It’s been too many years that I’ve had this blog here and haven’t shared a Nanaimo Bar recipe, especially since Nanaimo Bars are one of my all time favorite Christmas desserts! I have this No Bake Nanaimo Bar Cheesecake, which if you ask me, is all of the incredibly parts of a classic Nanaimo Bar plus cheesecake, so it really doesn’t get any better. But sometimes you just need a smaller bite for a tray of goodies around the holidays, and you want a classic Canadian Nanaimo Bar. The perfect little bite! If you’re doing some holiday baking (or no baking!) this year, be sure to add these Nanaimo Bars to your list! And if you’re a mint chocolate lover like me? Try these No Bake Mint Chocolate Bars, which are essentially a mint version of a Nanaimo Bar.
What is a Nanaimo Bar?
A Nanaimo Bar is a classic Canadian treat that originated in Nanaimo, BC — hence the name! Nanaimo Bars are the ultimate bite-sized treat:
a chewy, chocolatey base (no bake, but we do have to cook it on the stove!), made with graham cracker crumbs, shredded coconut, finely chopped almonds a creamy custard filling made only with Bird’s Custard Powder (affiliate link) (you can cheat and use instant vanilla pudding mix but it won’t be the same!) a thin layer of chocolate ganache
Tips for making the best Nanaimo Bars:
Use a pan with straight edges, and line with parchment paper or wax paper (since we won’t be baking them) so that you get perfectly even layers that come out of the pan without much trouble Chill well before slicing, for even layers and clean edges Use good quality chocolate for the top layer — because it’s going to taste like whatever you use! I prefer to buy a solid bar of dark chocolate instead of using chocolate chips Find or order Bird’s Custard powder for the filling — it really is what makes this recipe unique!
Variations on this Nanaimo Bar recipe:
Add a teaspoon of mint extract and green food coloring to the filling for a mint Nanaimo Bar Add a tablespoon or two of peanut butter to the filling for a peanut butter chocolate Nanaimo Bar Add some cocoa powder or melted chocolate to the filling for a triple chocolate Nanaimo Bar Add in 1/4-½ teaspoon of almond extract to the filling for a stronger almond presence Add in some orange extract or zest and orange (or red and yellow) food coloring to the filling for a chocolate orange Nanaimo Bar Have a little fun with it! Dream up some flavor combinations of your own 🙂
How to store Nanaimo Bars:
In the refrigerator:
Store in an airtight container up to 1 week in the refrigerator — if they last that long!
In the freezer:
Slice into squares and freeze in an airtight container, not quite touching, so that it’s easy to just grab a few when you’re hangry or when you need to fill out a holiday baking tray or tin. They thaw quickly and are amazing straight out of the freezer!
More no bake bars and cookies you’ll love!
No Bake Samoa Cookies 35+ Easy Christmas Treats (no bake!) Fudgy Mint Chocolate No-Bake Cookies + VIDEO Peanut Butter Chocolate Fudge with Pretzels + VIDEO 25 No Bake Cookies Recipes
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