal says
Hey, I wanted to know the shelf life of this recipe.
Samantha says
Hi Suravi, this slice has a great shelf life! It will last approx. 1 week - 10 days (if it doesn't get gobbled up beforehand 😉 ). Hope that helps!