Vegan Magic Bars

Total Time: 45m

Yield: 12-16 bars

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Ingredients

Crust

• 1 1/2 cups fine graham cracker crumbs (9 cookie sheets) 
• 3 tbsp coconut oil (soft or melted)
• 2 tbsp pure maple syrup or sugar of choice, or pinch uncut stevia
• if using stevia, add 2 tbsp water

Toppings

• 1/3 cup mini chocolate chips
• 1/3 cup finely chopped dates OR more chocolate chips
• 1/4 cup finely chopped nuts, optional
• 2/3 cup full-fat shredded coconut, sweetened or unsweetened
• 1 1/4 cup full-fat canned coconut milk
• 3 tbsp oil or buttery spread, optional

Instructions

*Some of the readers who’ve made this recipe have loved the bars as-is, but a few readers asked how to make the crust more like traditional Magic Square crust. If you want a crust that is less soft, just include the optional 3 tbsp oil or buttery spread with the graham cracker crumbs before pressing down. Or if you want them grain-free, you can easily use your favorite grain-free crust instead, such as an almond flour crust.

Line an 8-inch square pan with parchment paper going a little up each side. Preheat oven to 350 F. In a bowl, toss the graham cracker crumbs with the sweetener (and water if using stevia), then transfer evenly to the bottom of the prepared pan. Press down. Sprinkle the chocolate chips, dates, coconut, and optional nuts over top. Now evenly pour the coconut milk over top. Place in the oven. Bake 33 minutes. Remove from the oven and let sit 10-15 minutes to firm up. (If still too soft for some reason, they also get much firmer if you refrigerate overnight.) Slice into bars, wiping the knife after each cut.