These bars were named after my city, Nanaimo, BC. Hollaaaaa!!

Nanaimo bars have been my favourite treat since I was a kid. Since going vegan, I have made 4 pans of them, each one a different recipe. {This one is mine, my mom’s, and Dallas’ favourite.}  Two of those pans have been in the span of the last 3 months. No matter what my hips say to me, I can’t get enough!

If you want your patience to be tested, try making the top of a Nanaimo bar look perfect. If you want to let go of your perfectionism, embrace your ugly Nanaimo bars. EVERY TIME I make Nanaimo bars, the top cracks, gets all stuck in one place, and looks super terrible. But it tastes like gold.

I modified these from the award-winning Nanaimo bar recipe, submitted in 1986. It’s posted here on the City of Nanaimo’s web page. You can also snoop around the page and check out how cool my city is. There are many rumors as to who created the original recipe and where they came from, but no one has documented proof. The story I remember hearing was a woman submitting them to a newspaper for a recipe contest, calling them Nanaimo bars because she was from Nanaimo. It would be interesting if they ever did find out who originally made them!

And by the way, if you ever have a hard time finding vegan graham crackers, use arrowroot baby cookies! Works every time

Anyhoo, I’m gonna give you this recipe now…then go have another Nanaimo bar. Because I still have 1/2 pan left. Nom nom.

From my kitchen to yours <3

Ingredients:
Bottom Layer:
1 tbsp ground flax seed
3 tbsp water
1/2 cup vegan butter
1/4 cup white sugar
5 tbsp cocoa powder
1 1/4 cup ground graham crackers or arrowroot cookies {one sleeve}
1 cup shredded coconut
1/2 cup walnuts, finely chopped

Middle Layer:
1/2 cup vegan butter
2 tbsp + 2 tsps French Vanilla coconut milk creamer {or other non-dairy creamer}
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
2 tbsp custard powder
2 cups icing sugar

Top Layer:
6 oz semi-sweet chocolate {I used chocolate chips}
3 tbsp vegan butter

Directions:
1. In a small bowl, stir together flax seed and water. Set aside.
2. In a double boiler, melt together the vegan butter, white sugar, and cocoa powder from the bottom layer until a smooth substance forms. Stir the flax/water mixture in and mix well.
3. Remove from heat and stir graham crumbs, shredded coconut, and finely chopped walnuts to the liquid mixture. Stir well to combine. Press evenly into a 9×9 baking pan that has been lined with parchment paper. Place in freezer to set while preparing the second layer.
4. Beat together all ingredients for the second layer until a smooth icing forms. Use a spatula to spread evenly over the bottom layer. Place pan back in freezer while preparing the third layer.
5. In a double boiler, heat semi-sweet chocolate with vegan butter, stirring to combine. Heat until a smooth, chocolate liquid forms.
6. Pour chocolate layer on top of the second layer, being careful to drizzle evenly {this is the part I’m bad at}.
7. Return to freezer for 30 minutes to allow chocolate to harden. Remove from freezer, cut into desired number of squares {like, maybe 4}, and serve!

peace, love, food <3

Char, xo