I’m not kidding! These chewy caramel-y chocolate nut bars are made without a single bowl. From scratch. They’ll save you all those times you promise to make something sweet but run out of time!
Meet my emergency quick sweet-treat!
I am one of those people who always overcommits. Especially when it comes to anything food related. Then 7 out of 10 times, I find myself in a flurry at the last minute because I promised to bring something sweet for lunch with friends, or to make something for my friends’ son’s school bake sale because she works full time and doesn’t have the time to bake something.
So it’s super handy to have a few really fast sweet recipes up your sleeve and this is one of mine. Just wait until you see how it’s made – it’s SO QUICK and you don’t need a SINGLE BOWL!
How to make these no-bowl chocolate nut bars
I know you’re probably wondering how on earth these bars are made without using a bowl at all so I’ll cut straight to the chase! Here’s how it’s done:
It’s made by creating a biscuit base using butter melted in the pan then sprinkling over crushed biscuits and desiccated coconut. Then it’s topped with nuts (your choice), chocolate chips, then finally topped with condensed milk which is what brings the whole bar together. Once baked, it holds together and becomes gloriously chewy, caramely bar!
Place butter straight into a lined pan and melt it in the oven while it is pre-heating.
Swirl to spread the melted butter across the base.
Sprinkle crushed biscuits across the base, then spread using a spoon/spatula/hands and lightly press down. I’m not meticulous here about even spreading, this is, after all, an emergency recipe!!
Sprinkle coconut across the base.
Top with about 2/3 of the nuts and choc chips
Pour over condensed milk.
Top with remaining nuts and choc chips.
Bake 30 minutes until light golden on the edges, then cool before cutting!
Ingredients in No-bowl chocolate nut bars
Ordinarily I put the ingredients before the recipe steps, but I feel like for this recipe it should be other way round! So, here’s what you need. It’s fabulously versatile – any plain biscuits, switch the peanuts and chocolate chips with other things like dried fruit and other nuts.
Condensed milk – This sweetened milk is like a thick syrup and this is the key ingredient that holds the bar together. Standard cans here in Australia re 395g (14oz) and are sold in the long-life dairy section in grocery store aisles.
Peanuts & chocolate chips – Feel free to substitute these with other add-ins of choice. Especially hand if you have a peanut or nut allergy in the family. Try pepitas and dried fruit!
Coconut – Desiccated coconut blends into the crushed biscuits to create the base. If you don’t like or don’t have coconut, feel free to add extra biscuits instead, or leftover wheat germ / wheat bran (if you made last weeks’ Breakfast Muffins!).
Butter – For buttery goodness and also to hold the base together.
Plain biscuits/cookies – Anything that can be crushed will work fine here. I’ve used all sorts over the years – Marie, Arrowroot (featured in today’s recipe), Graham crackers, scotch fingers. I once even made this with chocolate Oreo cookies by scraping the filling off!! (It was an emergency and it was darn delicious!)
It’s not a hack
This is one of those recipes that is not a “hack”, but rather an incidental side benefit is that it can be made without dirtying a single bowl. I would make these even if I had to use a bowl to make them!
So keep this one tucked away for one of those days when you’re in a rush and you’ve promised to make a sweet treat for your family or friends!! – Nagi x
Watch how to make it
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No-bowl Chocolate Nut Bars
Ingredients
- 100g (7 tbsp) unsalted butter , cut into a few chunks
- 1 cup (100g) plain biscuits, crushed (eg. Marie, Arrowroot, digestives, Graham crackers – Note 1)
- 1 cup desiccated coconut (unsweetened)
- 1 cup unsalted peanuts , or other nuts of choice (Note 2)
- 1 cup dark choc chips (US: semi-sweet chips) (Note 2)
- 395g (14 oz) (1 can) sweetened condensed milk (Note 3)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 180C/350F (160C fan-forced)
- Line pan – Lightly spray a 20cm/8" square pan with oil then press in a sheet of paper (no need to be meticulous here).
- Melt butter – Place the butter in the pan then melt in the oven for 5 minutes.
- Biscuit base – Swirl pan to spread butter then sprinkle over crushed biscuits. Spread then gently press down (again, I am not meticulous about evenness here).
- Layer – Scatter over the coconut, followed by about 2/3 of the peanuts and choc chips (reserve some for the top). Pour over condensed milk, spread for even coverage. Top with remaining nuts and chocolate chips.
- Bake for 30 minutes or until the edge of the surface is golden brown.
- Fully cool before cutting (3 hours on counter, or 1 hr counter + 1 hr fridge). Remove using paper overhang then cut and eat!
Recipe Notes:
Nutrition Information:
Originally published way back in September 2015. Republished with a brand new video and photos by reader request!
Life of Dozer
New house. New shoot studio. Same scavenger.
Martha says
Congratulations Nagi on your well deserved awards. Your dedication to your love of cooking reaps great recognition. Well done.
Joan Seymour says
Congratulations! Such a well-deserved accolade. Looking at the no-bowl fruit and nut bars. Looks like an easier version of Hello Dollies. Does any one remember them? Utterly delicious for the average sweet-tooth. Can’t wait to try yours.
Carole from Canada says
Huge congrats for the recognition of your hard work! I always turn to your pages for quick and delicious meals. Thank you for your dedication and persistence, as we reap the benefits. 👏🏻👏🏻
Liz says
BIG Congratulations! so well deserved. I’ve only really discovered you ‘properly’ in the last 6 months (mind you have been cooking your delicious Poached Salmon with Coconut Lime Sauce for years without ever exploring your blog..)
I bought your book for my son’s birthday this year and haven’t looked back! I’m constantly finding new recipes to cook from your website…I don’t bother to look anywhere else. Everything I’ve tried has been a hit, my cooking has been reinvigorated thanks to you and I was thrilled when my son recently gifted me your book for Mother’s Day. Thanks for the time and effort you put in to making your recipes ones that actually work and taste delicious. The videos are so helpful as are the extra notes and substitutions. Not to mention your RTM – you and your team are doing amazing things, thank you!!
Sarah Ludos says
My husband does not like coconut, can I leave it out?
Nagi says
Hi Sarah! That should be fine. You could substitute with half the amount of rolled oats if you’d like to keep the same amount of add-ins, otherwise just leave it out! N x
Nicole says
I have the same question Sarah. Hopefully we’ll get a response regarding whether we can substitute or leave out coconut
Nicole Kennedy says
This looks amazing. Just bought your book. Best purchase ever. Thank you.
Sue says
Congratulations Nagi . I was so happy to hear this news today. I love your recipes . You deserve winning these awards. Dozer is so perfect too
Erin says
Have to have coconut? Is there a replacement for it?
Ajoke says
Congratulations, Nagi!!! Very well deserved and thank you for sharing your talents with us.
Anne says
I was recommended to follow your blog by my adult son!! I haven’t looked back. So happy for your wins 🥰. Anne from NZ
Roz says
Well done Nagi
You deserve so much more than awards!
You are a truely wonderful, generous person 💖
Cheryl says
CONGRATULATIONS !! Nagi.
You deserve the win and should feel very proud of your wonderful effort.
Just remember to take some time to ” smell the roses” and look after yourself and Dozer.
Cheryl
Karenza Witcombe says
Your fans are so excited for you! What a great choice the judges made – congratulations 🥳
Jan Jess says
I don’t like coconut.
What could I substitute in it’s place?
Julie says
Nagi, you are going from strength to strength through hard work & a wonderful talent for communicating all things food (& canine). Good on you, you deserve all the rewards that are coming your way.
Leone Howard says
Great recipe for our caravanning trip! Thankyou from all us grey nomads!
Prue mathiesen says
My family have made a slightly different version of this recipe (same ingredients, different order) for my entire 36 years of life and we call it the caravan slice. Because it was easy to make while living in a caravan for my first year of life while our house was being built.
mel says
such a goodie! used to make this all the time as kids and coz of nut allergies, would swap the nuts for rice bubbles…yum
Tracey says
Congratulations to you on the awards – absolutely no one deserves them more than you x
Norah McPhee says
Good morning Nagi and the very handsome Dozer, I am over the moon for you Nagi and getting two awards for your wonderful book is absolutely brilliant. Your kindness is being rewarded and i hope that it continues to be. You have a talent and a heart to help people in dire need and you have been doing it through some of the toughest times that we have seen in our lifetime.
Looking at Dozer, he looks like he is smiling his biggest smile and if he could laugh, i think he would be at “his” trophies. Congratulations lass and may you be rewarded many more times. Hugs from Norah, Scotland
Leng says
Congratulations Nagi, your approach has always been down to earth and real. And your cookbook reflects this. I’m a fan.