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No Bake Paleo Chocolate Mango Bars

I’m ’bout to get heavy today. I know, chocolate and deep thoughts should really never be paired together, but sometimes it’s necessary. A woman needs to vent, right? So hear me out, as I introduce the next best thing to wine when you’re feeling crummy – no bake paleo chocolate mango bars.

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Almond & pecan nut base, a creamy mango center, topped by a thick and decadent chocolate shell, these no bake paleo chocolate mango bars are a cool, sweet treat that everyone will LOVE!

My plan for these bars was GRAND, the brainchild in my head was epic. How could anything go wrong with a chewy nut bottom and creamy mango center topped with a decadent, thick chocolate shell? Well let me tell ya – you CAN’T go wrong. The flavor combo is like ‘WOAH just let me close my eyes and relish every little bite’. But the appearance….man, what a disappointment!

When I went in to cut these beauties, everything just sort of went south on me. In hindsight I probably should have delicately drizzled the chocolate on top these heavenly bars. Which would have turned out much prettier and avoided the weird break lines and broken top chocolate layer.

Back up – here’s my scenario for pretty much every single recipe I create: 1. Spend days or weeks coming up with something fun/healthy/easy/tasty/original/etc. 2. Map out the plan for this new recipe and get everything prepped so when little man goes down for a nap, I am READY 3. Work an hour or more making the latest and greatest creation 4. Ignore the complete MESS of a kitchen (for now) 5. Move to your photography station (this is where I start to sweat)

Food photography is HARD. Props, garnishes, focal points, backdrops, lighting – not to mention hoping the food doesn’t melt or dry out as it sits for the big shot.

Back to the countdown…6. PRAY little man doesn’t get up just as you get everything set up 7. Shoot shoot shoot 8. Hope (maybe pray again) that you have at least a few great shots. Because if the food is ugly, good luck getting love on Pinterest, or wanting to put it on your Instagram feed, or having people think twice about making it themselves (or coming back to see what else you have in store next week). And as a food blogger, if you don’t have that, ya pretty much have nothin’. Surprisingly enough, it’s a lot of pressure. I know, I sound like such a Debbie Downer.  I have a point….getting to it.

A cool treat straight from the freezer - no bake paleo chocolate mango bars. That sweet chocolate with a tart middle is just what you need for a decadent gluten-free, dairy-free treat!

When I finally cut into these bars and that sweet and lovely chocolate top just wouldn’t break a clean square I felt defeated. NOOOO!!! Now I have to make these again (not that it’s ALL bad, because they’re delicious), but here’s the deal-io. I don’t have time. I am under a nap deadline and a future baby deadline. My kitchen is a pit, my feet ache, I don’t want to run to the grocery store again, and there’s never enough damn time. And I’m tired. Just plain tired.

So I made a choice. They taste amazing, they don’t look perfect. Guess what? Sometimes that’s life. How can I go preaching about easy meals and understanding the life of a busy mom when I put ALL this pressure on myself to have the PERFECT looking bar. What a silly standard! I’m not a fancy person, I don’t need perfection in my real life to be happy – all I really need is love, health, faith, and chocolate. And this almond/pecan nut base with a cool and creamy mango center helps.  Can I get an amen?

These cool, creamy frozen mango bars are topped with a decadent chocolate shell and make the perfect paleo summer treat!

If you want the perfect looking bar, maybe this isn’t it. If you want a pretty bar, I’d suggest drizzling the chocolate over the top for easier cutting. If you want a bar that makes  you feel normal, makes you fall in to a world of complete decadence of sweet, fruity, crunchy, cold, and FREAKING delicious, then I got you covered with these no bake paleo chocolate mango bars.

Soapbox ENDED.

Ladies/mommas/girlfriends: you don’t have to be perfect, your baking, your cooking, your cleaning, your career, your parenting, your body – none of it has to be perfect. It just needs to be good enough. And trust me, it all is.

This is the paleo dessert you won't be able to resist! These cool treats are the perfect combination of sweet, and tart with a crunchy, chewy nut bottom!

But in all seriousness, if you follow this recipe exact here are some tips:

When you want separate these into oddly-squared bars like pictured, the best way to do it is to raise your knife and karate chop where you want the chocolate to break. It’s oddly therapeutic.

Make sure you eat ’em cold. If the mango center starts to get warm, it will run. So get your chompers prepped and devour straight from the freezer.

You can use whatever kind of chocolate you prefer. If you aren’t following strict paleo guidelines, try a high quality dark chocolate! Or use these dairy-free Enjoy Life Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips to make these a vegan dessert.

No mango? No problem. You could sub the mango for other pureed fruit with a similar consistency like strawberries!

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No Bake Paleo Chocolate Mango Bars

Almond & pecan nut base, a creamy mango center, topped by a thick and decadent chocolate shell, these no bake paleo chocolate mango bars are a cool, sweet treat that everyone will LOVE!

★★★★★

4.8 from 4 reviews

  • Author: Physical Kitchness
Scale

Ingredients

Nut Base

  • 1/2 cup almonds
  • 1/2 cup pecans
  • 8 medjool dates
  • 2 tablespoons melted coconut oil

Mango Center

  • 1 extra large mango
  • 1/3 cup coconut cream

Chocolate Top

  • 2 cups dairy free chocolate chips (or high quality dark chocolate)

Instructions

  1. Pulse almonds, pecans, dates, and melted coconut oil in a food processor until well combined -enough to stick
  2. Pour mixture into an 8×8 baking dish and gently press well until evenly distributed in the bottom of the dish
  3. Next, pulse the mango chunks and coconut cream until creamy and well combined
  4. Pour mango mixture on top of the nut base and place into the freezer for at least one hour
  5. Once the bars are frozen, melt the chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl, mixing every 10-15 seconds so the chocolate does not burn. Keep microwaving and mixing until chocolate melted
  6. Pour (or drizzle) the melted chocolate on top of the frozen bars. If you opt to spread the chocolate over the top to make a shell, do so quickly, as the chocolate will set in a few seconds
  7. Place back into the freezer another 20 minutes
  8. Cut into squares and serve

Disclaimer: Please note that there may be some affiliate links on this page and I will earn a small commission if you purchase through those links. However, all opinions are my own. Thank you for your support.

These no-bake, frozen treat are paleo and delicious! A sweet nuts base combined with a creamy center and decadent chocolate shell is the perfect frozen treat!

 

 

Chrissa
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Comments

  4. I think these look great! They look pretty darn perfect to me. Although mango is my favorite food, so even if it was just a glob of mango on a plate I would be happy 🙂

    Reply

  5. Yep x1000! I don’t have enough time (EVER) and I’m always stressed to get the perfect shot before I’m interrupted by at least 1 or 2 or 3 kids. It’s hard, and sometimes we just have to do our best, give ourselves some grace, and move on. You’ll learn that even more when you’re second baby comes along! Lol. 🙂

    And by the way, these bars look like heaven. That thick chocolate layer on top is the stuff that pregnancy dreams are made of! 🙂

    Reply

    • We just get each other Blair. If only we weren’t on opposite ends of the country, I’d come over with coffee and just pick your brain on how you do it all!! And we could devour these bars AND this thick chocolate layer together 🙂

      Reply

  11. I’ve totally had the same thing happen when I make stuff before. Some food items simply don’t photograph well, but it’s always a bummer when you work so hard and it tastes delicious. These look great though, so no worries! 🙂

    Reply

  13. I happen to think they are lovely. I mean, chocolate! And honestly, sometimes I think readers prefer to see the imperfections. We are real people cooking for real families just like them! We don’t have time for perfection all the time (ever??) and neither do they! These sound like amazingly delicious bars with great texture!!

    Reply

    • Thanks Jenn – I could hug you. SO true. We are totally real people (who envy the bloggers that have insanely beautiful and perfect shots of food) 😉 Thanks friend.

      Reply

  15. You could be describing my life to a T!!! I have an almost 2 year old and nap time is completely sacred and reserved for ‘as fast as a possible food photography’. #TheStruggleisReal, but seriously, these still look amazingly delicious!

    ★★★★

    Reply

    • Isn’t it disheartening?! But it happens to the best of us! Maybe if we could just get those wax models like they have at restaurants for desserts – we’d ALWAYS get killer shots then!

      Reply

    • You are a smart lady! I totally tried that and I think it would have worked if the chocolate was thinner. But I had a good shell coating going on. Which tasted awesome – but not so great to cut! Oh well 😉

      Reply

  22. OMG these look amazing! I have a huge sweet tooth and that makes it hard to eat healthy all the time, but I love that these are paleo! Will definitely have to try them!

    Reply

  23. I LOVE that you posted these even though you didnt think they looked perfect! (I still think the look beautiful in the photos!) and taste is all that matters anyway, right?

    Reply

    • I DID inhale a batch of these. It was like ‘goodbye willpower’ luckily they aren’t terrible for you but still, the whole pan shouldn’t be gone in like 2 days!

      Reply

  35. I think these are totally beautiful, and the rough cut of the bars is super pretty Chrissa! :o) Thank you for sacrificing and putting so much love into such a delicious sounding recipe. <3

    Reply

  41. I love how these turned out. I totally understand your frustration especially when you have certain expectations. Now I really want one! My two favorite flavors chocolate and mango, yum.
    xo, Nicole

    PS. May I make a kind suggestion and I hope you don’t hate me after this. Your post is so lovely, but I felt like the ads on your page take away from a lot of it. Like your beautiful pic at the top was quickly erased with an ad. 🙁

    Reply

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