It’s easy to make your own healthier candy bars! These mini Almond Joy can be Keto/Low-Carb, Paleo and Vegan so you can enjoy without all the sugar, dairy and additives! Less than 2 carbs each! (PLUS 20+ recipes for homemade chocolates and more!)

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Originally published October 24, 2019. Updated October 11, 2021

Candy Bars, UNjunked

No need to give into Halloween candy and suffer the impending wrath of the sugar monster. (For me, it’s an instant stomach ache, usually a headache, and just feeling like garbage afterward. WHO wants to feel like that? No one! I want to feel GOOD from the foods I eat. Especially desserts.)

NOW it’s quicker and EASIER than ever to make your own healthier homemade candy bars using my new shortcut method to add a PERFECT crisp chocolate shell — with less mess, less stress. 

You can en’JOY’ your Almond Joy! Without wrecking your diet or feeling unwell afterward.

Make the classic coconut almond confection or one of the other 10+ chocolate candy variations listed below.

These homemade treats are all made with simple, clean ingredients and can be completely sugar-free! YAY!

You’ll be delighted to hear that these have less than TWO net carbs each. Whereas a traditional fun size Almond Joy has almost TWENTY.

 As an affiliate I may earn a small commission from qualifying purchases made through referral links in this post (at no additional cost to you).

Healthy Homemade Halloween Candy

Halloween candy is about to be everywhere. But it does NOT have to tempt you. You don’t have to give in to the sugar, chemicals and who knows what they put in that stuff. You can easily make your OWN homemade, much healthier candy. It’s seriously delicious.

I actually like it BETTER than conventional candy because it doesn’t taste chemical-ly. And my kids agreed! They like these BETTER than the store-bought candy. WINNING.

These homemade Almond Joy candies can be made Keto/Low-Carb, Paleo and Vegan, depending on your choice of chocolate and sweetener.

• For Keto, simply use a sugar-free chocolate, such as Lakanto, Lily’s or Choc Zero.
• For Paleo & Vegan, use Hu brand chocolate, which has no refined sugar. It’s sweetened with unrefined coconut sugar.

I really like 85% dark chocolate from Aldi. It’s dairy-free and low in sugar. If you’re a dark chocolate fan, you’ll love the quality of this European brand for its incredible flavor.

Chocolate in an ICE CUBE TRAY

I don’t know why I waited so long to try this. Maybe I was skeptical that it would actually work. I was a little worried the chocolate would stick horribly to the plastic and be a nightmare to pry out of the tray.

But it wasn’t.

It was the EASIEST method of coating chocolate I’ve ever encountered in my YEARS of dessert making. This is a GAME-CHANGER. It’s SO EASY.

• No double boiler
• No tempering the chocolate (which takes forevvvver)
• No crazy ingredients that require a trip to Whole Foods
• No tediously dipping each candy one by one (and making a HUGE mess)

How to Make the BEST Chocolate Shell

Melt the chocolate in a heat-safe (glass) measuring cup (preferably one with a spout for easy pouring) with a little coconut oil in the microwave Pour it. So quick & easy!

1. All it takes is maybe a teaspoon of chocolate poured into each well of an ice cube tray. Tilt the tray around in all directions to coat the sides of the tray with a thin layer of chocolate.

TIP: For a light candy shell, use the smallest amount of chocolate possible to coat the ice cube tray. If you like a thick chocolate coating that’s hard and crunchy, use much more chocolate.

2. Then you’ll add your filling (Either the YUMMY coconut almond filling OR whatever you choose! See below for TONS of options!) Pour a little more chocolate on top and pop it in the freezer until set. I left mine for an hour just to be sure it was solid.

3. Crack, crack! Twist the plastic like you’re popping out ice cubes to release the fun-size bars.

4. Lastly, invert the tray onto a large plate and the candies fall right out!  It’s awesome!

3 Simple Clean Ingredients

1. Coconut (in four (yes 4!) forms: shreds, butter, oil and extract)
2. Monkfruit for sugar-free natural sweetness with amazing PURE taste (no chemical aftertaste)
3. Pink Himalayan Salt for depth of flavor, and a balance to the sweetness (not to mention the dozens of natural minerals!)

How to Make AMAZING (Keto Paleo Vegan) Coconut Filling

To make the scrumptious coconut filling, it only takes 10 *seconds* of pulsing a food processor.

Throw everything in, press the button. It’s ready to scoop! Add an almond, cover with more chocolate. Freeze. See how easy it is to make these keto Almond Joy?? 

You’ll use these 4 forms of coconut, sweetener, and a pinch of pink salt:

1. Coconut butter for its amazing ability to make candy filling (like these Homemade Healthy Starburst! And this Fudge! It acts as a delicious glue to hold these candies together.

What is Coconut Butter?

In short, it’s pureed dried coconut! Just like peanut butter = pureed peanuts. It’s also known as coconut manna. Note that this is NOT coconut oil.

“Coconut Manna [is an] incredibly tasty, whole food treat made of pure coconut flesh. You can enjoy this coconut butter straight from the jar, or warm it up to spread the goodness! This tropical melt-in-your-mouth treat is rich in lauric acid and Medium Chain Triglycerides (MCTs), making it one of the world’s most nourishing and versatile superfoods” – Nutiva

Coconut Butter has a very unique property that is solid and almost rock hard at room temperature and below, and liquid when heated/melted. It has a buttery silky texture and mouthfeel and mild flavor almost like shortbread.

These properties make it ideal for candies and other dessert treats. On the other hand, there is no real substitute for coconut butter. There’s nothing else really like it.

Where to find Coconut Butter?

I typically buy it on Thrive Market since it’s such a great deal. (Don’t forget to use code PRETTYPIES for a discount on your first order!) You can also get it at Whole Foods and Amazon!

All the Coconut

2. Coconut milk to soften and moisten the filling (so the coconut is not too dry or hard). It also helps add a hint of coconut flavor.

3. Coconut shreds to give that classic coconut taste that almond joy candies are known for. A hint of texture + a hint of flavor.

4. Coconut extract. This is where some major magic happens. Add as much coconut flavor as you like. To me, this is Coconut BLISS. (I absolutely LOVE coconut flavor!) the extract is optional, but if you truly want to taste coconut, I highly recommend it!

MORE Homemade Wholesome Candy Bar Options

• Homemade Reese’s
  • Make the filling by mixing 2/3 cup peanut butter, 4 Tbs coconut flour (just enough to thicken into a dough), 15 drops monkfruit and a splash of vanilla. Use the ice cube tray chocolate coating recipe below.
• Sugar-Free Peanut Butter Balls
• Chocolate Buttercream Cups
• Cookie Dough Truffles
• Brownie Truffles
• Chocolate Raspberry Truffles

Custom Keto Candies

You can customize your ice cube tray chocolates into ANY kind of candy you like by adding your choice of filling! Here are some delish combinations to get the ideas flowing:

• Chopped peanuts or pecans!
• High Key Cereal or pepitas (green pumpkin seeds) for Crunch Bars
• Caramel + Sugar Cookies for Twix!
• Fresh strawberries or homemade jam for chocolate-covered strawberry candy!
• Coconut butter + mint extract for Peppermint Patties!
• Coconut butter + anything you like!

Healthy Halloween Desserts Galore

You thought that was all? I have loads more recipes for guilt-free treats! Great for fall entertaining, Halloween, or just to treat yo’ self 🙂

All free from gluten, dairy and refined sugar. All made with real food ingredients you can feel GOOD about. No junk.

• Homemade Starburst (4 flavor options!)
• Peanut Butter Bark (keto)
• Nutella Bark (keto)
• Frankenstein Pie
• Candy Corn Cheesecake
• Pumpkin Cheesecake (keto)
• See ALL my low-carb desserts here

Which homemade candy will you try? Let me know in the comments!

If you make a recipe, be sure to leave a star rating and review below. Tag me on Instagram so I can feature you! 🙂

Don’t forget to click PIN to save this on Pinterest!
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Keto Almond Joy Candy Bars

Classic Almond Joy made healthier! Coconut filling, roasted almonds in a chocolate shell. It's easy to make your own mini candy bars in an ice cube tray.

4.5 from 4 votes

Print Pin Rate

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 0 minutes

Servings: 14 servings

Author: Emily

Equipment

• Food Processor

Ingredients

US Customary - Metric

• 1/2 cup unsweetened coconut shreds
• 1/4 cup + 1 Tbs coconut butter - melted
• 2 Tbs canned coconut milk - warm
• 2 Tbs powdered monkfruit
• dash of pink salt
• splash of coconut extract - optional
• 1.5 3oz bars dark chocolate  - chopped (sugar-free for keto)
• 2.5 tsp virgin coconut oil
• 14 dry roasted almonds

Instructions

• Melt coconut butter by placing it in a bowl of warm water. Stir well to incorporate the oil.
• In a food processor, add all ingredients for the filling and blend for about 10 seconds until well combined. Taste and adjust for sweetness and flavor. Set aside. (If mixture does not hold shape, refrigerate it for 10 minutes to firm up)
• Chop chocolate into large chunks and place chocolate and coconut oil in a microwave safe glass measuring cup. Melt in the microwave using 30 second intervals. Stir smooth.
• Pour about 1 tsp chocolate into each well of the ice cube tray. Tilt the tray to make a thin coat halfway up the sides. Save the remaining chocolate for pouring on top.
• Using an oval shaped 1/2 Tbs measuring spoon, scoop the coconut mixture to form the candy filling. Press an almond on top.
• Use your hands to re-shape the candy filling, if needed, to fit neatly inside the wells (careful not to make them too wide)
• Repeat for remaining filling mixture. Pour chocolate on top.
• Freeze the candies for 30-60 minutes until solid.
• When set, twist the ice cube tray to “crack” the candies free. Invert the ice cube tray onto a platter for easy removal. Enjoy!

Notes

To store: keep refrigerated for up to 10 days in an airtight container.

Featured Ingredients 

Coconut Butter (also known as manna)

• available from Amazon
• available from Thrive Market (use my referral link for a discount on your first order)

Powdered Monkfruit*

• from Amazon
• from Thrive Market (use my referral link to save 25% on your first order)
• from Lakanto (use code PRETTYPIES to save 20% on every order)

*I make homemade by blending the classic granules in a blender for 10 seconds

Natural Coconut Extract from Amazon

Nutrition Facts

Keto Almond Joy Candy Bars

Amount per Serving

Calories

116

% Daily Value*

Fat

 

11.4

g

18

%

Carbohydrates

 

7.2

g

2

%

Fiber

 

2.9

g

12

%

Sugar Alcohol

 

2.63

g

Net Carbs

 

1.7

g

Protein

 

1.7

g

3

%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Tried this recipe?Tag @emily.likes.food #prettypies!

Approximate MACROS for 1 Almond Joy Candy (based on 14 servings) using 85% dark chocolate

• Cal 139.7
• Fat 12 g
• Total Carb 7.8g
• Fiber 2.4g
• Sugar Alcohol 1.72 g
• Net Carbs 3.67 g
• Protein 2g

FOR KETO: Approximate MACROS for 1 Almond Joy Candy (based on 14 servings) using SUGAR-FREE 85% dark chocolate

• Cal 116
• Fat 11.4
• Total Carb 7.2
• Fiber 2.9g
• Sugar Alcohol 2.63g
• Net Carbs 1.63g
• Protein 1.7g