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Home » Recipe Index » Sweet Snacks

Apricot and Coconut Bars

Published: Jun 1, 2021 · Updated: Jun 1, 2021 Author: Alexandra Cook

For the full recipe including quantities and method, click the "jump to recipe" button, or scroll through and read our helpful tips along the way.

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My Apricot and Coconut Bars are quickly and easily made and are a great healthy option when you’re in need of an energy boost. These no-bake bars are free of refined sugar, are vegan and gluten-free. As well, they are made with ingredients which are easily found in the supermarket. 

Round dish of apricot bars, with a spoon of chia seeds on the side.
Jump to:
  • Why we love this recipe:
  • Ingredients in this recipe:
  • Step by Step Instructions:
  • Tips for success and FAQs:
  • More delicious recipes for you to try:
  • Apricot and Coconut Bars

Why we love this recipe:

Inspired by my Apricot and Coconut Bliss Balls, my delicious Apricot and Coconut Bars are light, fresh and slightly tangy. They are perfect for satisfying sweet cravings.

They are so simple to prepare. Aside from tasting delicious, they are also:

  • Vegan, gluten and refined sugar-free – making them suitable for many people with special dietary requirements;
  • Made from raw ingredients, and do not require cooking;
  • Suitable for freezing;
  • They travel well so are ideal in lunch boxes, to take on picnics or to a potluck. As well, they make a lovely gift; put them in a cellophane bag and tie with a pretty ribbon.

If the weather is hot, there is no need to turn on your oven as no cooking is involved. Just combine the ingredients in the bowl of a food processor and blend. Turn the blended ingredients into your prepared dish, press the mixture firmly to compress it and a short time later you are ready to cut and enjoy the bars. 

They are great to have on hand. Keep a container of these in the fridge to enjoy with a tea or coffee, pack them in the children’s lunch boxes or keep some in the drawer of your desk to provide a quick pick-me-up.

Ingredients in this recipe:

Ingredients in this recipe on a white background.

Please see the recipe card further along in the post for exact quantities of ingredients and the full method.

Apricots – use soft dried apricots if possible. If your apricots are dry you may need to add some water to the mixture to get it to properly combine.

Almond meal/flour – both almond meal and almond flour are made from ground almonds. However, one may be made from blanched almonds and the other from the whole almond. You could use either in this recipe; the one made from the whole almond will contain more dietary fibre.

Desiccated coconut – this is finely grated, un-sweetened, dried flesh from the white part of the coconut. Store your coconut in an airtight container in a cool, dry and dark place. Alternatively, to extend the shelf life, store it in the fridge or freezer.

Chia seeds – currently enjoying enormous popularity, chia seeds were once a staple in the Mayan and Aztec diets. Chia seeds absorb liquid and form a gel; they help bind the bars.          

Water – I add some filtered water to help the ingredients bind together. If your mixture seems too dry to firmly compress into a bar you will need to add a little more water.

Maple Syrup – adds a little sweetness to the Apricot and Coconut Energy Bars and balances the flavour.

Vanilla – use a good quality vanilla extracted from the vanilla bean, and not one synthetically flavoured.

Step by Step Instructions:

Steps 1-4 of preparing this recipe in a photo collage - lining a tin with clingfilm, adding apricots to a food processor, blending the apricots and adding the remaining ingredients.
Steps 5-8 of preparing this recipe in a photo collage - the blended mixture, the mixture pressed into the tin, the slice sprinkled with coconut and wrapped in clingfilm to go into the fridge.
  1. To begin, line a 20 cm (8 inch) square dish with cling wrap. Allow some overhang of the cling wrap to make the bars easier to remove. Sprinkle with 1 tablespoon of coconut.
  2. Add the dried apricots to the bowl of a food processor.
  3. Blend until they are finely chopped. 
  4. Add the coconut, almond meal, vanilla, maple syrup, chia and water to the food processor.
  5. Blend until well combined. Take a small amount of the mixture and check that it is sufficiently moist to form bars. If not, add a small amount of water and blend again. 
  6. Turn the mixture into the prepared dish. Using the back of a spoon or a spatula, firmly flatten and smooth the mixture.
  7. Sprinkle the top with the remaining tablespoon of coconut. 
  8. Cover and refrigerate for about one hour to firm up. Cut into bars the size of your choice. Store the Apricot and Coconut Bars in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

Tips for success and FAQs:

Ideally, use apricots that are very soft; if not, you may need to add some water to the mixture when blending. 

After blending the mixture, take a small amount, press it together between your fingers to check if it can be pressed into bars. If the mixture is too crumbly, add a small amount of water to bind it together. Add more if necessary.

How long will the Apricot Coconut Bars last?

They will last in the refrigerator, stored in an airtight container, for about one week.

Can they be frozen?

Yes, they can. Store them in the freezer in an airtight container for about 3 months.

Small and large round dish of apricot bars, with a spoon of chia seeds on the side.

More delicious recipes for you to try:

After some more delicious snack ideas? These are also vegan, gluten and refined sugar free, and very simple to prepare:

  • Raw Chocolate Mint Slice
  • Salted Caramel Bliss Balls
  • Chocolate Orange Bliss Balls
  • Soy Roasted Almonds
  • Chocolate Mint Bliss Balls
  • Spicy Roasted Almonds
  • Tamari Roasted Pepitas
  • Raw Salted Caramel Slice

These Apricot Coconut Energy Bars make for a great snack. In addition, these delicious, sweet bites are refined sugar free, gluten-free and vegan. This easy to make recipe will become a new family favourite  – be sure to let me know when you have given it a try!

Alex xx

Round dish of apricot bars, with a spoon of chia seeds on the side.

Apricot and Coconut Bars

My Apricot and Coconut Bars are quickly and easily made and are a great healthy option when you’re in need of an energy boost. These no-bake bars are free of refined sugar, are vegan and gluten-free. As well, they are made with ingredients which are easily found in the supermarket. 
5 from 2 votes
Print Pin Review
Course: Afternoon Tea, Morning Tea, Snack
Cuisine: International
Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes
Chill Time: 1 hour hour
Total Time: 1 hour hour 15 minutes minutes
Servings: 15 bars
Calories: 123kcal
Author: Alexandra Cook – It’s Not Complicated Recipes

Please note:

For accuracy, when weights are provided, we recommend weighing your ingredients. This will produce the best results. All oven temperatures listed are for fan forced.

Ingredients

  • 1 ½ cups (285 g) soft dried apricots See Note 1
  • 1 cup (100 g) desiccated coconut See Note 2
  • ¾ cup (75 g) almond meal/flour See Note 3
  • 1 ½ teaspoon vanilla extract See Note 4
  • 1 ½ tablespoon white chia seeds See Note 5
  • 3 tablespoon (60 ml) maple syrup See Note 5
  • 2 tablespoon (40 ml) water – only if necessary See Notes 5 and 6

For coating the bars:

  • 2 tablespoon desiccated coconut See Note 5

Instructions

  • Line a 20 cm (8 inch) square dish with cling wrap. Leave a little hanging over the edges to make it easier to remove the bars. Sprinkle with 1 tablespoon of coconut.
  • Add the dried apricots to the bowl of a food processor.
  • Process the apricots until they are finely chopped.
  • Add the coconut, almond meal, vanilla, maple syrup, chia seeds and water to the food processor, and blend until combined as you prefer; either smooth or slightly chunky.
  • Take a small amount of the mixture and press between your fingers to ensure that it is sufficiently moist to be able to press into bars. If not, add a little water and blend again but be cautious, you don’t want it to be damp. 
  • Add the apricot mixture to the dish and, using the back of a spoon or a spatula, firmly flatten and smooth the mixture.
  • Sprinkle the top with the remaining tablespoon of coconut.
  • Cover and refrigerate for about 1 hour for the mixture to firm.
    Cut into bars, the size of your choice. I made 15, approximately 6.5 cm x 4 cm (2 ½ x 1 ½ inches).
    Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

Notes

  1. If measuring by volume, the apricots are firmly packed in the cup. We have used soft apricots. If yours are not soft you may need to add a small amount of additional water to the mixture when blending.
  2. Desiccated Coconut is finely shredded coconut.
  3. Both almond meal and almond flour are made from ground almonds. However, one may be made from blanched almonds and the other from the whole almond. You could use either in this recipe; the one made from the whole almond will contain more dietary fibre.
  4. For the best flavour, use vanilla which is extracted from the vanilla bean, not one synthetically flavoured.
  5. In Australia, the tablespoon is 20 ml or 4 teaspoons. In many other countries, the tablespoon is 15 ml or 3 teaspoons. You may need to adjust your quantities accordingly.
  6. You may not need additional water. Only add water if necessary to help the mixture combine to be pressed into bars.
  7. Please note, the nutritional information is based on the slice being cut into 15 pieces. The nutritional information is for one piece and is an estimate only.
Made this recipe? We’d be so grateful if you could leave a comment and rating at the bottom of the page!

Nutrition Estimate:

Calories: 123kcal | Carbohydrates: 14g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 1g | Sodium: 4mg | Potassium: 200mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 10g | Calcium: 33mg | Iron: 1mg
Nutritional Disclaimer:

The nutritional information is an estimate only, and is derived from online calculators. For accurate results, we recommend calculating the nutritional information based on the ingredients and brands you use.

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Lesley mitchell

    January 25, 2024 at 3:14 pm

    5 stars
    Just made these for my grandsons school snacks. I have already eaten two!!! Very tasty

    Reply
    • Alexandra Cook

      January 25, 2024 at 5:53 pm

      Thank you, Lesley!
      So happy to hear this 🙂 Alex xo

      Reply
  2. Sian

    August 01, 2023 at 7:54 am

    Hi Alex 😄 can you use any other dried fruit? I would love to try this with strawberry.
    Sian

    Reply
    • Alexandra Cook

      August 01, 2023 at 7:56 am

      Hi Sian!
      That’s a great question – I haven’t tried with other fruit, except for dates, like in my Raw Salted Caramel Slice.
      I am thinking it would work, but you might find you need to adjust the quantities of the other ingredients to achieve the desired taste and texture. Ie: might need more almond to bring it together/less maple etc.
      If you give it a try, let me know how you get on 🙂 Alex xo

      Reply
  3. Pia

    November 11, 2021 at 9:56 am

    Hi can these be rolled into balls

    Reply
    • Alexandra

      November 11, 2021 at 9:59 am

      Hi Pia, follow this post:
      Apricot and Coconut Bliss Balls
      Enjoy!

      Reply
  4. Rina

    June 16, 2021 at 6:50 pm

    Hi what can I substitute for almond meal please. Thank you

    Reply
    • Alexandra

      June 18, 2021 at 5:16 pm

      Hi Rina, I can’t recommend a substitute in this recipe. However, we are currently developing a nut-free Apricot and Coconut Bar and we will be posting this soon. I hope this helps. 🙂

      Reply
  5. Marian

    June 06, 2021 at 6:20 pm

    5 stars
    We made your apricot coconut bars today – THEY WERE SO DELICIOUS! Whole family enjoyed them and they were so easy to make! Gluten free as well.

    Reply
    • Alexandra

      June 12, 2021 at 2:03 pm

      Hello Marian, I am so pleased that you and your family enjoyed the Apricot and Coconut Bars. Thank you for letting me know. 🙂

      Reply

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