How to Make Nanaimo Bars (a Delicious Chocolate No-Bake Canadian Dessert) (2024)

Looking for an easy no-bake treat? Give this favorite Canadian dessert a try! You’ll love the crunchy, creamy, and chocolatey layers – not to mention how easy Nanaimo Bars are to make.

? About This Recipe

Turns out I’ve been pronouncing the name of this delicious Canadian dessert incorrectly since I was six years old.

*facepalm*

How do you pronounce Nanaimo bars?(Besides the obviousde-li-cious.)

Last summer, my Canadian friend,Sabrina, set me straight while visiting her in Vancouver, BC. Turns out they’re pronounced Na-NEYE-mo….notNAA-ni-mo – bars.

Glad to finally know that!

Nanaimo Bars are named after where they originated, namely the city of Nanaimo on Vancouver Island in British Columbia.

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Having grown up eatingpeanut butterNanaimo bars, I decided totrythecustard variety when I got back to North Carolina.

Wow, these Nanaimo barsare tasty! I love the rich, dense, creamy, buttery custard.

The nutty chocolate crust balances out the sweet filling, and the chocolate topping just makes it rich and delicious.

Give these no bake Nanaimo bars a try! You only need a few simple ingredients, they’re easy to make, and are a definite crowd pleaser.

? Recipe Variations, Notes & Tips

• Double Boiler. You can use a double-boiler to melt the butter and chocolate, but I don’t have one, so I used a sauce pan over low heat and it worked just fine.
• Butter. Make sure the butter that you use for the filling is room temperature. Otherwise you may end up biting into chunks of butter in your bars!
• Unsweetened Coconut. Since these bars are already very sweet, I highly recommend unsweetened coconut. I prefer using the finely shredded coconut in this recipe.
• Dark Chocolate. I like to use dark chocolate in the top layer to balance the sweet middle layer but feel free to use milk chocolate if you prefer it.
• Bar Size. The recipe suggests cutting the bars into 9 slices. Those slices will be big! These bars are quite rich, so you might want to make them smaller. I often cut each of those 9 slices into 2 bars or 4 bite-sized pieces and find one of those more than enough.
• Tip: If you’re ever in Nanaimo, Canada, use this guide to follow the Nanaimo bar trail!

? Best Canadian Nanaimo Bar Recipe

This recipe has 3 layers. Each layer is quick and easy to make.

To make the bottom layer, melt butter in a large saucepan, then add cocoa powder and sugar. Stir until sugar is dissolved.

Add one beaten egg. Stir well to cook egg while the mixture is hot.

Take the saucepan off heat and stir in shredded coconut, chopped almonds, and graham cracker crumbs. Stir until everything is well combined.

Press the coconut mixture into an ungreased 8×8 pan. I like to line my pan with parchment paper to make it easy to lift out of the pan.

Chill the bottom layer in the fridge while you make the filling. Doing so will make it easier to spread the filling on the bottom layer.

To make the filling, add softened butter, powdered sugar, heavy cream, and vanilla pudding mix (or custard powder) to a mixing bowl. Beat until light and fluffy. I love using my Breville hand mixer for this. I’m seriously in love with that mixer!

Spread the custard mixture over the bottom layer. Then chill in the fridge while you prepare the top layer.

The last step is to make the top layer. First, melt chocolate and butter in the microwave or on the stove using a double boiler or a heatproof bowl and a saucepan.

Let chocolate mixture cool slightly, then spread over the chilled custard filling. The chocolate is easiest to spread when the cream layer is well chilled.

Once you have all three layers, cover and chill in the fridge until solid. Then cut into 9 slices and enjoy!

? New to International Baking & Dessert Making?

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