I love to make homemade versions of the foods that we enjoy. If you have read my site for long, I am sure that you already know that.
Homemade versions are not always healthier, but most foods cost less when you make them at home. This recipe today fits into that category.
I certainly can’t call these healthy or even healthier than the real thing, but these are so good and so much cheaper than buying the candy bar version.
I have made these twice in the last two weeks. The fist time I made them for my family, but I sent a few to my husband’s office for his staff to eat. His staff loved them and asked for the recipe.
Then last week I made another batch to take to a church dinner. They were a very popular. Everyone loved them and several people asked me for the recipe.
Since so many people loved these, I knew this was a recipe that I needed to post.
Over the years I have tried several versions of homemade mounds type bars. These are the closest to the real thing that I have made and everyone that tasted them seemed to agree with that. If you love mounds bars, you really should give these a try.
These are like a mounds bar, but if you prefer an almond joy then I would stir in a few almonds or even toasted almonds, into the coconut mixture.
Homemade Mounds Bars
- 2 14 ounce bags of coconut
- 1 can sweetened condensed milk
- 1/2 cup butter, softened
- 1 lb powdered sugar
- 3 cups of chocolate chips
- 2 teaspoons of butter
In a large bowl mix together the coconut, sweetened condensed milk, 1/2 cup butter, and powdered sugar. Mix well.
Spread mixture onto a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper ( I used my silicone baking mat on the ones in the picture). Refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
Melt 1 1/2 cups chocolate chips and 1 teaspoon of butter in the microwave stirring every 30 seconds until melted. Spread over chilled coconut mixture and chill until chocolate is set.
(sorry I forgot to get pictures of the last two steps)
Flip bars over and carefully peel or parchment paper. Melt remaining chocolate and butter. Spread over the coconut layer. Chill.
After firm, bring to room temperature and then cut them. If the chocolate is solid these will be hard to cut. I bring them to room temperature to cut them, and then put them back in the refrigerator to store them.
This post linked to DIY Day.
I love to cook and bake, and it is a good thing, because my family loves to eat. I live with my husband and three kids on 43 acres in Northeastern Oklahoma. Between homeschooling, helping in my husband’s dental office, working on our property, taking care of three dogs, and raising hogs as a side job/hobby, I am constantly on the go like most of you.
These sound really good, especially with almonds added in. Of course, when I make this, I will need to 1/4 or 1/8 the recipe.
yea!! I haven’t had one of these in years… nor has my hubby. He’s already thanking you
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Are you using the sweetened flaked coconut? I get all confused, there are so many different types of coconut available when I got to the store now.
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@flora, Yes, I used sweetened flaked coconut because that is what I had, but this is plenty sweet with the condensed milk in it, so I think you could use other kinds.
Those look really yummy! I think y’all should move to San Diego.
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Oh, Mounds are my very favorite candy bar. I am so going to try these! Thanks!
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Mounds is one of my favorites! And I have all the ingredients for this recipe. Hurray!
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@Emily, I hope you like them! Let me know what you think of them and if they are close to the real thing.
My daughter loves Almond Joy candy bars, I can’t wait to make some of these to surprise her.
You can’t go wrong with coconut and chocolate! YUM!
Thank for helping me locate a recipe for my dad’s birthday — he LOVES Mounds bars, but I’d hate to just buy him a bag and call it good. He’s really appreciate these, and I really appreciate the recipe.
)
Do you think you could roll the mixture into bite sized balls and then dip them in the chocolate or it it too sticky? I am for sure gonna try these!!
@Moxie, I think these would dip fine as long as the coconut mixture was cold and firm.
Yummy! This sounds delish! I’ve made some mounds type candies but not in bars. This looks so easy!
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Yum! These look so good. Mounds and Almond Joy are at the top of my favorites list.
Do you have to keep these refrigerated?
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Oh Lynn, I am totally making these for my husband–probably tonight! Thanks!
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Adding coconut to my grocery list… can’t WAIT to make these!!!
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I cut the coconut layer into bars and dipped them in chocolate. I used way more chocolate then the recipe called for, but they were GREAT!! Next time, I’ll add almonds before I cool the bars in the frige.
hi, i am all set to make these, but it occurred to me that there are different sized cans of sweetened condensed milk. i have a 14 oz can. which size did you mean??? thanks!
@melissa, Yes it is the 14 ounce can. I hope you enjoy them.
perfect! thanks for your quick response!! i am making them for my mom for mothers day- = she is a mounds FAN!!
thank you for posting!
Well, I made these today, with 6 oz. (about 1 1/4 cup) of toasted almonds thrown in. My hubby is the big Almond Joy lover, and he thinks they’re FANTASTIC and really taste like the real thing! Thanks!
@C. Beth, I am so glad that you liked them. If my daughter was not allergic to almonds I would try them that way. I figured they would be very good with almonds added in. Thanks for letting me know.
a lifetime of lusting — after MOUNDS BARS of course,,,, will finally be SATISFIED, .ROUNDING UP THE INGREDIANTS NOW. THanKS
I’m thinking about a shortbread base, then your coconut layer and maybe one dark chocolate layer.
I would love to hear how that turns out if you try it. It sounds good.
Would unsalted butter be better or not?
I usually prefer unsalted butter for baking, because than you can control the salt, but really either would work.
I came over from your homemade Nestle Crunch Bars and had to know how you made homemade mounds bars. I think you have a great base – but I was thinking, you could probably scoop them with a mini or medium cookie scoop, freeze them and than dump the chocolate on top of them to completely cover the bar and save yourself a step! Just make sure to put them on wax paper so they peel off! Thanks for posting and sharing – and if you wanted to make them Almond Joys – switch the chocolate to milk chocolate and put an almond onto of your cookie scoop! Gotta try these out soon!
Tried these over Christmas and cut them before the chocolate. I dipped them in melted chocolate instead. They were very tasty either way. They almost didn’t get dipped the kids liked them without the chocolate lol Thank you!
Thanks for letting me know how much you enjoyed them.