No-Bake Salted Almond Joy Bars

How to Make Salted Almond Joy Bars

There are three separate steps to making these almond joy bars. The first thing that you’ll want to do is prepare the crust base:

• Prepare the baking pan. Line an 8×8 inch baking pan with parchment paper and set aside. The parchment paper will keep it from sticking and also make it easier to clean up afterwards.
• Combine the ingredients. Add the almond flour, honey, melted coconut oil, and pure vanilla extract to a bowl and mix to combine.
• Transfer the mixture to the baking pan. Press the dough firmly and evenly into the bottom of the prepared pan and set aside.
• Add the filling. Spread the homemade filling (see below for details) over the top of the crust. I like to spread a generous amount over the top.
• Refrigerate. Refrigerate the crust and filling for a minimum of one hour. This will allow the mixture to solidify and firm up.
• Add the paleo almond topping. Remove from the fridge and add the almond topping (again, see below for details) to your bars.
• Refrigerate. Refrigerate one final time until the bars have set.
• Serve. Remove from the fridge. Slice and serve.

How to Make the Almond Bar Filling

After preparing the crust for your bars, you can turn your attention to making the homemade filling:

• Combine the ingredients. Add the finely shredded unsweetened coconut, pure honey, coconut oil, and water to a bowl and mix to combine. Tip: Before mixing, roast the unsweetened coconut in a pan with no oil if you like a toasted flavor to your bars.
• Add to the crust. Spread the filling over the crust mixture.

How to Make a Almond Bar Topping

And last but not least, you’ll need to prepare the almond topping mixture to finish the bars off:

• Melt the chocolate. Add the dark chocolate to a microwave-safe bowl and microwave on high until melted.
• Pour over the filling. Pour the melted dark chocolate over top of the coconut filling mixture.
• Finish it off. Sprinkle with chopped almonds and salt flakes to finish them off before refrigerating for the final time.

Can I Make These Almond Joy Bars Ahead?

You can absolutely make these almond joy bars ahead of time. Just make the recipe as you normally would then keep your bars stored inside an airtight container.

You can either keep your bars in the fridge or the freezer.

They’ll be slightly softer if kept in the fridge but they’ll last longer if stored in the freezer. The bars will keep in the fridge for up to 2 weeks or in the freezer for up to 3 months.

2 Proven Health Benefits of Lowering Your Sodium Intake

Salt has been unfairly demonized in modern times. While it’s true that an excessive intake of sodium has been linked to water retention and hypertension (1), it’s also true that limiting it can still provide you with certain health benefits as well.

As a matter of fact, here are 2 proven benefits to be gained from limiting your sodium intake:

• Reduced risk of heart disease. As mentioned above, high sodium intakes are indeed associated with high blood pressure. So it’s only natural that for individuals who are at risk, limiting their sodium intake can also reduce their risk of an adverse cardiovascular event. (2)
• Sodium helps to maintain hydration. Just like potassium, sodium is an essential electrolyte that can help with maintaining adequate hydration levels. Rapid water loss can commonly occur when someone reduces their carb intake (such as when first starting the paleo diet), which makes it especially important to make sure you’re replenishing lost electrolytes in order to avoid becoming dehydrated. (3)

(You may also like: Homemade Coconut Candy Bar)