Mango Coconut Layer Bars

~Amanda~

No day is complete without a delicious dessert at the end of it and I’m constantly on the hunt for something new and scrumptious to make. I came across this recipe for Coconut Mango Bars on Living Fresh Daily while scrolling through Pinterest one day and they instantly caught my eye! I absolutely love coconut and mango so the combination of the two into a layered bar (that’s also GLUTEN FREE, DAIRY FREE and VEGAN) was right up my alley. While I wouldn’t call these bars “healthy”, they are light and fresh and really show off these great summer flavors. These bars actually remind me a little bit of a traditional summer crisp with the base shortbread layer, but the mango and coconut layers add a new fun twist to the flavors! 

I originally tested out this recipe on my family at a dinner at my sisters house a few weeks ago and they were a hit. Everyone loved trying something new and different, and they couldn’t believe that these bars met so many unique dietary restrictions – I usually don’t throw around terms like “dairy free” and “vegan” before serving something like this to them as the boys especially wouldn’t even try it if they knew that ahead of time. So I wait until everyone’s tried it and given their seal of approval before I drop the news! 

The three layers of these bars are all actually really simple to make too – all you need is a food processor and a good blender (I looove my Vitamix and it was especially amazing here to get the coconut and mango layers so smooth and creamy). The base shortbread layer is made by combining almond flour, butter (this is why I wouldn’t call these healthy), coconut and flaxseed in the food processor. You then press it into a baking dish lined with parchment – the parchment makes it soooo much easier to take the bars out of the dish when they’re all ready at the end. I also like to use a glass to press the mixture down so it’s packed and firm. It bakes for about 20 minutes until perfectly golden brown. 

While the shortbread layer is baking, we can start working on the coconut layer. Coconut is one of my favorite flavors – I just love the taste and aroma and am always reminded of the beach when I smell it! This layer is made by pureeing cashews that have been soaked in water (you soak them so they break down and give you a nice creamy texture) with sweetened condensed coconut milk, shredded coconut, vanilla and water. Pour the mixture over the shortbread layer and then freeze for about 15 minutes until it’s slightly set. 

Finally, the mango layer! This layer is so simple and maybe the best one of the dish – all you have to do is combine cubed fresh mango (frozen is fine too if it’s not in season) with a little water and arrowroot starch (to thicken and hold it together). This is where the Vitamix is amazing – I got the smoothest mango puree and could not help sneaking in a couple bites of my own before adding this final layer to the pan and freezing it. When it’s time to serve, slice the bars up and let them defrost for about 20 minutes and then enjoy this incredibly delicious and refreshing summer treat! Thank you Living Fresh Daily for the amazing recipe! All the credit goes to her as I didn’t change a thing here – they were just so perfect as is!

Recipe (the site is being weird and we can’t load the actual recipe card format right now, but will update whenever we can!)

Mango Coconut Layer Bars