Luscious No Bake Chocolate Bars
Oh, my, this recipe for Luscious No Bake Chocolate Bars is heavenly! It is SO decadent, SO rich, yes, sinfully rich. It’s also SO spectacular that you will want to make it ALL the time! It has a wonderful chocolate-graham cracker-nuts-coconut crust. It’s topped with a luscious icing layer made with instant vanilla pudding mix. Then melted chocolate chips and butter are spread as the final topping. It is a sugar high and chocolate addiction waiting to happen–no kidding!
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Our family has always loved these chocolate bars. Our Canadian friends refer to this recipe as Nanaimo Bars. They’re named after the city in British Columbia from where these delicious bars originated. My mom had an old cookbook compiled from teachers and parents of kids in the Bellevue, Washington, school system. They lived there in the mid-to late 1950s. That cookbook referred to these delicious bars, “Georgia Street Slices.”
My mom actually clipped this recipe from the Florida Today Newspaper back in the mid-1960s. At that time, the lady who submitted the recipe was named Sharon Haggerty. Mom always referred to these scrumptious treats as Sharon Haggerty Chocolate Bars. But I’m pretty sure Sharon Haggerty was not the originator of this fabulous recipe.
All I can say is that if you make this delicious chocolate bar you are in for a real treat. They are beyond spectacular! And the wonderful thing about them is you don’t have to bake them. You must keep them refrigerated as they will soften up too much if you leave them out.
I have had them last for a week or two in the refrigerator. (That is, if we haven’t gobbled them all down by then). I do recommend refrigerating or even freezing these bars before cutting. And you may want to cut them down into bite-sized pieces. Truly they are so sweet you can hardly eat more than a little at a time.
I made these a couple of weeks ago for a Ladies’ Craft Activity at our church. Anytime I’ve ever made this dessert, everyone just raves over these luscious treats. This is a sensational dessert to wow your office staff, your family and friends. It’s also terrific to serve just because you love chocolate. I can’t recommend this dessert highly enough.
Luscious No Bake Chocolate Bars are absolutely incredible. You will hardly be able to wait before putting another sumptuous bar in your mouth. This is one dessert you don’t want to miss. Get the recipe and be sure to make it as soon as you can!
Luscious No Bake Chocolate Bars are amazing.
Luscious No Bake Chocolate Bars are so drool worthy. I really recommend you cut them even smaller than these because they are so sweet.
If you take a tray of these scrumptious bars to your office, Christmas parties, or a tailgating party you will be the hit of the group.
Once you make these once, all your friends will ask you to make them every time you bring something!
Here’s what I did.
Melt butter in saucepan over low heat. Add sugar and cocoa.
Add vanilla and beaten egg. You MUST beat the egg first, otherwise it can curdle and start cooking like soft boiled eggs!
Whisk over low heat until all the ingredients are melted and well combined.
Remove from heat. Add graham cracker crumbs, nuts, any kind will do. Add coconut.
Stir ingredients to combine.
Press into a 9×13″ greased baking dish. Toss in the refrigerator while you make the next layer.
Soften — don’t melt — butter. Add only two tablespoons vanilla pudding mix and milk.
Add powdered sugar.
Mix with an electric mixer to combine.
Remove dish from refrigerator and spread the icing layer over top of the graham cracker layer. It’s a very thin layer so do the best you can in making it cover the entire surface. Put back in the refrigerator to cool.
Melt chocolate chips and butter over low heat.
Whisk until smooth. Remove from heat and cool a few minutes.
Spread chocolate mixture carefully over top of the icing layer. Refrigerate or freeze for a few hours before cutting.
To serve: cut into bars.
Luscious No Bake Chocolate Bars are sinfully rich, decadent and heavenly.
This dessert is one of the most amazing desserts we’ve EVER eaten.
Here’s the recipe.
LUSCIOUS NO-BAKE CHOCOLATE BARS
(Recipe from my Mom, Helen Mattis, Titusville, FL, as clipped from the Florida Today Newspaper, mid 1960s)
Luscious No Bake Chocolate Bars
Equipment
- 1 9x13" glass baking dish
- 2 small sauce pans
- 2 wooden spoons
- 1 small mixing bowl
- 1 electric mixer
- measuring cups
- measuring spoons
- 1 spatula
- 1 nut chopper if nuts are not previously chopped
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg beaten
- 5 tbsp. cocoa
- 2 cups graham cracker crumbs
- 1/2 cup nuts walnuts or pecans, chopped (measure after chopping)
- 1 cup coconut
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter softened, NOT MELTED
- 3 tbsp. 2% milk
- 2 tbsp. dry instant vanilla pudding mix
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 1 cup chocolate chips
- 4 tbsp. unsalted butter
Instructions
- Heat butter, vanilla, 1/4 cup granulated sugar, beaten egg and cocoa in small saucepan over medium heat.
- Stir to mix.
- Remove from heat.
- Add graham cracker crumbs, nuts and coconut.
- Stir into above mixture.
- Spread mixture into a greased 9x13” glass baking dish.
- Put dish in refrigerator to harden while making next layer.
- Mix 1/2 cup softened butter, 3 tbsp. milk, vanilla pudding mix and powdered sugar.
- Cream with mixer until fluffy.
- Spread this icing layer on top of the refrigerated chocolate mixture.
- Refrigerate 15 minutes.
- Melt chocolate chips and butter over low heat.
- Spread on cooled mixture above.
- Refrigerate or freeze.
- Will keep a week or two in the refrigerator. (If they last that long).
Notes
© Can’t Stay Out of the Kitchen
Nutrition
- ½ cup unsalted butter
- 1 tsp. vanilla
- ¼ cup sugar
- 1 egg, beaten
- 5 tbsp. cocoa
- 2 cups graham cracker crumbs
- ½ cup chopped nuts
- 1 cup coconut
- ½ cup unsalted butter, softened (NOT MELTED)
- 3 tbsp. milk
- 2 tbsp. dry instant vanilla pudding mix
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 1 cup chocolate chips
- 4 tbsp. unsalted butter
- Heat butter, vanilla, 1/4 cup sugar, beaten egg and cocoa in small saucepan over medium heat.
- Stir to mix. Remove from heat.
- Add graham cracker crumbs, nuts and coconut.
- Stir into above mixture.
- Spread mixture into a greased 9×13” glass baking dish.
- Put dish in refrigerator to harden while making next layer.
- Mix 1/2 cup softened butter, 3 tbsp. milk, vanilla pudding mix and powdered sugar.
- Cream with mixer until fluffy.
- Spread this icing layer on top of the refrigerated chocolate mixture.
- Refrigerate 15 minutes.
- Melt chocolate chips and butter over low heat.
- Spread on cooled mixture above.
- Refrigerate or freeze.
- Will keep a week or two in the refrigerator. (If they last that long).
Seriously, you need to prepare yourself for a sugar high.
These chocolate bars are so addictive you won’t want to stop. But you better share!
We love Luscious No Bake Chocolate Bars or Nanaimo Bars as some people call them. We think you will too! Better take one last look because before you know it they will be going, going, G-O-N-E!!!
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Luscious No Bake Chocolate Bars
Equipment
- 1 9×13" glass baking dish
- 2 small sauce pans
- 2 wooden spoons
- 1 small mixing bowl
- 1 electric mixer
- measuring cups
- measuring spoons
- 1 spatula
- 1 nut chopper if nuts are not previously chopped
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg beaten
- 5 tbsp. cocoa
- 2 cups graham cracker crumbs
- 1/2 cup nuts walnuts or pecans, chopped (measure after chopping)
- 1 cup coconut
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter softened, NOT MELTED
- 3 tbsp. 2% milk
- 2 tbsp. dry instant vanilla pudding mix
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 1 cup chocolate chips
- 4 tbsp. unsalted butter
Instructions
- Heat butter, vanilla, 1/4 cup granulated sugar, beaten egg and cocoa in small saucepan over medium heat.
- Stir to mix.
- Remove from heat.
- Add graham cracker crumbs, nuts and coconut.
- Stir into above mixture.
- Spread mixture into a greased 9×13” glass baking dish.
- Put dish in refrigerator to harden while making next layer.
- Mix 1/2 cup softened butter, 3 tbsp. milk, vanilla pudding mix and powdered sugar.
- Cream with mixer until fluffy.
- Spread this icing layer on top of the refrigerated chocolate mixture.
- Refrigerate 15 minutes.
- Melt chocolate chips and butter over low heat.
- Spread on cooled mixture above.
- Refrigerate or freeze.
- Will keep a week or two in the refrigerator. (If they last that long).
13 Comments
Laura French
December 8, 2024 at 10:49 am
Can you substitute something else for the vanilla pudding mix
It’s not something I normally keep Which means I’d have to go and buy a package. And it kind of a waste to me if I’m only using 2 tablespoons.
Please let me know
Thank you
Teresa Ambra
December 8, 2024 at 7:39 pm
Hi Laura. I know it seems a waste to only use two tablespoons, but this is one of the dreamiest recipes ever! I probably would only substitute a cheesecake or white chocolate pudding mix. But I would use the pudding mix. Sorry.
Lorean
February 12, 2024 at 8:38 pm
Being as it’s not safe to have raw eggs in no bake squares, can you leave it out? I’m asking about Nanaimo bars
Teresa Ambra
February 13, 2024 at 3:02 pm
Hi, Lorean. This is one of those recipes that was originally made so many decades ago when everyone had home gardens and eggs instead of the mass production like today (which is not as safe). You do realize the egg is cooked a little on top of the stove with the butter, sugar, vanilla and cocoa, right? We’ve never had a problem since the eggs are not really raw after being heated on the stove top. I can’t guarantee that they will turn out well without the eggs in the batter. Hope that helps.
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Veronica Petzold
November 20, 2014 at 6:35 am
Could you use crushed pretzels instead of nuts or extra graham crackers instead of nuts or do nuts give a crunch you need. PS I made the Mrs. Fields copycat cookies and they were amazing. Do you ever refrigerate the dough before baking?
Teresa
November 20, 2014 at 7:58 am
So glad you enjoyed the Mrs. Field’s Chocolate Chip Cookie Copycat recipe, Veronica. I haven’t refrigerated the Mrs. Field’s cookie dough but that might help them hold their shape somewhat. I think you would have to cook them a little longer, too, to ensure they’re cooked through. I really think you need to use nuts on these bars. If you can’t do pecans or walnuts maybe you could try a different kind like hazelnuts, pistachios or even almonds. But I think you need to have the nuts. While don’t you consider making half the crust layer with nuts stirred in and the other half of the crust layer with chopped pretzels and see how they turn out?
Teresa
November 20, 2014 at 8:01 am
So glad you enjoyed the Mrs. Field’s chocolate chip copycat recipe, Veronica. I’ve never refrigerated the dough before but that may help them keep their shape. I would think that they would have to be baked longer than 9 minutes if you do that. I really think you need nuts for this recipe, perhaps hazelnuts, pistachios or almonds if you are allergic to pecans or walnuts. Why don’t you try making half the crust layer with nuts and the other half with chopped (not crushed) pretzels and see how they turn out? Nuts are a lot harder than pretzels but they may mimic the texture a little bit. Let me know how it works out for you.
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November 19, 2013 at 8:57 pm
[…] is a superb tasting cookie! And why not? It’s based on my Luscious No-Bake Chocolate Bars or Nanaimo Bars as our Canadian friends refer to them. These cookies actually started out as my […]
Tamara Leigh
November 18, 2013 at 6:30 am
Oh dear, here come your amazing holiday desserts, Teresa. I feel heavier just looking at those chocolate bars. Sigh. Will have to just work out a bit more 🙂
Teresa
November 18, 2013 at 11:22 am
You got it! And, yes I will be rolling out some goodies this week! Yum, yum. Seriously, Tamara, you’ve GOT to make these. They are so incredible. Take a batch to your next holiday party or meeting (so you don’t have to secretly gorge on all of them by yourself) 🙂 – Or, of course, you could do what I do and that’s freeze them and pull them out to eat in a more disciplined manner. :-0