Today I want to show you guys how to make the best Nanaimo Bars with oatmeal crust. This is a less-sweet, totally delicious version of this classic Canadian dessert.
This recipe has a crust packed with oatmeal, coconut, and nuts. It has a thin layer of sweet cream in the middle and a rich, thick chocolate layer on top. They are a nutty, textured bar with the sweetness of vanilla buttercream and the contrast of dark chocolate on top. In my opinion, it is the perfect Nanaimo Bar recipe.
What are Nanaimo Bars?
Nanaimo Bars are a classic Canadian dessert named for the city of Nanaimo, British Columbia (on Vancouver Island). Traditionally, they are a 3 layered dessert. The first layer is a cookie crust made with cocoa powder, coconut, nuts, melted butter, and graham cracker crumbs. The middle layer is a sweet custardy cream, and the top layer is a smooth chocolate topping.
This recipe for Nanaimo Bars is a slightly less sweet version of a traditional recipe, with a thinner layer of cream in the centre, and reduced sugar (with the addition of oatmeal) in the crust as the bottom layer.
If you find that these are a little too low on the sweetness for your taste, I would recommend doubling my recipe for the cream layer in the middle. Thickening that up a bit will add a bit of sweetness, and also a bit more of the creamy centre if you prefer to have it like that.
How to make Nanaimo Bars with oatmeal crust
Making Naniamo bars is actually extremely simple. Here is the basic outline of how to make this easy no-bake dessert.
How to make the chocolate coconut crust:
To make the base layer, I like to use cocoa powder, unsweetened coconut, graham crumbs, and either oat flour or oatmeal that I have ground into coarse oat flour with a coffee grinder. Then I add the nuts, melted butter, beaten egg, etc. (See below for the full recipe.)
Stir the base ingredients to combine (you can use a stand mixer for this), and then press the mixture into the bottom of a 9×13-inch pan which has been lightly greased or lined with parchment paper.
A note about raw egg
The one thing to note about Nanaimo bars is that they base layer is actually made with raw egg. If this makes you uncomfortable, you can use flax eggs instead, which are made by mixing ground flax seed and water together.
To make one flax egg, combine 1 Tbsp ground flax seed with 3 Tbsp water and stir to combine. Allow to rest about 5 minutes or until the mixture takes on the texture of a raw egg.
Making the custard icing layer:
The custard layer is made almost exactly like a classic buttercream recipe, but it is made with the addition of instant vanilla pudding mix (or custard powder). Soften your butter to room temperature, then cream butter and icing sugar (or powdered sugar) together with the vanilla pudding powder, and milk. Spread the mixture evenly over the chocolate base, and chill the custard filling and crust until set the cream has set, about 1-2 hours.
How to make the chocolate topping:
In a glass heatproof bowl in the microwave or in the top of a double boiler on low heat, melt the chocolate chips and butter together. Stir until smooth and spread evenly over the custard layer.
Tips for how to cut Nanaimo Bars
Once the chocolate topping has been spread, allow it to set at room temperature until the chocolate becomes tacky. Score the Nanaimo Bars with a sharp paring knife through the chocolate layer to mark where you want to cut the bars. Return the bars to the fridge until the chocolate is hard, and then cut along the score lines into bars with a sharp knife.
When to make Nanaimo bars
This is a great make-ahead dessert for any occasion, but they are most traditional to make for Christmas! Where I live, as Christmas everything starts showing up in the grocery stores, so do piles of red boxes everywhere filled with Nanaimo Bars.
Storage
Store your homemade Nanaimo Bars with oatmeal crust in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 6 weeks. Nanaimo Bars also freeze well, and can be kept for several months easily when stored properly.
Why you will love this recipe
I love Nanaimo Bars, but to be perfectly honest, I always found them a little too sweet. This recipe has all the joy of the chocolate coconut crust, creamy custard filling, and dark semi-sweet chocolate topping without all of the sugar overload. It’s better for you, better tasting, beautiful to look at, and so delicious!
You will need:
- Ingredients (see recipe card)
- Large mixing bowl (or stand mixer)
- Medium mixing bowl
- Electric mixer (or stand mixer)
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Coffee grinder (unless using oat flour)
- Spatulas
- Glass bowl or double boiler
- Sharp paring knife
- Chef’s knife
- 9×13 baking dish
- Parchment paper (optional)
Nanaimo Bars with Oatmeal Crust
This is a less-sweet version of the classic Canadian dessert, Nanaimo Bars. You can cut this recipe into 30-32 large bars, or you can make them a little smaller for a yield of 48.
Ingredients
Base:
- 1 c. butter melted
- 1/2 c. sugar
- 2/3 c. cocoa powder
- 2 large eggs* beaten
- 2 tsp. vanilla
- 2 c. graham wafer crumbs
- 2 c. oat flour or coarsely ground oats (use a coffee grinder and pulse a few times to grind)
- 2 c. shredded coconut
- 1 c. finely chopped walnuts
Filling:
- 1/4 c. butter softened to room temperature
- 2 c. icing (powdered) sugar
- 2 Tbsp. instant vanilla pudding powder
- 3 Tbsp. milk
Chocolate Topping:
- 1-1/2 c. semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 1/4 c. butter
Instructions
For the Base:
-
Combine the melted butter, sugar, cocoa powder, beaten eggs (or flax eggs, see note), vanilla, graham cracker crumbs, ground oats, coconut and walnuts in a large bowl. Stir to combine, and then press into the bottom of a 9×13-inch pan which has been lightly greased or lined with parchment paper. Set aside.
For the Filling:
-
Using an electric mixer, cream the butter until smooth, Add the icing (powdered) sugar, vanilla pudding powder, and milk, and beat until smooth and creamy. Spread evenly over the base, and chill until set (1-2 hours).
(If you like the sweet cream to be thicker, you can double this recipe and spread it over the crust.)
For the Topping:
-
In a glass bowl in the microwave or the top of a double boiler, melt the chocolate chips and butter until smooth. Spread evenly over the chilled mixture.
-
Allow the chocolate to set at room temperature until just tacky, and score marks in the chocolate with a sharp paring knife where you will be cutting them into bars. Chill until the chocolate is hard. Cut along pre-marked lines into bars, and store in airtight containers in the refrigerator.
Recipe Notes
*If you don’t want to use raw egg, you can substitute the eggs for flax eggs.
To make a flax egg, combine 1 Tbsp ground flax seed with 3 Tbsp water and stir to combine. Allow to rest about 5 minutes or until the mixture takes on the texture of a raw egg.
You will need to double the amount above for this recipe (to equal 2 eggs).
If you like this recipe, you may also like:
- White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies
- Lebkuchen (German Soft Gingerbread)
- Cinnamon Sugar Cookies
- Soft and Crispy Chocolate Chunk Cookies
That’s all of today! if you like this recipe, be sure to leave me a comment below to let me know what you thought, or tag me in your beautiful food pictures on Instagram @naomicakesofficial.
Bye for now,
–Naomi
I hoping to make these right now. I wanted an oatmeal crust. Hoping this works:)
I’d love to hear how they turn out!
[…] for this: I LOVE these cookies – and others like them. Yet, when things like butter tarts and Nanaimo Bars start to fill the house, I find that these poor cookies tend to get left until everything else is […]