Homemade vegan Mounds bars or Almond Joy bars are easy to make and will satisfy your craving for candy bars! Filled with a sweet chewy coconut filling and coated in vegan chocolate, one bite and you’ll feel like a kid again!

Homemade vegan Mounds Bars on a blue plate with 1 cut in half.

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If you need to be dairy and/or egg-free, it can be difficult to find vegan candy bar alternatives. My kids have been their whole lives and have never gotten to eat traditional candy bars, so I like to make homemade vegan ones for them to enjoy on holidays.

🧾 Ingredients and substitutions

  • Coconut Milk – this replaces the sweetened condensed milk in traditional macaroon recipes. If you want to use vegan sweetened condensed milk, I have a recipe for it in my homemade vegan staples cookbook.
  • Sugar – to sweeten the coconut milk. If you are using vegan sweetened condensed milk, or want a less sweet cookie, you can leave it out. You can also use coconut sugar, but it will give your cookies a darker color.
  • Corn Starch – to hold the coconut shreds together
  • Sweetened Coconut Shreds – these are the bagged coconut shreds that you find in the baking aisle of most grocery stores. You can also use unsweetened, but you may want to add more sugar if you do that.
  • Vanilla Extract – for flavor.
  • Salt – for flavor.
  • Vegan Chocolate Chips – to dip the cookies in after baking. This is optional and you can omit it if you want. You can also drizzle your cookies in vegan salted caramel sauce instead.
  • Coconut Oil – to melt with the chocolate chips to make the chocolate smoother. You can also use vegan butter for this.
  • Almonds – if making Almond Joy. (The only difference between Mounds and Almond Joy is the addition of almonds in the Almond Joy bars, so you can easily make both of them using the same method.)

🔪 Helpful tools

  • Parchment Paper – to rest the chocolates on so they don’t stick.

🥄 How to make vegan Mounds bars

Step 1 – Add 1/2 cup of coconut milk, 1/3 cup sugar, 1 tablespoon corn starch, and 1/4 teaspoon of salt to a saucepan.

Step 2 – Stir with a whisk until it’s well combined and there are no lumps before turning on the heat.

Step 3 – Once it’s smooth, turn the heat to medium and stir frequently until it starts to boil, then stir constantly for 1 minute until your mixture is thick and smooth.

Step 4 – Remove from the heat and add 2 teaspoons of vanilla and still well. Then mix in 3 cups of shredded coconut 1 cup at a time until it’s well combined.

Form the coconut into bars

Step 5 – Use your hands to form the coconut mixture into small log-shaped pieces. You can make them in any size or shape that you want. (If you are making Almond Joy, place whole almonds on top of the mound of coconut pressing it in a little so it sticks.)

Step 6 – Place the tray of the formed coconut bars into the freezer for at least 20 minutes.

Step 7 – Melt 1 cup of vegan chocolate chips with 2 teaspoons of coconut oil or vegan butter. You can do this by microwaving it for about 1 1/2 minutes or you can use a double boiler.

Homemade mounds bars being dipped in melted chocolate.

Step 8 – Dip the cold coconut bars into the melted chocolate, then place them back onto the parchment paper. (Don’t pick them back up again until they cool completely and the chocolate is set.)

Step 9 – You can drizzle a little additional chocolate on the tops to make them look a little fancier.

Step 10 – Place the candy bars into the fridge for about 20 more minutes to firm up and set completely.

Homemade vegan Mounds and Almond Joy candy bars cooling on a piece of parchment paper.

👩🏻‍🍳 Pro Tip

  • Be sure to add the corn starch to cold coconut milk. Stir it until it’s well combined with no lumps before turning on the heat.

🥡 How to store homemade Mounds bars

Countertop These vegan coconut macaroons will keep well for 3 – 5 days in a sealed container.

Freeze: You can freeze these cookies in an airtight container for up to 3 months.

A close up of the inside of vegan mounds bars filled with coconut

🌟 More vegan treats

📌 Be sure to follow me on Pinterest for new vegan recipes!

📋 Vegan Mounds recipe

A pile of vegan Mounds bars that have been cut in half on a blue plate.
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5 from 4 rating

Vegan Mounds Candy Bars

An easy way to make homemade Mounds bars free of eggs and dairy.

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup coconut milk
  • 1/3 cup sugar
  • 1 tablespoon corn starch
  • 3 cups sweetened coconut shreds
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup vegan chocolate chips
  • 2 teaspoons coconut oil

Equipment

Instructions
 

  • Add 1/2 cup of coconut milk, 1/3 cup sugar, 1 tablespoon corn starch, and 1/4 teaspoon of salt to a saucepan.
  • Stir with a whisk until it’s well combined and there are no lumps before turning on the heat.
  • Once it’s smooth, turn the heat to medium and stir frequently until it starts to boil, then stir constantly for 1 minute until your mixture is thick and smooth.
  • Remove from the heat and add 2 teaspoons vanilla and still well. Then mix in 3 cups of shredded coconut 1 cup at a time until it’s well combined.
  • Use your hands to form the coconut mixture into small log-shaped pieces. You can make them in any size or shape that you want. (If you are making Almond Joy, place whole almonds on top of the mound of coconut pressing it in a little so it sticks.)
  • Place the tray of the formed coconut bars into the freezer for at least 20 minutes.
  • Melt 1 cup of vegan chocolate chips with 2 teaspoons of coconut oil or vegan butter. You can do this by microwaving it for about 1 1/2 minutes or you can use a double boiler.
  • Dip the cold coconut bars into the melted chocolate, then place them back onto the parchment paper. (Don’t pick them back up again until they cool completely and the chocolate is set.)
  • You can drizzle a little additional chocolate on the tops to make them look a little fancier.
  • Place the candy bars into the fridge for about 20 more minutes to firm up and set completely.

Notes

  • Be sure to add the corn starch to cold coconut milk. Stir it until it’s well combined with no lumps before turning on the heat.
  • Add almonds, to turn it into an Almond Joy bar.
Serving: 1bar, Calories: 175kcal, Carbohydrates: 19g, Protein: 1g, Fat: 12g, Saturated Fat: 9g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 1g, Sodium: 82mg, Potassium: 73mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 16g, Vitamin C: 1mg, Calcium: 19mg, Iron: 1mg
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