Easy Eggless No-Bake Nanaimo Bars
This recipe was inspired by someone on TikTok. And while I thought I had saved their name with the recipe...I didn't. But they're a cool Canadian creator from somewhere out east. if I can find her again, I'll definitely come back to update this post with her link!
Context: Nanaimo bars are MY FAVOURITE food ever. it took me many years to admit I liked food so that's really saying something. But not long after that, I also developed a tone of severe food allergies.
Mostly to chemicals that big companies like to add to everything these days, but I digress.
On top of that: I don't have access to a full kitchen - it's the hotplate life for me, lately. So baking doesn't happen unless it's...no bake.
Which is exactly what this recipe is!
When I saw the TikTok creator making it, I thought...if I halve that (limited space), and make a few substitutions, I could eat Nanaimo bars again! So that's what I did!
Substitutions
There's a few different options that can be used for various things:
Gelatin + A2 Milk:
this is the egg replacement. and since I halved the recipe, I initially tried halving this, too. But I found that it doesn't give the base enough oomph, so I took it back up to the full tbsp.
As well, I prefer to mix the A2 milk with the gelatin instead of water. I think the milk makes it more of an egg-y texture. Plus...A2 milk has some nutrients of its own, and is easier on the digestive system than regular milk! I get the full fat (3.25%).
coconut sugar:
it's just healthier than regular sugar! if you're going to have something sweet, it may as well be doing something positive for your body, right?
shredded coconut:
the base layer of Nanaimo bars usually has some graham cracker crumble in it. but...you guessed it...most graham crackers have things that I can't eat. so if you're in the same boat but you can handle shredded coconut (make sure it doesn't have weird additives!), then this works fine!
pro-tip: try to make sure it's small pieces (shredded really fine). it's difficult to cut and eat if the shredded pieces are as long as basmati rice.
cane sugar/golden sugar/instant dissolve sugar:
i've tried all three. the closest texture for traditional Nanaimo bars comes from the instant dissolve sugar. but because cane sugar/golden sugar seem to be a bit healthier, i use those instead. if you grind the sugar in a mortar/pestle (or plastic bag) it helps a little. but using the sugar as it is still produces a satisfying result! date sugar would also probably work, although it's pricey!
potato starch:
people usually use custard, which has coloring and corn starch...both of which i can't have. so i tried potato starch (for the first time), and it's been working out for me!
pro-tip: if you have mold toxicity/overload and still eat corn products, that might be where some symptoms are coming from. the way corn is stored allow for mold growth that's hard to fully remove during processing (yes, i found out the hard way!)
A2 Milk + a bit of extra butter:
i use this as a sub for cream. cream is a product i can't easily make, and the internet said that a "decent" sub was a little bit of butter mixed with full fat milk. so i've been doing that, and it comes out ok!
coconut oil:
did you know you can make a basic chocolate with just coconut oil and cocoa/cacao? it's bitter. but because the rest of the layers are sweet, it works out just fine! plus, a little bit of coconut oil every day supposedly helps the stomach. some even claim that it's a "gentle" parasite cleanse, although i haven't seen official evidence for it!
One Bowl Instructions
Base Layer--
- mix the gelatin egg together in a 4 x 4 dish. set it aside for about two minutes or until firm
- melt the butter in the microwave in a separate bowl
- (i use a medium/large cereal bowl to mix mine)
- add the cacao/cocoa powder and coconut sugar. stir. it'll be a liquid. add in the gelatin egg. it'll still look like a liquid - this is OKAY.
- add in your shredded coconut, and mix. this is where it'll start to firm up. and i find that once it sets in the fridge, it'll usually get even firmer (which i think is due to the gelatin egg).
- transfer all of it to your 4x4 dish (you don't have to wash/rinse/clean up the gelatin egg remnants), and smooth it flat. set dish aside.
Middle layer--
- add your butter, milk, and potato starch to the bowl
- if mixing by hand: use a fork to chop the butter into small pieces, and then mash it as best as you can (it'll stick to the fork a lot, and be hard to work with)
- get it as smooth/mixed as you can, but by hand, this is hard and can take some time. the milk will sort of sit undisturbed at the bottom of the bowl
- if mixing by a mixer: you want it to look sort of creamy.
- add the sugar last and this will soak up the milk. if it's too difficult to stir (by hand), it's okay to add a little extra milk but do it SPARINGLY or it will make this layer a little watery
- keep mixing until it's a little creamy (it's okay to stop before this - the lumpy texture is weird, but still tastes ok!)
- pour into 4x4 dish and spread it over the bottom layer, smoothing it flat as best as you can. set the dish aside.
Top layer--
- option one: melt your coconut oil (don't overdo it - just barely melt it), and then add your cocoa. if you had remnants of the middle layer left in your bowl, this will help make it sweeter. if not, this is ok too!
- pour this across the middle layer and then spread it even across the surface with the back of a spoon
- set the 4x4 dish flat in the fridge for it to set (2-4 hours)
- option two: melt some chocolate chips until they're just melted, adding a tiny amount of coconut oil.
- pour this across the middle layer and then spread it even across the surface with the back of a spoon. it should be a little thicker than option 1 and will be very sweet
- set the 4x4 dish flat in the fridge for it to set (2-4 hours)
And that's all there is to it!
these still taste just like Nanaimo bars, although sometimes they're a bit messy if i add too much milk. these days, I just toss approximate measurements into the bowl and run with it - the recipe is that easy!
i've definitely enjoyed being able to have these again. hopefully this can help someone else like me!
if you give this a try, be sure to post your comments over on Pinterest!
Recipe Card
text recipe:
Ingredients: (half recipe)
BASE LAYER:
- 1/4 cup melted butter
- 1 tbsp gelatin
- 2 tbsp A2 3.25% Milk (or water)
- 1/8th cup coconut sugar
- 1/8th cup cocoa powder
- 1.5 cups shredded coconut
MIDDLE LAYER:
- 1/4 cup room temp butter
- 1 tbsp potato starch
- 1.5 tbsp A2 3.25% Milk
- 1 teaspoon butter
- 1 cup cane sugar (or golden sugar or instant dissolve sugar)
TOP LAYER:
- (option 1)
- 2 tbsp Coconut Oil (melted)
- 2 tbsp cocoa powder
- (option 2)
- roughly 2 tbsp of chocolate chips
- 1 tsp coconut oil
Instructions:
BASE LAYER: In a 4x4 glass dish, mix gelatin and milk. Let it set for 2 mins. Melt butter in microwave-safe bowl. Add cocoa, sugar, and gelatin mixture. Mix well. Add in shredded coconut. Mix. When firm, transfer to 4x4 dish and smooth it flat
MIDDLE LAYER: Add butter, milk, starch to bowl. Mix into thick paste. Add sugar and mix until creamy. Spread over bottom layer. note - this can be done by hand although it’s hard
TOP LAYER: melt chocolate and coconut oil, OR mix cocoa powder + melted coconut oil. Pour onto middle layer Let it set (flat) for 2-4 hours in fridge.