Almond Joy Cookie Bars
Total disclosure right off the bat – I was not a fan of Almond Joy candy bars when I was younger. I had no room for things like almonds and coconut when I could have peanuts, nougat and caramel. It just seemed like a no-brainer to little ol’ me. Fast forward many years and, while I still go gaga over peanuts, nougat and caramel, I am just as equally enamored with things like almonds and coconut.
The chewy, chunky blondies that I made years ago from Dorie Greenspan’s Baking From My Home to Yours has always been one of my favorite blondies, so I returned to that base to create the Almond Joy bars. I swapped in almonds, coconut and chocolate chips and I fell in love immediately.
If you’re a lover of anything to do with nuts, coconut and chocolate, I urge you to make these immediately!
They’re a great addition to any upcoming summer cookout, as well – perfectly portable and easy to eat without a fork and knife.
One year ago: DIY: Iced Coffee
Two years ago: Key Lime Pie
Three years ago: Raspberry Streusel Bars
Five years ago: Easy Fudge
Seven years ago: Cheesy Baked Ziti with Sausage
Almond Joy Cookie Bars
Ingredients
- 2 cups (250 g) all-purpose flour
- ¾ teaspoon (0.75 teaspoon) baking powder
- ½ teaspoon (0.5 teaspoon) baking soda
- ½ teaspoon (0.5 teaspoon) salt
- 1 cup (227 g) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1½ cups (330 g) light brown sugar
- ½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1½ cups (135 g) sweetened shredded coconut
- 1 cup (180 g) semisweet or bittersweet chocolate chips
- 1 cup (143 g) coarsely chopped almonds
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Butter a 9x13-inch baking pan; set aside.
- Whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl; set aside.
- With an electric mixer, beat the butter on medium speed until smooth and creamy. Add both sugars and beat for another 3 minutes, until well incorporated. Add the eggs one by one, beating for 1 minute after each addition, then beat in the vanilla. Reduce the mixer speed to low and add the dry ingredients, mixing just until they disappear into the batter. Using a rubber spatula, stir in the chips, almonds and coconut. Scrape the batter into the buttered pan and use the spatula to even the top as best as you can.
- Bake for about 40 minutes, or until a knife inserted into the center of the blondies comes out clean. The blondies should pull away from the sides of the pan a little and the top should be a nice honey brown. Transfer the pan to a rack and cool completely. Cut into bars; store in an airtight container at room temperature.
Notes
Did you make this recipe?
Leave a review below, then snap a picture and tag @thebrowneyedbaker on Instagram so I can see it!
I made these Almond joy cookie bars tonight. They turned out amazing.
Rather than butter the pan, can I line it with parchment paper?
Hi Lisa, Yes, definitely.
Hi, just wanted to ask you a quick question. I made these yesterday, and baked them at 325 Degrees for 40 minutes and they were still pretty raw when i took them out of the oven. When I stuck a toothpick in the center, it DID come out clean, but still the bars were pretty much inedible. Should I have baked them at a higher temp do you think?
Hi Sheryl, I wouldn’t increase the temperature, I would just increase the baking time.
I made this and really liked it! It tastes similar to one of my mother’s blondie recipes that also uses coconut, nuts, and chocolate chips, but that recipe is slightly different and more of a pain to make. Thanks for sharing this one!
I am not a huge fan of candy bars but I love baked goods that tie them in. Coconut and chocolate is my favorite combination. These look fantastic!
There was a big kickball game happening in the back yard tonight so I whipped up these blondies and took them out to the kids. They loved them and suddenly everyone had a sister at home they wanted to take one to. So…they are gone. Every last one. Darn kids. I did reserve one for myself though, and it was chewy and buttery and brown sugary. A great blend of flavors and a new favorite. Thanks for another great recipe!
Could you use GLuten free flour and add a tsp of xanthum gum.
Hi Mary, Unfortunately, I am not at all familiar with gluten-free baking, so I couldn’t say one way or the other whether this would work.
This recipe looks delicious, love almonds in sweets. This would be a perfect cookie bar to serve when I host my next Stanley Cup playoffs get together. Thanks!
I don’t have any almonds but tons of pecans in my freezer so your recipes has inspired me to try this other similar cookie recipe using pecans http://bakingthegoods.com/2013/08/15/pioneer-cookies-packed-with-oatmeal-chocolate-chip-coconut-and-pecan-cookies/
I made these tonight and OMG are they great!
thank for the great recipe!
sorry for asking you this as i know it is personal taste, but im trying to decide between these almond joy blondies, your coconut chocolate blondies, or the original chunky blondies! making them for a bbq this weekend!
thanks!
Hi Kim, I personally would pick the original chunky blondies, but like you said, totally personal preference, I like them all!
Wonderful balance of texture and flavour. Love blondies and the coconut , almond and chocolate combo makes these a big two thumbs up. Would throwdown with Bobby Flay with this recipe. Thanks!
i have to try this!! yummm!!
http://www.lesley-kim.com
I just made these and they are oozing butter! Is it 1 cup or 1 stick butter???
I used 1 cup at room temp.
Hi Helen, It is 1 cup, it certainly should not be oozing batter. These are definitely a cakey cookie consistency.
I must agree with you on the previous almond joy aversion. As I got older I eased into Mounds and then I decided almond joys were okay. But repurposed as a bar?! Now that is right up my alley! These sound delicious!
they look like yummy bars!
Hahaha, sounds like me! I used to push almonds and coconut aside too! Nowadays, I can’t get enough ;) These bars look so delicious. Those big chunks of almonds… Omnomnomnom~~~ <3
I love almond joy candy bars – but I love the thought of adding a bit more of a cookie touch and turning them into sliceable bars. I’m thinking these would be something of an almond joy meets blondie. Love it!
I love almond joys..almond joy cookies??!! Yes,please!
Growing up I was always a huge Almond Joy fan, and on Halloween my kids know who gets their Almond Joy bars. :) These cookie bars look incredible!
Yummy, I’m making these this weekend and those homemade Chz-Its! I’m so hungry now!
These look delicious!! Are the almonds raw or roasted? Thanks!
Hi Marissa, I used raw almonds for this, but you could use roasted as well.
I’ll take twenty-eight of these, thanks :)
I’ve never loved the Almond joys candy but I love the flavors of coconut and chocolate very much!! These bars look amazing!
I always loved Almond Joys, so these are perfect for me! They look so delicious!
YUMM!! Saving these – we would absolutely love these at my house. :)
These look absolutely delicious! My boyfriend is a huge Almond Joy fan, so these would be perfect to make for him! Thank you! xo Kelby
newenglandoutlook.com
Thank you for this recipe.I have always been a fan of Mounds and Almond Joy candy bars and now the flavors in a cookie bar…I am in heaven. I have ll the ingredients ready to go…I am only afraid if I make these, I wan’t have the self control to share!
I wasn’t a fan years ago either, but then something clicked and now Almond Joys are great! But I think they are infinitely better in these blondies. Chewy amazingness!
Great textures and flavors all wrapped up in neat little bars. I love almond joys, mounds, and I go gaga over peanuts, nougat and caramel, too! pinned
I think everyone used to hate Almond Joys, right? Now we just get to be the ones stealing them out of our kid’s Halloween loot. It’s great growing old right? :) These look awesome Michelle!