Nanaimo Bars (Classic Canadian Recipe) (2024)

Published | Julia Frey (Vikalinka)

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Nanaimo Bars are a classic Canadian three layer holiday treat you will fall in love with! These no-bake chocolate covered bars with a creamy custard filling on a crumbly chocolate coconut base are just waiting to conquer the world the same way as it did its home country!

Curious to taste another classic Canadian treat? Take a look at our Maple Butter Tarts! Or explore the entire Holiday Dessert Section in Christmas Recipe Collection.

Nanaimo Bars (Classic Canadian Recipe) (1)

Do you want one? You do but don’t know what they are? It’s okay go ahead and make them anyway!

Nanaimo Bars and Butter Tarts are both very Canadian! We wish we could be home with family this holiday season but it’s not in the cards. So instead I am baking an array of Canadian treats.

What are Nanaimo Bars?

Nanaimo bars are a triple layer confection with a crunchy chocolate and coconut base, creamy centre and a chocolate glaze. They are very traditional in Canada and are rumoured to be invented in a bakery in the city of Nanaimo, a West Coast town in British Columbia we lived just an hour away from.

Are we sure we know who invented them? Not at all, despite endless effort being put into finding out and many claims made throughout the years. They have been traced to a point of time, though, gaining renown in the 1950s.

What does seem clear is that the richness and sweetness of the bars is a direct response to the a passion for all things sweet and buttery after years of war-related shortages and rationing. Butter and sugar were now available, and people wanted to use them!

Nanaimo Bars (Classic Canadian Recipe) (2)

Nanaimo bars have a very devout following in its native land. You will understand why once you try one. You’d be forever sold on this triple layer confection with a chocolate coconut base, creamy center and a chocolate glaze.

When we lived in Canada I rarely felt the need to make them myself because they would be served at 3 out 4 homes we’d be visiting around Christmas.

Now that we live in England we feel like we NEED to have things that remind us of home, and thus bring us much needed comfort.

Nanaimo Bars (Classic Canadian Recipe) (3)

How To Make Them

Like the best sweet bars recipes, these treats are quite easy to make and a recipe I enjoy making with kids. The hardest part is waiting for the layers to set to continue with the recipe!

The process is pretty similar to a cheesecake. The base is a mixture of graham cracker crumbs, cocoa, butter, sugar, dried coconut and one egg. You can successfully use Digestive biscuits instead of graham cracker crumbs if you are in the UK.

All you do is mix everything and bake quickly for 10 minutes, then add a no-bake custard cream layer and top with melted chocolate. Done!

Serving suggestions

These bars are sweet. Really sweet. That means a relatively small bar will go a long way! It’s best to cut them into manageable serving sizes, which I would say is a maximum of 5 cm/2 inches square. Smaller will do no harm too.

I don’t have the sweetest of teeth, which means that I like to have something to go with Nanaimo bars when I decide to indulge. Nothing too complex is needed. A cup of coffee or hot tea will do nicely!

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Recipe tips and notes

  • What sets the middle layer is a custard powder. The powder also gives it that telltale yellow colour. Custard powder is absolutely necessary for true Canadian Nanaimo Bars.
  • You can use a vanilla pudding mix but it’s won’t be exactly the same. It’s worth tracking Bird’s custard powder online if you can’t find it in your local supermarkets.
  • The bottom layer is traditionally made with crushed graham crackers but they were impossible to find in the UK so I gave digestive biscuits a try. They worked very well so I’m happy to recommend!
  • It’s best to let each layer set before adding the next. It won’t take too long but will help to keep the layers separate.
  • Please don’t forget to pre-cut your bars when the chocolate is partially set, about 30 minutes after you complete the final layer. This will prevent the top from cracking once the bars are chilled and firm.
  • Although not a part of the traditional recipe, I love sprinkling my Nanaimo bars with flaked sea salt at the end. It gives very sweet bars a much needed balance, not to mention the sea salt looks like a light dusting of snow. Absolutely gorgeous!

Storage and leftovers

These bars freeze well. In fact that’s how everyone stores them back in Canada. Simply put them in an airtight container with parchment paper or wax paper between the layers and freeze until needed.

Take out of the freezer 30-40 minutes before serving to allow them to thaw. These bars taste best when served at room temperature.

More holiday bar recipes

  • English Fridge Cake Bars
  • Raspberry Cheesecake Bars
  • Blackberry Crumble Bars
  • Slow Cooker Chocolate Butterscotch Cookie Bars

Nanaimo Bars (Classic Canadian Recipe) (5)

Nanaimo Bars

Julia Frey of Vikalinka

Nanaimo bars are a triple layer confection with a chocolate and coconut base, creamy center and a chocolate glaze.

5 from 7 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 30 minutes mins

Cook Time 10 minutes mins

Cooling time 1 hour hr

Total Time 40 minutes mins

Course Dessert

Cuisine Canadian

Servings 24

Calories 317 kcal

Ingredients

Base

  • 190g/3/4 cup butter melted
  • 50g/1/4 cup sugar
  • 6 tbsp cocoa powder
  • 1 egg large
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 220g/2 cups graham cracker crumbs I used Digestive biscuits in the UK
  • 100g/1 cup dried coconut

Middle Layer

  • 125g/1/2 cup butter softened
  • 6 tbsp milk
  • 4 tbsp custard powder I used Bird’s Custard powder
  • 520g/4 cups icing sugar

Top Layer

  • 250g/8 oz dark or milk chocolate chopped
  • 2 tbsp butter

Instructions

  • Preheat your oven to 350F/180C. Mix all ingredients for the base in a large bowl. Line your 9 inch X 13 inch pan with parchment paper and pack your crumb mixture firmly into the pan. Bake for 10 minutes. Set aside to cool in the pan.

  • While the base is chilling beat the middle layer ingredients until smooth and spread over the base. Chill for 60 minutes.

  • Melt chopped chocolate with a tablespoon of butter in a double boiler. Or if you don't have one, set a bowl with chocolate over a pot of simmering water and melt your chocolate this way.

  • Spread melted chocolate over the cream layer. Let the chocolate set for 30-40 minutes. Then cut into bars, so your chocolate layer won't crack later when the chocolate hardens. Chill until firm for several hours or overnight.

Nutrition

Calories: 317kcalCarbohydrates: 38gProtein: 2gFat: 19gSaturated Fat: 12gCholesterol: 44mgSodium: 163mgPotassium: 108mgFiber: 2gSugar: 29gVitamin A: 379IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 25mgIron: 1mg

Keyword nanaimo bars

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

More Christmas Desserts

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  • White Christmas Truffle Cake
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About Julia Frey (Vikalinka)

Julia Frey is a London based recipe developer and photographer. Julia founded Vikalinka in 2012 with the main mission to provide her readers with delicious and accessible everyday recipes, which could be enjoyed by everyone.
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Nanaimo Bars (Classic Canadian Recipe) (2024)

FAQs

Are Nanaimo bars a Canadian thing? ›

The Nanaimo bar. It's a sweet treat made from chocolate, custard, coconut and walnuts. Love it or hate it, it's uniquely British Columbian.

What are Nanaimo bars called in the USA? ›

But neither Nanaimo's historical miners nor current residents have an exclusive relationship with the dessert; over the last century, similar sweets have popped up across North America, going by names like “New York slice,” “London fog bar” and “prayer bar.” Still, when it comes to branding, Nanaimo is the winner, bar ...

Why are Nanaimo bars so good? ›

But in reasonable doses (or not), Nanaimo bars are wonderfully luxurious, satisfying treats; the shredded coconut and nut counterpoint to the thick velvety texture of the icing and ganache has been winning the hearts of sweet-toothed Canadians and visitors for decades.

What is a fun fact about Nanaimo bars? ›

It is named after Nanaimo, British Columbia, where it was popularized in the years following the Second World War. It subsequently rose to wider prominence after Expo 86. In 2006, the Nanaimo bar was declared Canada's favourite confection by a reader's poll in the National Post.

What is the old name for Nanaimo? ›

Letters for the settlement, previous to 1859, were usually addressed "Colville Town, Nanaimo, V. I." After that date the first name was gradually discontinued and has not been used since 1860.

What countries have Nanaimo bars? ›

This no-bake dessert's three layers include the cakey bottom filled with chopped walnut, coconut, cocoa and graham crumb, which is found on the bottom of many different cookie varieties across Commonwealth countries like Canada, the UK and New Zealand; the middle layer of custard-like vanilla icing is almost always ...

What does the word Nanaimo mean? ›

Nanaimo is the corruption of the name they gave the area, meaning "gathering place." During 1792 the Spanish explorer Alejandro Malaspina dispatched the gallettes SUTIL AND MEXICANA, under the command of Alcalá-Galiano and Cayetano Valdés, to explore the Strait of Georgia.

What is Canada's favorite pie? ›

A time-honoured classic, Apple Pie is still a favourite across Canada and the US, as the most popular flavour of pie in both countries.

What cake was invented in Canada? ›

A May West is a round dessert cake with creme filling. It was created in Canada, and continues to be particularly popular in the province of Quebec. It is currently made by Vachon Inc., a division of Canada Bread.

Are butter tarts a Canadian thing? ›

The History Of The Butter Tart

' Butter tarts were common in Canadian pioneer cooking. The earliest published recipe for a butter tart is from Barrie, Ontario dating back to 1900 in the Women's Auxiliary of the Royal Victoria Hospital Cookbook. Another early published recipe was found in a 1915 pie cookbook.

Do Nanaimo bars go bad in the fridge? ›

Seeing them in my fridge when I'm craving something sweet has been a miracle, honestly. In the Refrigerator: Nanaimo bars will keep in an airtight container for up to 4 days. Serve straight from the fridge. In the Freezer: You can also keep your Nanaimo bars in the freezer for 2-3 months in an airtight container.

What are Nanaimo people called? ›

The Indigenous peoples of the area that is now known as Nanaimo are the Snuneymuxw. An anglicised spelling and pronunciation of that word gave the city its current name.

What are the other names for Nanaimo bars? ›

They are referred to as the "chocolate square" or the "chocolate slice". Other unconfirmed references date the bar back to the 1930s, when it was said to be known locally as "chocolate fridge cake". One modern reference mentions the bars' existence in 19th century Nanaimo.

Is there coffee crisp in the USA? ›

She then lists coffee creamers you can't buy in the US, including Tim Hortons' donut-flavoured creamers and Maple Latte International Delight. And then there's the sizeable list of chocolate bars that aren't available in the US, including Aero bars, Coffee Crisp, Smarties, and Caramilk.

Which country is Nanaimo located? ›

Nanaimo (/nəˈnaɪmoʊ/ nə-NY-moh) is a city of about 100,000 on the east coast of Vancouver Island, in British Columbia, Canada.

What is special about Nanaimo? ›

#10 Nanaimo's Natural Wonders

With some many nature-rich parks to chose from in the Nanaimo region, peace and quiet is never hard to find. Common favourites include the tidal lagoon at Pipers Park, sandstone rock formations at Malaspina Galleries, the Abyss fault line, and Ammonite Falls.

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