The only thing I have to say about these bars is “Holy delicious!” If you miss those Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup days, this is the recipe for you. It’s so easy to make, yet it’s loaded with delicious, nutritious ingredients. These bars are perfect for the cooler, school lunches, or your next special occasion (say, a 10:00 a.m. tea break with the house all to yourself. Oooh, I love those!). If you prefer almond butter, feel free to use that instead of sunbutter. Then top the bars with sliced roasted almonds instead of sunflower seeds.
BAR INGREDIENTS
1 cup (240 ml) sunbutter (roasted, no sugar)
½ cup coconut butter
3 TBSP honey
1 cup (240 ml) finely shredded coconut, unsweetened
2 TBSP (30 ml) cocoa powder
3 TBSP (45 ml) coconut oil, melted
TOPPING INGREDIENTS
½ cup chopped dark chocolate
2 TBSP (30 ml) roasted, salted sunflower seeds
Makes 16 bars
In a medium-sized bowl, blend the sunbutter, coconut butter, honey, shredded coconut, cocoa powder, and coconut oil until well combined.
Press the mixture into a greased 8” x 8” pan, and refrigerate it until firm.
Meanwhile, melt the dark chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl or in the top of a double boiler over simmering water.
Spread the melted chocolate over the bars, and sprinkle the sunflower seeds over the tops. The chocolate hardens fast on the cooled filling, so you will need to move quickly!
Cut into 16 bars. Keep refrigerated or in a cooler until ready to eat. You can also freeze the bars in an airtight container for later use.
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No-bake sunbutter bars are the nut-free answer to the peanut butter bars everyone remembers, built on roasted sunflower seed butter, coconut, and honey. A layer of melted dark chocolate goes on top with a scatter of salted sunflower seeds for crunch. Keep them cold and they slice like fudge.
Pro Tips
- Use roasted, unsweetened sunbutter and give the jar a good stir. The oil separation in natural sunbutter will make the bars greasy if it goes in unmixed.
- Work quickly once the chocolate goes on. The filling is cold from the fridge and sets the chocolate almost on contact, so have the sunflower seeds within arm's reach.
- Grease the pan before pressing in the filling. Even though nothing bakes, the bars stick stubbornly to an ungreased dish.
- These bars are heat-sensitive — pack them in a cooler for picnics, because coconut butter softens fast above room temperature.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are no-bake sunbutter bars safe for nut-free school lunches?
Yes, as long as your sunbutter and other ingredients are processed in a nut-free facility. The recipe contains no tree nuts or peanuts — everything that looks like nut butter here is sunflower seed based.
Can I freeze these sunbutter bars?
Definitely. Freeze the cut bars in an airtight container for up to three months and thaw them in the refrigerator, where they hold their shape best.
What can I use instead of honey?
Mapy syrup works in equal measure and keeps the bars paleo. The flavor will be a little more caramel and a little less floral, but the texture sets up just as well.
Recipe Card
Ingredients
Method
- TOPPING INGREDIENTS
- ½ cup chopped dark chocolate
- 2 TBSP roasted, salted sunflower seeds Makes 16 bars In a medium-sized bowl, blend the sunbutter, coconut butter, honey, shredded coconut, cocoa powder, and coconut oil until well combined. Press the mixture into a greased 8” x 8” pan, and refrigerate it until firm.
- Meanwhile, melt the dark chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl or in the top of a double boiler over simmering water.
- Spread the melted chocolate over the bars, and sprinkle the sunflower seeds over the tops. The chocolate hardens fast on the cooled filling, so you will need to move quickly!
- Cut into 16 bars.
- Keep refrigerated or in a cooler until ready to eat. You can also freeze the bars in an airtight container for later use.
