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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
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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?
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.
Oh goodness…my favorite! I cannot wait to try!
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)
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/
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!
Just made these and they are AMAZING!! AND I just preordered the cookbook-excited!!
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!
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!
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.
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!