Nanaimo bars are Canadian classics that hail from Nanaimo, British Columbia. Traditional recipes for the layered bars included a cookie crumb crust and a buttery custard filling, but today’s recipe that is found in Bob’s Red Mill Everyday Gluten-Free Cookbook from Camilla V Saulsbury, a Canadian herself, modified the recipe to include the ancient grain, amaranth. I have given you a few other amaranth recipes before, but if you’ve forgotten the benefits of amaranth, find them HERE.
Follow the recipe below for a modern version of Nanaimo Squares!
Bottom Layer:
1/4 cup warmed coconut oil
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 cup maple syrup or liquid honey
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/2 popped amaranth (see below for instructions)
1 1/2 cups unsweetened finely shredded coconut
Pop amaranth by heating a large dry skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 TBSP amaranth and vigorously shake the pan for 12-18 seconds or until the seeds have popped. They should begin to pop within a second or two after being added to the pan. Watch closely, as the amaranth will burn quickly once it has finished popping. Immediately transfer the popped seeds to a medium bowl to cool. Continue popping until desired amount is reached. Store in an airtight container or ziplock bag at room temperature for up to a week.
Middle Layer:
1 cup unsweetened almond butter
1/4 cup milk
1 TBSP melted coconut oil
1 tsp vanilla extract
Top Layer:
2/3 cup semisweet chocolate chips
2 TSP coconut oil
For the bottom layer:
In a medium saucepan, melt coconut oil over low heat
Whisk in cocoa powder and maple syrup or honey until blended and smooth
Remove from heat and whisk in vanilla
Stir in popped amaranth and coconut until well coated
Line a 9×9 pan with parchment paper and let the paper overhang and press mixture firmly into pan
Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes, or until firm
For middle layer:
In a medium bowl, using an electric mixer on low speed, beat almond butter, milk, coconut oil, and vanilla for 1-2 minutes or until somewhat blended
Beat on medium to high speed until smooth and spreadable
Spread over chilled bottom layer
Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour, or until firm
For the top layer:
Place chocolate chips and coconut oil in a heatproof bowl that is set over a saucepan of simmering water
Stir until melted and smooth
Spread over chilled middle layer
Refrigerate for 10-15 minutes, or until chocolate is set
Using parchment paper overhang, lift layers from pan and cut into 16 squares
Place squares on a plate and refrigerate for at least an hour or until very firm
(I refrigerated my cut squares overnight in the pan and they still started to crumble and fall apart, so just be aware they may not stay together!)
- 1/4 cup warmed coconut oil
- 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1/4 cup maple syrup or liquid honey
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 popped amaranth (see below for instructions)
- 1 1/2 cups unsweetened finely shredded coconut
- 1 cup unsweetened almond butter
- 1/4 cup milk
- 1 TBSP melted coconut oil
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2/3 cup semisweet chocolate chips
- 2 TSP coconut oil
- Pop amaranth by heating a large dry skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 TBSP amaranth and vigorously shake the pan for 12-18 seconds or until the seeds have popped. They should begin to pop within a second or two after being added to the pan. Watch closely, as the amaranth will burn quickly once it has finished popping. Immediately transfer the popped seeds to a medium bowl to cool. Continue popping until desired amount is reached.
- In a medium saucepan, melt coconut oil over low heat
- Whisk in cocoa powder and maple syrup or honey until blended and smooth
- Remove from heat and whisk in vanilla
- Stir in popped amaranth and coconut until well coated
- Line a 9x9 pan with parchment paper and let the paper overhang and press mixture firmly into pan
- Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes, or until firm
- In a medium bowl, using an electric mixer on low speed, beat almond butter, milk, coconut oil, and vanilla for 1-2 minutes or until somewhat blended
- Beat on medium to high speed until smooth and spreadable
- Spread over chilled bottom layer
- Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour, or until firm
- Place chocolate chips and coconut oil in a heatproof bowl that is set over a saucepan of simmering water
- Stir until melted and smooth
- Spread over chilled middle layer
- Refrigerate for 10-15 minutes, or until chocolate is set
- Using parchment paper overhang, lift layers from pan and cut into 16 squares
- Place squares on a plate and refrigerate for at least an hour or until very firm