Cherry bounty bars

These cherry bounty bars are both no bake and vegan, free from refined sugar, gluten, dairy and most other allergens. They are chewy, coconut-y, only slightly sweet and so easy to make, using only 9 ingredients. 

The bounty bar was my favourite chocolate bar in the good ol’ days, and not much has changed except that now they’re homemade (and made from ingredients I actually want to eat). This is a slightly skewed version of the classic- no bake cherry bounty bars that combines not just the fantastic combination of coconut and chocolate but brings in the delightful flavour of cherry! Boom, what a combo.

Well, gather up some ingredients, get out your food processor and get making! You can check out this reels here on my instagram for a visual… I still have not figured out to add videos to my blog. Be patient, it will come.

CHERRY BOUNTY BARS INGREDINET LIST

• A food processor. Any food processor will do, you don’t need a fancy high powered one as we are just pulsing the coconut to break it up a little.
• Shredded or flaked coconut. I have tried both, they both work BUT you must go off the weigh if you use flaked coconut and not the cup measurement. Not all coconut comes equally- I use this one, which is quite moist. Some other brands might be more dry.
• Coconut butter or coconut manna. This is a paste made rom dried coconut (much like peanut butter, but made form coconut) and can be found is some independent supermarkets or health food shops. I make my own, so I will explain how below.
• Cherries. Fresh or frozen, your pick. You can always sub for extra coconut cream if you cannot access coconut butter. 
• Pure maple syrup– or any sticky sweetener. I think honey and date syrup would be too overpowering for this recipe, but rice malt syrup, coconut nectar or agave would be a fine substitute. The sticky sweetener helps both to add sweetness but also to bind the bars.
• Vanilla paste or extract. Vanilla add a subtle flavour to these bars that I personally love, but if you don’t have any on hand you could omit it.
• Coconut cream form a can. Just use the thick creamy part for these vegan cherry  bounty bars.
• Chocolate of choice. I used a dairy free dark chocolate (or mylk chocolate like this one) but you can use whatever you like- dark chocolate is a delicious choice too. I like to add coconut oil to my melted chocolate too, but this is optional. 

Cant find coconut butter? Make your own.

I find store bought coconut butter both hard to find and really expensive. If is a delicious addition to any pantry, and is actually very easy to make.

As a note though- even using my magi mix (which is a high powered, very capable food processor) I cannot get the paste completely smooth when it comes to coconut butter. I have even tried blending it heat, but there has always been a slightly grainer texture. I don;’t mind that- and it certainly doesn’t mater in these no bake cherry bounty bars, I just want to be honest here. Store bought coconut butter is stone ground, I assume, so unless you have one of those don’t expect a silky smooth finish.

A further note- the coconut you use is important. You cannot substitute for desiccated coconut (it is too dry). Make sure you choose a coconut that is unsweetened and shredded or flaked.

Heres what you do!

1. You will need at least 3 cups of shredded coconut- 4-5 is ideal. Flaked coconut works too, but you’ll need extra and its hard to fit into a food processor. 
2. Add coconut to a high-powered food processor and turn onto a maximum speed. Blend for approximately 20 minutes. I think a high-powered food processor is essential here, and a thermomix would work well too. You will need to stop the machine a few times and scrape down with a spatula. Around 5 minutes your batter with look grainy or sandy-this is totally normal. At around 15 minutes to will start to become liquid. Once it has completely liquified and is thin and pourable it is ready.
3. Decant into a clean glass jar and store in the fridge.

Before using coconut butter, soften it.

Coconut butter sets very hard at room temperature, unless it is a hot day. The best way to soften it is to 1/2 fill a small saucepan and bring to the boil. Turn off the heat and add the jar of coconut butter with the lid on. Add a weight on top if the jar try to fall over. Stand for 5-10 mins until the coconut butter has become liquid again.

If you loved these healthy cherry bounty bars you might like to try some of our other no bake recipes; 

• Super seed chocolate bliss balls with Reishi
• Vegan chocolate peanut butter ice cream pops
• Low carb vegan bliss balls
• Raw vegan wagon wheel slice
• Healthy vegan peanut butter fudge
• No bake vegan brownies with almond butter frosting
• Berry gummies

We hope you enjoy making these raw vegan cherry bounty bars and look forward to your feedback n the comments. Your feedback, comments and questions help other readers find this recipe too.

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