When it comes to desserts, the combination of chocolate and mint has always been a favorite of mine.
When I was younger, I used to hoard the Andes mints that my parents would put out in candy dishes for company. So, I thought it might be a good idea to make a homemade version that I’m happy to share– one that is naturally sweetened and free of artificial food dyes.
The resulting recipe is an easy no-bake bar that requires less than 20 minutes of hands-on preparation. The only hard part is waiting for them to set! An avocado lends its green color and creamy texture to the filling, while the addition of peppermint completely masks its flavor. Sandwiched between two layers of chocolate, the combination is hard to resist!
Unlike the candy version, you’ll probably want to enjoy these bars with a fork; the creamy avocado filling will squeeze out when you take a bite, so a fork keeps things from getting too messy. You could probably add more coconut oil to the filling to give it a firmer texture, but I didn’t see the need to add more fat as these bars are plenty satiating already.
I hope you’ll enjoy them as a festive treat for St. Patrick’s Day, or any other time of the year!
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No-Bake Andes Mint Bars
Makes 15 small squares
Ingredients:
For the crust:
1 cup almond meal
1/4 cup cocoa powder
2 tablespoons melted coconut oil
2 tablespoons maple syrup
For the filling:
1/2 cup mashed avocado
1/4 cup melted coconut oil
3 tablespoons raw honey
1 teaspoon peppermint extract
For the chocolate topping:
1/4 cup melted coconut oil
1/4 cup cocoa powder
2 tablespoons maple syrup, at room temperature
Directions:
Line a standard 9-inch by 5-inch loaf pan with parchment paper. Prepare the crust by combining the almond meal, cocoa powder, coconut oil, and maple syrup in a small bowl; stir well to mix. Press the mixture evenly into the bottom of the lined pan and set aside.
To prepare the filling, combine all of the filling ingredients in a blender or small food processor and blend until smooth and creamy, stopping to scrape down the bowl, if necessary. Transfer the filling to the loaf pan and use a spatula to spread it evenly over the crust layer.
To prepare the chocolate topping, whisk together the coconut oil, cocoa, and maple syrup until smooth. Pour the mixture over the top of the avocado filling, and tilt the pan to make sure the entire top is covered with the chocolate topping. (If your maple syrup is chilled, the mixture may become thicker than what you see in my pictures. You can gently warm the mixture to make it liquid again, or you simply use the thickened version and spread it over the top with a spatula.) Set the pan in the freezer to set for 30 minutes, then transfer the pan to the fridge to set for an additional 2 hours.
Note: It’s fine to leave the bars in the freezer longer– I originally intended them to be served directly from the freezer, but the frozen avocado texture was too cold for my teeth! So, I prefer serving these bars from the fridge, instead.
Serve chilled, directly from the fridge. (They will melt if left at room temperature too long!)
*As you can see in the photo above, the chocolate filling cracked a bit when I cut into these bars. The avocado filling is still quite creamy, while the chocolate topping is firm, which is why it cracks slightly when cut. I love the contrasting textures, but that’s why it’s best to eat these with a fork– they can get messy, otherwise!
No-Bake Andes Mint Bars
Ingredients
For the crust:
- 1 cup almond meal
- 1/4 cup cocoa powder
- 2 tablespoons melted coconut oil
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup
For the filling:
- 1/2 cup mashed avocado
- 1/4 cup melted coconut oil
- 3 tablespoons raw honey
- 1 teaspoon peppermint extract
For the chocolate topping:
- 1/4 cup melted coconut oil
- 1/4 cup cocoa powder
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup , at room temperature
Instructions
- Line a standard 9-inch by 5-inch loaf pan with parchment paper. Prepare the crust by combining the almond meal, cocoa powder, coconut oil, and maple syrup in a small bowl; stir well to mix. Press the mixture evenly into the bottom of the lined pan and set aside.
- To prepare the filling, combine all of the filling ingredients in a blender or small food processor and blend until smooth and creamy, stopping to scrape down the bowl, if necessary. Transfer the filling to the loaf pan and use a spatula to spread it evenly over the crust layer.
- To prepare the chocolate topping, whisk together the coconut oil, cocoa, and maple syrup until smooth. Pour the mixture over the top of the avocado filling, and tilt the pan to make sure the entire top is covered with the chocolate topping. (If your maple syrup is chilled, the mixture may become thicker than what you see in my pictures. You can gently warm the mixture to make it liquid again, or you simply use the thickened version and spread it over the top with a spatula.) Set the pan in the freezer to set for 30 minutes, then transfer the pan to the fridge to set for an additional 2 hours.
- Serve chilled, directly from the fridge. (They will melt if left at room temperature too long!)
Nutrition
Per Serving: Calories: 163, Fat: 13g, Carbohydrates: 10g, Fiber: 2g, Protein: 2g
Notes:
- I used honey to sweeten the filling to help maintain the avocado’s minty green color. I found that maple syrup made the color more muddy, but you’re welcome to use that if you’d prefer a vegan version.
- If you don’t need a vegan recipe, real butter can be used to replace coconut oil, as it also solidifies when chilled.
- Almond meal can be replaced with any other ground nut or seed. Try sunflower seeds for a nut-free version– just taste the mixture as you go, since you may need to adjust the cocoa and sweetener ratios a bit.
Enjoy!
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Reader Feedback: Are you a fan of mint chocolate desserts?
I think the best thing about the Olive Garden are those Andes Candies they give you at the end (with your bill to soften the blow no doubt)…I’m always hoping they throw us a few extra. So making your own healthier spin on these at home with an avocado filling sounds splendid to me. Not only is the green from the avocado beautiful in these bars, but I appreciate how they make the filling creamier. Cannot wait to give these a whirl! Mint and chocolate is just the best dessert duo. And naturally the no bake bit is just awesome, not having to light the oven is just a big plus. And I think the cracked top just adds to the yumminess of these bars!
Just got me some high quality peppermint oil so mint flavoured everything right now! But these look divine and i made something similar this weekend too – called millionaire shortbread – it must be the season for triple layer cake goodness!
I was just thinking if made in muffin cups or mini muffin cups, one would not have to worry about cutting them
Yes, that would be really cute, too!
i am making this recipe and my oil keeps separating from the avocado how do I fix this?
Thanks
Just got it. Put it back in the vitamix for a little bit longer.
Hi Megan, when your recipes call for cocoa powder, is it the same as the Dutch processed or can I use raw cacao powder? Thank you in advance!
I usually use raw cacao in my no-bake recipes, but I think you can use them interchangeably– I can’t taste a difference!
Thank you for this recipe! These will be delicious, & I love the use of avocado!
Chocolate mint is definitely a fav!! Can’t wait to try!
I’m really excited to try making these. They look delicious! Do you think I could substitute coconut flour for the almond meal?
making them today! i let you know how they came out! Thx Megan!
Made these yesterday & they are totally awesome! Unreal! Just wondering though, how long do you think they’ll last in fridge? Same as an ordinary slice? (Only because of the avocado)
thanks!
Do you think these would freeze well? How long do they keep?
I think they’d last several months stored in an airtight container in the freezer– that’s where mine are now, and I just thaw them one at a time. In the fridge, I think they’d only keep about one week, because of the avocado.
Oh my God! Absolutely fantastic! My husband says that without a doubt, this is his favorite dessert ever! Thank you! You made me a hero!! I love your site and all of your Facebook posts! Thank you so much Megan!
I made these in individual serving jars and they were incredible. I tried every layer and can attest to their delightfulness. The only modifications I will make next time are to freeze the first layer prior to adding the avocado filling and second, to make twice as much avocado filling. Thank you for the recipe!
Just made these and they are AMAZING!! AND I just preordered the cookbook-excited!!
Oh, yum! Andes were a favorite of mine growing up. This freezer-fudge style is closer to what I enjoy now. Will have to try!
Yet another Detoxinista recipe success in our household! (And yes, I agree that chocolate and mint is a delectable dessert combination – growing up, I thought everyone thought so too until I moved to a new city and the local Dairy Queen ice cream bar had never heard of a Mint Oreo Blizzard!). My husband and I have been finding ourselves with lots of avocados on our hands lately, as the only store in town where we can reliably get them is Costco. Anyone familiar with this chain will know that means we are getting large quantities at once, and no matter how strategically we store them in the fridge vs. the vegetable cooler vs. on the countertop, we inevitably end up with more ripening at once than we care to eat in their natural state. Thank goodness for the plethora of avocado dessert recipes proliferating on the Internet these days! (What did people do in the “olden” days? Eat guacamole at every meal?). Avocado truffles, avocado pudding, and now, no-bake Andes mint bars! My husband declared them “*expletive* awesome” and told me it’s his new favourite way to eat avocado. I couldn’t get over how rich the green colour was and I’m looking forward to sharing them at a St. Patrick’s themed potluck this weekend (better late than never). As always, I love the short list of natural ingredients – I almost always have everything I need in hand in my cupboards and I’m so glad to have finally opened my mint extract.
Check this out! I haven’t tried it yet, but apparently you can freeze avocados!
http://hustleandglow.net/2013/03/07/kitchen-101-yup-you-can-freeze-that/
My husband makes fun of my mint chocolate combo addiction. I keep telling him it feels like I’m multi-tasking when I’m eating that. You know, brushing my teeth while having dessert. 😉 Just pinned this! Thank God for creative people like you! Making this next week! (Just because I’ve already bought ingredients for my weekend dessert)
Oh goodness…my favorite! I cannot wait to try!
If you chill the chocolate topping just til it’s hard and then score the chocolate with a sharp knife, it won’t crack when you cut it.
I was told this is the best gluten free dessert I have ever made! They came out perfect and I love them as well!. Thank you for this recipe.
Megan — thank you — these are sooooo sooooo amazing!!!
I think I will try these with “THM Sweet Blend” in place of the maple syrup. I’ll let you know how they turn out. These look delicious by the way! 🙂
Anyone know how many calories are in these?
I make something very similar to this, but I like the inside not to be so soft and melty when I’m trying to eat it. I tried adding some cream coconut I had on hand and it worked great, and made the inside more firm!! Also love the flavor it added. They was a big hit with everyone who tried them.
I just made these for a cookie exchange and tasted one myself. These are amazing! Definitely going to be a staple in my freezer from now on!
Is there another dairy-free option that could be used in place of the coconut oil for this recipe? I can’t have dairy OR coconut.
My son has a coconut allergy. I just found a red palm fruit oil, for another recipe. Could I interchange the coconut oil in this recipe with the red palm fruit oil?
If it is solid at room temperature, then yes you can use that.
I made these to take to our local st. Patrick’s day parade today and we loved them! so easy to prep and very festive!