If you love Almond Joy candy bars, my new gluten-free almond joy cookies recipe will become your favorite. There is also a dairy-free version so that anyone can enjoy them! Moist, chewy coconut on top of a chocolate cookie or brownie…one bite, and you will be hooked!
These gluten-free almond Joy cookie bars are a delicious dessert that combines chocolate, coconut, and almonds. They are easy to make with store-bought cookie dough or store-bought chocolate cookie mix, or use my easy Gluten-Free Chocolate Brownie Cookies or Gluten-Free Brownies recipes as the base!
You are in for a treat with these chocolaty gluten-free chocolate almond joy cookie bars. You can make these regular or dairy-free and make them on a cookie or a brownie. I have hundreds of delicious gluten-free cookie and cookie bar recipes on the blog, and enjoy!
If you are dairy-free and gluten-free, here are two more delicious dairy-free dessert recipes to try. Gluten Free Banana Bars and Gluten-Free Chocolate Orange Donuts.
Allergen Information:
This almond joy cookie bar recipe is gluten-free and soy-free. Omit the almonds to make these nut-free. Use Coconut condensed milk and dairy-free butter to make them dairy-free.
Ingredient Notes:
- Chocolate Cookie or Brownie Baking Mix, or use one of my chocolate cookie or brownie recipes (linked above.)
- Coconut or Regular Condensed Milk—If you are not dairy-free, you can use regular condensed milk. Both are available in most local grocery stores.
- Butter – Use unsalted butter.
- Shredded Coconut – Use unsweetened coconut because these cookie bars are already pretty sweet from the condensed milk.
- Slivered or Sliced Toasted Almonds – Raw almond slivers are also okay as they will toast while baking.
- Eggs, Oil or Butter, and Milk are usually needed for making the cookie or brownie base.
Step-By-Step Directions:
Step 1: Add the cookie or brownie mix to a bowl, or make one of my recipes and make the dough according to the directions.
Step 2: Spread the cookie dough or brownie batter into the bottom of a greased 8×8 pan. You can also line the pan with parchment paper. (Note, this photo is from when I made this recipe, but I doubled it because I needed it for a bake sale.)
Step 3: Add the shredded coconut to a large
Step 4: Sprinkle the top with slivered or sliced almonds.
Step 5: Bake the gluten free chocolate coconut bars at 350º F for 30 minutes.
🔑 Sandi says: The coconut topping should be slightly golden and bubbling. It is VERY HOT, so do not touch the topping until it is cool.
Step 6: Let these almond joy cookies cool on a cooling rack.
You may also enjoy this easy Gluten Free Maple Walnut Cookie Bars recipe.
Tips For Sucess
1. Before cutting the bars, I let them come to room temperature on the counter, then cover them with plastic wrap and let them chill in the refrigerator for an hour.
2. If you are making this for a bake sale, I advise partially freezing the bars so they slice more easily.
Recipe FAQ:
Store these cookie bars in an airtight container in the refrigerator. They will keep fresh for up to four days.
Allow the bars to cool to room temperature. Chill the bars as directed above in the refrigerator. Slice the bars and then flash freeze the bars. Move them to a freezer-safe zipper bag and store them in the freezer.
More Delicious GlutenFree Cookies:
- Gluten-Free Chocolate Dipped Macaroons – If you love coconut, this is another awesome coconut dessert to try.
- Gluten-Free Brookies – This is a combo of a cookie and a brownie. It would also be a great base for these gluten free almond joy bars.
- Gluten-Free Chocolate Crinkle Cookies – These cookies are melt-in-your-mouth good!
- Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Cookies (a delicious classic!)
Love This Recipe?
If you made and enjoyed this recipe, I would be incredibly grateful if you could leave a comment below. Please include which flour blend you used. This helps others know that this recipe is delicious. Thank you!
Easy Gluten Free Chocolate Almond Joy Cookie Bars
Ingredients
- 1 gluten free chocolate cookie or brownie mix See Notes
- 12 ounces condensed coconut milk * see note
- 2 cups shredded unsweetened coconut
- 1 cup slivered or sliced toasted almonds
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350º F.
- Make the cookie or brownie mix according to package directions. If you are using my recipe below, mix that up.
- In a medium sized mixing bowl, add coconut, almond, and condensed milk.
- Mix well.
- Spray an 8×8 baking dish with coconut oil.
- Add cookie dough to the bottom. Spread to cover the whole bottom and press down. Bake 10 minutes.
- Remove the pan from the oven. Spread the coconut mixture on top.
- Bake an additional 10-15 minutes until the top is slightly golden.
- Remove from the oven and allow to cool. Place in the refrigerator to chill.
- When you take this out of the oven, note the coconut bars are HOT. Let them cool before slicing them.
- Let them cool to room temperature on the counter, then move the gluten free almond joy bars to the refrigerator to cool for an hour. Slice them after they are cooled.
Notes
- To make this recipe dairy-free, you can use coconut condensed milk instead of regular condensed milk.
- You can use a dry gluten free chocolate cookie mix and make it, or use refrigerated gluten free cookie dough. I love using either my Gluten Free Brownies or Gluten Free Chocolate Brownie Cookie recipes for the base.
- These cookies will keep up to 4 days in an airtight container in the refrigerator, or up to 4 months in the freezer.
- Be careful when you take this out of the oven. Allow cooling completely because the coconut topping will be very hot.
SPECIAL NOTE
Please know that every gluten free flour blend has a different starch to grain ratio. If you use a blend I didn’t test, you may need to adjust your moisture levels in your baked goods.
Nutrition
Nutrition Disclaimer
Nutritional information is an estimate provided to you as a courtesy. You should calculate the actual nutritional information with the products and brands you are using with your preferred nutritional calculator.
These are delicious! I had an Aldi Live G Free chocolate baking mix, so I used that. It worked great! How many ounces are in your condensed coconut milk?
I am so glad you liked this recipe Sara. The condensed coconut milk is 11.25 ounces.
My husband loves almond joy bars, he is going to be in heaven when he comes home to a batch of these bars!
You are so sweet to make these for him, let me know how he likes them 🙂
My GF friend LOVED these and so did my entire family! I will definitely make them again!
I am so glad Jillian 🙂
One of my best friends was just diagnosed as gluten intolerant. I’ll be sharing this with her.
I hope she likes these Brandy. Please let her know she can drop me a line if she has any questions. Figuring out the next steps after being diagnosed can be pretty confusing. Take care, Sandi
I love love love bar desserts! This looks amazing, nice job!
Thank you Michelle 🙂
These look awesome! As someone who is trying to cut carbs & gluten this makes me feel like I can do that and still have great desserts.
I hope you like these Erin 🙂
I love the sound of that coconut condensed milk. I will have to keep an eye out for it. Love the sound of those mixes as well. Pity we can’t get them here 🙁
I really love the added coconut flavors from this condensed milk. Thank you Tania 🙂
Those look super delicious.
These look so easy and the fact they are gluten free makes them even better! I would love to try this recipe!
Thank you Sharon 😉
These look incredible, and I love that they’re so easy to make! It’s also nice to see more gluten free options out there!
Thank you Dee…it is definitely nice. When I first went gluten free, I couldn’t even buy a loaf of bread.
I love how easy this recipe is and how few ingredients you need to make something that looks so delicious! My children would be all over it. Thanks for sharing
Thank you so much Katrin 🙂
Yummy! I need to try this soon! Thanks
I hope you enjoy them Catalina 🙂
A friend of mine has a gluten-free kid who always feels left out on Halloween! This is a perfect way to share a traditional Halloween candy with them!
Agreed. Please let them know they are welcome to reach out to me if they have any gluten free questions 🙂
YUM! I love the sound of these, and I have some family members who would ADORE them! Saving!
Thank you so much Erin 🙂