This healthier version of the popular Mounds coconut chocolate bars are made with just 3 ingredients! These homemade candy bars are easy to make, preservative free, and are the perfect chocolate coconut lover’s treat!
Why Make Homemade Mounds Bars?
The ingredients in store-bought Mounds bars include things like corn syrup and sodium metabisulfite (a preservative), as well as an emulsifier called PGPR. Avoiding processed foods is one of the first steps to improving health, and that means learning how to make your favorite treats from scratch!
By making your own coconut candy bars, you can enjoy a yummy treat while avoiding highly processed foods.
What are the Ingredients in This Easy Mounds Bar Recipe?
The ingredients in this homemade mounds bars recipe are very simple: organic chocolate chips, finely shredded coconut, and homemade maple sweetened condensed milk! If you would rather buy sweetened condensed milk from the store, opt for an organic option that includes only simple ingredients like milk and cane sugar.
What Kind of Chocolate Chips to Use?
The ideal option would be semi-sweet chocolate chips that are organic and free of ingredients like soy lecithin. I like the Whole Foods 365 brand best, as they are delicious and made with just organic chocolate liquor, cane sugar, cocoa butter, and vanilla extract. Don’t live near a Whole Foods? No problem! Amazon sells this product: see link at the bottom of this page.
* A note about chocolate: I am a big chocolate lover, but I have to make sure I’m not overdoing it. It’s best to enjoy chocolate as an occasional treat, not a daily food. Cocoa products can contain high levels of heavy metals like lead and cadmium. These heavy metals can build up in the body and are linked to many health issues.
What Kind of Shredded Coconut to Use?
This homemade Mounds recipe is best with finely shredded coconut. The fine shreds will give a better texture and allow for the right amount of sweetness per bite. Make sure to buy unsweetened coconut shreds! As always, opt for organic when possible.
Why Make Homemade Sweetened Condensed Milk?
By making your own sweetened condensed milk, you can use a high quality pasture raised milk, avoid products with a can lining, and use maple syrup as a sweetener! I like to make a big batch of sweetened condensed milk every so often, and store it in the freezer. I make a lot of desserts with it like flan, custard, macaroons, and cheesecake! It’s so easy to make: all you need to do is add milk, maple syrup, and vanilla to a pot, then cook it down for a while.
Although I recommend making a homemade version, you could use organic sweetened condensed milk from the store for this recipe.
How to Store Homemade Mounds Bars
These coconut bars can be stored in the refrigerator in an airtight glass container for up to 2 weeks, or in the freezer for up to 6 months. I prefer to enjoy my mounds bars at room temperature, so I will take the amount I will be serving for the day and put them in a glass airtight container on the countertop. Keep in mind that if it is warm in your home (over about 74 degrees) the chocolate may be somewhat melted at room temperature and it will be best to keep them in the refrigerator until enjoying.
How to Serve Homemade Mounds Bars
My favorite way to enjoy these homemade candy bars are alongside a big glass of milk! Serve in whatever way you most enjoy your favorite candy bars.
How to Make Healthier Homemade Mounds Bars
Make the Maple Sweetened Condensed Milk:
Add milk, maple syrup, and vanilla to a large pot and cook on medium low to low heat, stirring occasionally for about 2 hours or until it has reduced to about 1/3 of the original amount. Cool to room temperature, then blend in a high speed blender to ensure it is smooth.
Make the Candy Bars:
Add shredded coconut, salt, and room temperature sweetened condensed milk to a medium sized bowl. Mix until well combined.
Place wax paper or parchment paper on a large plate or baking pan.
With wet hands, take a small handful of coconut mixture and roll into a log shape. Press down onto wax paper or parchment paper to create flattened and rounded oblong shape. Repeat with the rest of the coconut shreds with oblong shapes of your preferred size.
Place pan or plate of sweetened coconut pieces in the freezer while you prepare the melted chocolate.
Add chocolate chips to a small heatproof bowl or top container of a double boiler.
Add 4 cups of water to a small saucepan or bottom potion of double boiler, and bring to a boil.
Place container of chocolate chips on top of pot or double boiler, and melt chocolate for about 15 minutes. Check occasionally to ensure there is plenty of water left in the pot.
Once chocolate is melted, remove frozen sweet coconut filling pieces from freezer.
Dip each side of frozen sweet coconut filling pieces into the melted chocolate, removing excess chocolate with the edge of the bowl or pot, and place back on wax paper or parchment paper.
Once all coconut candies are covered in chocolate, place in the refrigerator to allow the chocolate coating to cool.
Once fully cooled, remove from lined baking sheet or plate and place in a glass airtight container.
Store at room temperature under 74 degrees for up to 24 hours, in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks, or in the freezer for up to 6 months.
Enjoy!
Healthier Homemade 3-Ingredient Mounds Bars Recipe
Equipment
- 1 heat proof bowl (or double boiler)
- 1 Small Saucepan (or double boiler)
- 1 baking pan or large plate
- 1 mixing utensil
- wax paper or parchment paper
Ingredients
- 1 cup organic semi-sweet chocolate chips (soy free)
- 7 oz homemade sweetened condensed milk (see below)
- 1.5 cup unsweetened finely shredded coconut
- Optional: sprinkle of salt
Homemade Sweetened Condensed Milk
- 3 cups pasture raised whole milk
- 1 cup pure maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 pinch salt
Instructions
Make the Maple Sweetened Condensed Milk
- Add milk, maple syrup, vanilla extract, and salt to a large pot and cook on medium low to low heat, stirring occasionally for about 1.5 to 2 hours or until it has reduced to about 1/3 of the original amount.
- Cool to room temperature, then blend in a high speed blender to ensure it is smooth.
Make the Candy Bars
- Add shredded coconut, salt, and room temperature sweetened condensed milk to a medium sized bowl and combine well.
- Place wax paper or parchment paper on a large plate or baking pan.
- With wet hands, take a small handful of coconut mixture and roll into a log shape. Press down onto wax paper or parchment paper to create flattened and rounded oblong shape. Repeat with the rest of the coconut shreds with oblong shapes of your preferred size.
- Place pan or plate in the freezer while you prepare the melted chocolate.
- Add chocolate chips to a small heatproof bowl or top container of a double boiler.
- Add 4 cups of water to a small saucepan or bottom potion of double boiler, and bring to a boil.
- Place container of chocolate chips on top of pot or double boiler, and melt chocolate for about 15 minutes. Check occasionally to ensure there is plenty of water left in the pot.
- Once chocolate is melted, remove frozen sweet coconut filling pieces from freezer.
- Dip each side of frozen sweet coconut filling pieces into the melted chocolate, removing excess chocolate with the edge of the bowl or pot, and place back on wax paper or parchment paper.
- Once all coconut candies are covered in chocolate, place in the refrigerator to allow the chocolate coating to cool.
- Once fully cooled, remove from lined baking sheet or plate and place in a glass airtight container.
- Serve at room temperature (under about 74 degrees) or straight from the refrigerator.
- Optional: sprinkle with salt for a boost in flavor
- Enjoy!
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My favorite organic chocolate chips
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*This post does not contain medical advice
