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Almond Joy Bars
Almond Joy bars are an indulgent treat made with a rich and creamy almond, coconut, and cream cheese filling and topped with decadent chocolate.
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Almond Joy bars are the perfect combination of coconut, almond, and chocolate, with a gooey filling and crunchy almonds. An explosion of deliciousness with each bite, skip the store-bought version and make this yummy treat in your own kitchen with a handful of simple ingredients. Coconut lovers will adore the sweet coconut and almond crunch of these homemade Almond Joy bars.
If you are looking for a few more handmade candy treats, you’ll love making homemade peanut butter cups, cashew brittle, and peanut butter turtles.
Almond Joy Bars Ingredients
You will need:
- 8 ounces cream cheese, softened to room temperature
- 2 tablespoons salted butter, softened to room temperature
- 1 teaspoon coconut extract
- 4 cups powdered sugar, plus more for dusting/shaping candies
- 1 cup sweetened shredded coconut
- 60 whole almonds
- 23 ounces milk chocolate chips, divided in half if you are working slowly
- 2 tablespoons shortening, divided in half if you are working slowly (I used Crisco)
PRO TIP: Make sure you are using the sweetened shredded coconut found in the baking aisle of your grocery store for this Almond Joy recipe. This is not the time for a natural or unsweetened coconut.
Substitutions and Additions
CHOCOLATE CHIPS: If you favor dark chocolate or semi-sweet chocolate more than milk chocolate, you can certainly swap out the milk chocolate for semi-sweet chocolate chips in these homemade Almond Joys. I would not suggest using anything darker than the semi-sweet chips.
CHOCOLATE COATING: You can also use chocolate almond bark, milk, or semi-sweet chocolate melting discs as well for the chocolate coating of these coconut delights.
If you use either of these options, then you would omit the vegetable shortening and follow the melting instructions on the package.
How to Make Almond Joy Bars
STEP ONE: In a medium mixing bowl, use a handheld mixer or a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, on medium speed, to cream together the softened cream cheese, salted butter, and coconut extract until smooth.
STEP TWO: Beat in 2 cups of the powdered sugar until fully incorporated. Add the remaining 2 cups and beat again until all the powdered sugar has been incorporated and the mixture is smooth. Your mixture will be very thick.
STEP THREE: Stir the sweetened shredded coconut into the cream cheese mixture until evenly incorporated.
STEP FOUR: Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to 1 hour.
STEP FIVE: Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Using a 1½-inch cookie scoop, scoop out a ball of Almond Joy filling and shape it into a 1½-inch x 2¼-inch oval. You will need to have a bowl of powdered sugar handy to use to lightly coat your hands, or the ball of filling, to help shape the Almond Joy bars if they are too sticky when handling.
STEP SIX: Place the shaped bars onto the parchment-lined baking trays. Once you have shaped all your Almond Joy bars, you will top each bar with two whole almonds.
STEP SEVEN: Place the baking tray into the freezer for a minimum of 1 hour to allow the bars to get really firm.
STEP EIGHT: Once your Almond Joy bars have hardened in the freezer, you will want to melt your milk chocolate.
STEP NINE: To a microwave-safe bowl, add the milk chocolate chips and shortening. Heat in 30-second increments, stirring between, until the chocolate is melted and smooth. If you have a melt option on your microwave, you can follow your manufacturer’s instructions.
STEP TEN: Dip one frozen Almond Joy bar at a time into the melted chocolate. You can use a spoon to fully coat the top of the candy with melted chocolate.
PRO TIP: If you don’t tend to work quickly with dipping/coating items in chocolate, then you can melt your chocolate in two separate batches. Melt 1 (11.5-ounce) bag plus 1 tablespoon of shortening in a medium bowl.
This ensures that your chocolate does not seize up halfway through dipping your candies.
STEP ELEVEN: Using a large dinner fork, lift the chocolate-coated bars out of the chocolate and tap the side of the bowl to allow any excess chocolate to drip off and back into the bowl.
STEP TWELVE: Place each dipped Almond Joy bar back onto the parchment paper. You can use a toothpick to carefully push the bars off of the fork if needed. This will help keep the chocolate looking nice on your bars.
PRO TIP: I sometimes have to put half the batch of Almond Joy candies that have not yet been dipped in chocolate into the freezer to firm up again. You have to work really fast if you want to get them all dipped in one batch.
STEP THIRTEEN: Place the tray of chocolate-coated Almond Joy bars into the refrigerator for 15 minutes to set the chocolate. Once the chocolate has firmed up, you can place the Almond Joy bars on a serving plate or into a storage container.
How to Serve Almond Joy Bars
Almond Joy Bars are the perfect goody to have on hand when you have a sweet tooth craving. Make this candy treat even more indulgent by serving it alongside a scoop of your favorite ice cream. Vanilla or red velvet ice cream will perfectly complete each bite. You can also wrap them up in a cookie tin to share with friends and family.
Storage
Whether you’re making them ahead of time or simply looking to savor the leftovers, here are some handy storage tips to ensure your bars stay at their best.
MAKE AHEAD: If you’re planning ahead, you can make these Almond Joy Bars in advance. Store the container in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight. You can make these bars up to 2 days ahead, ensuring you have a delightful treat ready to enjoy at any time.
IN THE FRIDGE: You will need to keep these coconut bars refrigerated, in an airtight container, until ready to eat. They will keep for up to a week in the refrigerator.
IN THE FREEZER: You can store Almond Joys in the freezer in an airtight container for up to three months. Thaw them in the fridge or enjoy them frozen.
Almond Joy bars are bursting with nostalgic childhood memories. Made with a rich and creamy almond, coconut, and cream cheese filling and topped with decadent chocolate, homemade Almond Joy bars are better than your favorite childhood treat and super simple to make with only 8 ingredients. This blissfully indulgent treat is sure to satisfy any sweet tooth.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Can I freeze these candy bars?
This great recipe freezes really well. Keep these tasty chocolate bars in the freezer in an airtight container, and only pull out a few when you are craving chocolate.
Can I toast the almonds for these chocolate bars?
If you want to toast the almonds before adding them to the top of the coconut mixture, or if you can find toasted almonds at the store, that would make for an extra tasty treat.
Are these the same as Mounds bars?
The only difference between Mounds bars and Almond Joy is that the Almond Joy has added almonds on top.
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Almond Joy Bars
Almond Joy bars are an indulgent treat made with a rich and creamy almond, coconut, and cream cheese filling and topped with decadent chocolate.
Ingredients
- 8 ounces cream cheese softened to room temperature
- 2 tablespoons salted butter softened to room temperature
- 1 teaspoon coconut extract
- 4 cups powdered sugar plus more for dusting/shaping candies
- 1 cup sweetened shredded coconut
- 60 whole almonds
- 23 ounces milk chocolate chips divided in half if you are working slowly
- 2 tablespoons shortening divided in half if you are working slowly (I used Crisco)
Instructions
- In a medium mixing bowl, use a handheld mixer or a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, on medium speed, to cream together the softened cream cheese, salted butter, and coconut extract until smooth.
- Beat in 2 cups of the powdered sugar until fully incorporated. Add the remaining 2 cups and beat again until all the powdered sugar has been incorporated and the mixture is smooth. Your mixture will be very thick.
- Stir the sweetened shredded coconut into the cream cheese mixture until evenly incorporated.
- Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to 1 hour.
- Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Using a 1½-inch cookie scoop, scoop out a ball of Almond Joy filling and shape it into a 1½-inch x 2¼-inch oval. You will need to have a bowl of powdered sugar handy to use to lightly coat your hands, or the ball of filling, to help shape the Almond Joy bars if they are too sticky when handling.
- Place the shaped bars onto the parchment-lined baking trays. Once you have shaped all your Almond Joy bars, you will top each bar with two whole almonds.
- Place the baking tray into the freezer for a minimum of 1 hour to allow the bars to get really firm.
- Once your Almond Joy bars have hardened in the freezer, you will want to melt your milk chocolate.
- To a microwave-safe bowl, add the milk chocolate chips and shortening. Heat in 30-second increments, stirring between, until the chocolate is melted and smooth. If you have a melt option on your microwave, you can follow your manufacturer's instructions.
- Dip one frozen Almond Joy bar at a time into the melted chocolate. You can use a spoon to fully coat the top of the candy with melted chocolate.
- Using a large dinner fork, lift the chocolate-coated bars out of the chocolate and tap the side of the bowl to allow any excess chocolate to drip off and back into the bowl.
- Place each dipped Almond Joy bar back onto the parchment paper. You can use a toothpick to carefully push the bars off of the fork if needed. This will help keep the chocolate looking nice on your bars.
- Place the tray of chocolate-coated Almond Joy bars into the refrigerator for 15 minutes to set the chocolate. Once the chocolate has firmed up, you can place the Almond Joy bars on a serving plate or into a storage container.
Notes
Make sure you are using the sweetened shredded coconut found in the baking aisle of your grocery store for this Almond Joy recipe. This is not the time for a natural or unsweetened coconut.
If you don’t tend to work quickly with dipping/coating items in chocolate, then you can melt your chocolate in two separate batches. Melt 1 (11.5-ounce) bag plus 1 tablespoon of shortening in a medium bowl. This ensures that your chocolate does not seize up halfway through dipping your candies.
I sometimes have to put half the batch of Almond Joy candies that have not yet been dipped in chocolate into the freezer to firm up again. You have to work really fast if you want to get them all dipped in one batch.
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