I secretly love Almond Joys. The only time of the year they enter my house is when my kids go trick or treating and a few of them get put in their bag. At that point, I either take a few bites or I freeze them for later. Oh the joys of finding a long lost Almond Joy when I am searching for peas in the freezer!
At my house, we have a thing for chocolate. My daughter loves chocolate, my husband loves to sneak a bite or two after dinner… and the rest of us go along and eat chocolate because we love it.
Week after week, the Almond Joys stare at me while I’m at the grocery check out line. I silently tell myself no and focus on
Coconut, almonds, and chocolate, whoever came up with that combination was a genius!
What I love about these Homemade Almond Joys is that they are the perfect size. If you haven’t noticed, I like to make treats bite sized. When things are bite sized, you can pack them easier in a lunchbox to bring to work, school, camp, or as a mid-afternoon snack.
I love making a pan of these bite sized homemade Almond Joys and and keeping extras in the freezer. If you don’t like almonds, you can omit them and make your own Mounds. For a real treat, use dark chocolate and…WOW. You’ll be blown away at how simple and delicious this is!
Homemade Almond Joy Bites
- Yield: 30-36pcs
Ingredients
- 1 ¼ cup shredded coconut
- ¼ cup condensed milk*
- ½ teaspoon vanilla
- 36 roasted almonds
- 2 cups dark chocolate chunks, from a chocolate block*
- 36 mini cupcake pan liners
Instructions
- In a large bowl, mix shredded coconut, condensed milk, and vanilla. The mixture will be sticky but pliable for you to shape.
- In a double broiler (a bowl over a pan filled with water), melt the chocolate. If you choose to use the microwave to melt your chocolate, it will take 1-2 minutes but make sure you stir every 15-30 seconds so the chocolate doesn’t burn.
- Line a mini cupcake pan with liners (I find it easier this way so they hold up). Add a teaspoon or so of melted chocolate into the bottom of each cup – enough to fill the bottom. Top with a teaspoon of coconut mixture and press down lightly using your spoon. Top the coconut with an almond, press down to sink into the coconut slightly, and top with more melted chocolate (enough to cover).
- Repeat process until all almond joy bites are made. Refrigerate to set and enjoy!
Storage: I store mine in the fridge for up to a week or in the freezer for up to 3 months -if they last that long.
Notes
I used condensed coconut milk (recipe will be coming soon), but the result is the same with regular condensed milk.
You can also use chocolate chips instead of chocolate chunks from the block. Being the chocolate addicts that we are, the richer the chocolate the better.
Packaged Almond Joy ingredients: CORN SYRUP; MILK CHOCOLATE ( SUGAR; COCOA BUTTER; CHOCOLATE; MILK; LACTOSE; MILK FAT; NONFAT MILK; SOY LECITHIN; PGPR, EMULSIFIER) ; COCONUT; SUGAR; ALMONDS (ROASTED IN COCOA BUTTER AND/OR SUNFLOWER OIL) ; CONTAINS 2% OR LESS OF: PARTIALLY HYDROGENATED VEGETABLE OIL (SOYBEAN AND PALM OIL); WHEY (MILK); COCOA; SALT; NATURAL AND ARTIFICIAL FLAVOR ; CHOCOLATE; SOY LECITHIN; HYDROLYZED MILK PROTEIN; SODIUM METABISULFITE, TO MAINTAIN FRESHNESS; SULFUR DIOXIDE, TO MAINTAIN FRESHNESS; CARAMEL COLOR
Vic Crowell
A friend made these at work and they were delicious. She used low-fat condensed milk, but I will try them with condensed coconut milk because my son is vegan. For the absolute best chocolate to use, make it Guittard’s. Their semi-sweet chips are more rich and delicious than Ghiradelli’s, Baker’s, Nestle’s or any of them out there. It’s the only chocolate I use for my chocolate ganache covered cakes. Trust me you will notice the difference.
Laura Fuentes
So glad you liked these and thank you for coming back with suggestions on how to adapt to make vegan. Enjoy!
Rhondalynn
I made these… and quadrupled the recipe. Boy, I’m glad I did! They were gone in a flash! Super easy recipe! I used the SPECIAL DARK Chocolate chips and microwaved to melt! Decadent and so simple! Thanks!
Tiffany M
I am so glad I found your recipe! I just made them and they look so delicious. Plus they were super easy. Thank you for your kindness in sharing your ideas and recipes! <3
TIffany C
THese look yummy and I LOVE that they are bite-sized! Yes!
amanda
Could you use a natural sweetner instead of condensed milk?
Laura Fuentes
you could use honey but i have not tried it.
Alison @ Ingredients, Inc.
I am making these ASAP
Nicole
Did you use sweetened or unsweetened coconut? What do you do with the rest of the sweetened condensed milk – my can has more than 1/4 C in it and I don’t want to just toss it. Thanks.
Laura Fuentes
Freeze the condensed milk, drizzle it over apples…
Laura Fuentes
I had a little sweetened coconut and some unsweetened. you can use either.