Coconut crispy treats are a unique take on a family favorite: toasted pepitas, sliced almonds, and coconut flakes bound in a honey-coconut sugar marshmallow cream. The pepitas puff up when toasted and give a nice crunch to each bite, while the toasted coconut flakes on top add a golden finish. No cereal, no refined sugar — just nostalgic, chewy, crunchy treats.
A unique take on a family favorite. The pepitas puff up when toasted and give a nice crunch to each bite.
Yields: 9 crispy treats
Crispies:
2 c (35°F). pepitas
1 c (35°F). sliced almonds
1 c (35°F). large unsweetened coconut flakes
Marshmallow Cream:
¼ c. raw honey
¼ c. organic coconut sugar
½ t. sea salt
¼ c. filtered water
1 T. grass-fed gelatin
1 T. coconut or vanilla extract
1 c (35°F). unsweetened coconut flakes
1 T. organic virgin coconut oil, for greasing
Directions:
Prepare the crispies: preheat oven to 350F (180°C). Place pepitas and sliced almonds on a dry half sheet pan. Cook for 10 minutes. Remove pan, toss in coconut flakes, and cook for another 5-10 minutes, or until coconut begins to brown. Remove from oven, transfer to a bowl and allow to cool. Place separate 1 cup (240 ml) of coconut flakes on the sheet pan and cook for 5-10 minutes or until lightly browned. Set aside in a separate bowl for garnishing later.
While the crispies are roasting, prepare marshmallow cream. Place honey, coconut sugar, and salt in a small saucepan. Cook over medium heat until mixture reaches 240F (116°C) on a candy thermometer.
While mixture is cooking, place water and gelatin in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment. Sprinkle gelatin over the water to dissolve.
Once honey mixture reaches 240F (116°C), turn on mixer to low speed and drizzle the hot mixture into the side of the stand mixer bowl, careful not to splash it. Once all of the hot mixture is mixed into the gelatin, turn the mixer up to medium speed for 1-2 minutes. Then move the speed to high and mix another 1-2 minutes, or until the mixture is fluffy and has doubled in volume. Add the coconut extract and whip 30 seconds to combine.
Remove the bowl from the stand mixer and mix in the dry crispies, stirring well. Pour the mixture into an 8x8” pan that’s been greased with coconut oil. Press the mixture evenly into the pan and sprinkle with reserved toasted coconut flakes.
Allow to set for 4+ hours before slicing and serving. You can serve before this, but they will be a bit gooey (not always a bad thing)!
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Pro Tips
- Toast the pepitas and almonds a full 10 minutes before the coconut flakes go in — the nuts need more time, and coconut burns fast once it starts browning.
- Cook the honey-coconut sugar syrup to 240°F on a candy thermometer; under-cooked syrup gives you treats that never set, even after hours.
- Drizzle the hot syrup into the running mixer along the side of the bowl — hitting the whisk directly splatters boiling sugar.
- Whip the marshmallow cream until it's genuinely fluffy and doubled in volume before folding in the crispies; this is what makes the bars light rather than dense.
- Let the pan set the full 4 hours before slicing. Cutting early is allowed — but they'll be gooey (not always a bad thing)!
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use other nuts or seeds?
Yes — the pepita-almond-coconut combination is special, but sunflower seeds or chopped cashews work well. Keep the total volume the same so the marshmallow binds properly.
How do I store coconut crispy treats?
In an airtight container at room temperature for four days, or refrigerated for a week. Layer them with parchment so the tops don't stick.
Why did my treats turn out too hard?
The syrup got too hot — past 240°F it moves toward hard-crack candy territory. Pull it at exactly 240°F and the marshmallow stays soft and chewy.
Are these paleo?
They're paleo-friendly: pepitas, almonds, coconut, honey, coconut sugar, and gelatin, with no marshmallows, cereal, or refined sugar in sight.
Recipe Card
Ingredients
Method
- Prepare the crispies: preheat oven to 350F.
- Place pepitas and sliced almonds on a dry half sheet pan.
- Cook for 10 minutes.
- Remove pan, toss in coconut flakes, and cook for another 5-10 minutes, or until coconut begins to brown.
- Remove from oven, transfer to a bowl and allow to cool.
- Place separate 1 cup of coconut flakes on the sheet pan and cook for 5-10 minutes or until lightly browned.
- Set aside in a separate bowl for garnishing later.
- While the crispies are roasting, prepare marshmallow cream.
- Place honey, coconut sugar, and salt in a small saucepan.
- Cook over medium heat until mixture reaches 240F on a candy thermometer.
- While mixture is cooking, place water and gelatin in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment.
- Sprinkle gelatin over the water to dissolve.
- Once honey mixture reaches 240F, turn on mixer to low speed and drizzle the hot mixture into the side of the stand mixer bowl, careful not to splash it.
- Once all of the hot mixture is mixed into the gelatin, turn the mixer up to medium speed for 1-2 minutes.
- Then move the speed to high and mix another 1-2 minutes, or until the mixture is fluffy and has doubled in volume.
- Add the coconut extract and whip 30 seconds to combine.
- Remove the bowl from the stand mixer and mix in the dry crispies, stirring well.
- Pour the mixture into an 8x8” pan that’s been greased with coconut oil. Press the mixture evenly into the pan and sprinkle with reserved toasted coconut flakes. Allow to set for 4+ hours before slicing and serving. You can serve before this, but they will be a bit gooey (not always a bad thing)!
