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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!
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 made these to take to our local st. Patrick’s day parade today and we loved them! so easy to prep and very festive!
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.
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.
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!
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.
Anyone know how many calories are in these?
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! 🙂
Megan — thank you — these are sooooo sooooo amazing!!!
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.