It’s very easy to make coconut haystacks at home, and if you use dark chocolate and unsweetened coconut, it’s actually a very healthy treat.
I first tried coconut haystacks in a small artisan chocolate shop in Lake Tahoe, California. As someone who adores both coconut and dark chocolate, it’s no surprise that I thought they were amazing.
There are several classic food combinations. Chocolate and peanut butter comes to mind (these peanut butter chocolate bars are so good!). Chocolate and coconut is definitely another perfect combination.
My favorite candy as a kid, transformed
When I was a kid, my beloved grandma Chava had this huge tote bag that she used to carry everywhere. She always filled it with surprises for us, the grandkids.
It was one of the highlights of my week, that when we visited her and grandpa on Fridays, she would motion me and my younger brother to come and sit next to her on the bed.
Sitting there expectantly, grandma in the middle and my brother and I next to her, she used to slowly open her bag of treasures. Then, she would hand a candy (or three) to each of us.
For me, she almost always bought a candy bar named “Peh-leh” (translates to “wonder”), which I guess is the Israeli equivalent of Mounds. Sweet shredded coconut dipped in luxurious dark chocolate. It was by far my favorite candy bar. I believe the manufacturer had discontinued it years ago.
It’s easy to make healthy coconut haystacks!
30 years after those visits to grandma’s house, back home from Lake Tahoe, I decided to make healthy homemade dark chocolate coconut haystacks. In my recipe, I decided to use unsweetened coconut and extra dark (85% cacao) chocolate.
Commercial coconut haystacks are usually made with sweetened coconut and with milk chocolate. But it’s very easy to make coconut haystacks at home. And if you use dark chocolate and unsweetened coconut, it’s actually a very healthy treat.
Like most low carb sweets, these are very unlikely to cause overeating. My husband and I find that savoring one of them slowly, luxuriously, with a cup of black coffee, is the perfect ending to a low carb meal.
The ingredients used in this recipe
You’ll only need three ingredients to make this tasty homemade candy:
- Dark chocolate
- Coconut oil
- Shredded unsweetened coconut
How to make coconut haystacks
It’s truly an easy recipe. The detailed instructions are in the recipe card below. Here are the basic steps:
- Start by melting the chocolate and the coconut oil in the microwave.
- Stir the shredded coconut into the melted chocolate.
- Drop spoonfuls of the mixture into paper liners.
- Refrigerate until set.
How long can you keep homemade coconut haystacks?
You can keep these dark chocolate coconut haystacks in the fridge, in an airtight container, for about a week. However, it’s important to remove them from the fridge at least 30 minutes before you plan on enjoying them. Room temperature is always best when enjoying chocolate.
Dark Chocolate Coconut Haystacks
INGREDIENTS
- 3.5 oz dark chocolate (85% cacao)
- 1 tablespoon coconut oil
- 1 cup shredded, unsweetened coconut (80 grams)
INSTRUCTIONS
- Line 6 muffin tin cups with paper liners.
- Place the chocolate and coconut oil in a large microwave-safe bowl. Microwave until chocolate is melted, stirring every 30 seconds.
- Stir the coconut into the chocolate, mixing until coconut is completely coated.
- Using a 4-tablespoon ice cream scoop, drop the mixture into the paper liners.
- Refrigerate for 30 minutes, until the chocolate is set. If you refrigerate the coconut haystacks for longer than 30 minutes, remove them from fridge 10 minutes before serving.
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Vered DeLeeuw, LL.M., has been following a healthy real-food diet and blogging about it since 2011. She has taken 
