I tried on about thirty different pairs of skinny jeans last week. It wasn’t cute. This trend is not ok with me.
I have thighs. They rub together a little.
These candies might be why.
If you feel compelled to make some sort of joke about the word ‘joy’ in the title of this recipe and my name… which is also Joy.
Well… go on. Get it out of your system.
Just don’t make any Joy to the World jokes. I’m so over those.
I really like what’s going on with these little gems. I combined unsweetened coconut with sweetened condensed milk and toasted almonds… and I covered the whole thing in dark chocolate. Seriously good.
But aren’t Almond Joys kind of a Grandpa candy bar? No… that’s Baby Ruth… totally an old dude candy bar.
Homemade Almond Joy
makes about 30 little bars
7 ounces sweetened condensed milk
1 cup powdered sugar
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
pinch of salt
2 1/2 cups unsweetened flaked coconut
30 almonds
about 20 ounces (a bag and a half) of good quality semi sweet chocolate chips
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F, spread raw almonds onto a baking sheet and toast for about 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool.
In a medium bowl, whisk together sweetened condensed milk, powdered sugar, salt and vanilla extract. Stir in the unsweetened coconut. The mixture will be thick. Place mixture in the freezer for 3o minutes. It’s easier to work with if it’s a little cold.
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Remove the coconut mixture from the freezer. With clean hands shape one tablespoon of coconut into a little log about 2 inches long and 3/4-inch thick. Press the logs together very well so they don’t crack when dipped. Place the log on the lined baking sheet and continue until all of the coconut mixture is gone. Rinse hands occasionally if they get too sticky. Press an almond on top of each coconut log. It might not completely stick. That’s ok. Place the baking sheet in the fridge to chill while you melt the chocolate.
Place a medium pot with two inches of water over a medium flame. Bring the water to a simmer. Place chocolate chips in a heat proof bowl and place the bowl over the simmering water. Stir the chocolate as it melts. Turn off the flame once the chocolate has melted but keep the bowl of melted chocolate over the hot water.
Remove the coconut candies from the fridge. Place one coconut almond log on a fork. Use a spoon to scoop a bit of chocolate over the almond. This will help the almond stick to the candy and not fall off during dipping. Lower fork into chocolate and spoon chocolate over candy to coat. Lift fork and gently shake to release some of the chocolate. Scrape the bottom of the fork along the side of the bowl and place on the lined baking sheet. You might need a toothpick to help get the candy off the fork. Repeat until all candy is coated in chocolate. If chocolate gets thick, just turn on the flame and heat slightly.
Let dipped candy harden in the fridge for 45 minutes. Store in an airtight container at room temperature. If you need to layer the candy in a container, use waxed paper to separate the layers.
288 Responses
I made these and they were so good. Everybody loved them. I do wish that the print function worked better for the recipes. I like looking at paper, using the print option prints 11 pages of the recipe and there are ads over top some of the instructions so that was frustrating.
These are very delicious! I just have one question though. When I made these I stored them in the fridge, but if I left them sitting out for a few minutes the chocolate started to melt. I just used chocolate chips like in the recipe. So is there another type of chocolate that won’t melt when taken out of the fridge? Thx
I’m a chubby chick and I love my skinny jeans and almond joy bites. I’ve made this recipe before and I’m back at it for my Christmas candy gift boxes. Skinny jeans only look good if you believe they do. No one has perfect, Skinny Jean legs so put those jeans on with your favorite baggy top, grab your almond joy candies and dance to your favorite music. You are beautiful just the way you are!!!!!
I love mounds and my daughter loves almond joys. Went to the store to get ready for thanksgiving and Christmas cooking and before leaving I started to shut down my computer and there was the recipe for home made almond joys, Now that I’m back my counter is loaded with all kinds of ingredients for all kind of sweets including almond joys. I’ll go back and get some dark chocolate for homemade mounds for me.
Omg! thanks for the recipe. These are my favorite candies.
I was looking for a gluten-free gift to make for a friend and when I came across these, I knew it was perfect – my friend loves Almond Joy, but we live in Canada and it’s not sold here! I made these with a good quality semi-sweet chocolate, and they were very much loved. I made them a bit too big though – they are quite sweet and once the chocolate gets on them, they get even bigger. Next time would use less sugar and make them smaller. I found freezing them before dipping in chocolate kept them together nicely – I also thought that with the coconut they’d be finicky, but not so!
How far in advance can I make these. I have my annual cookie swap on December 18th and would like to start as soon as possible. I have to make 12 dozen.
I just made a quadruple batch of these as part of my Christmas gifts and they came out perfect. After reading through the comments I was nervous that they would not be any good, but I followed your recipe exactly and they came out lovely and delicious. Can’t believe how simple they were, thank you very much!
I also can’t believe how many people made this recipe using sweetened coconut and then complained about how they were too sweet and wouldn’t stay together to dip in the chocolate. You can find unsweetened coconut flake in the organic section of your grocery store. It is DRY flake (as opposed to sweetened coconut which is wet), so your mix will be very tight and easy to shape. I chilled mine after shaping and it dipped into the chocolate no problem.
Tip: After shaping the coconut melt a little chocolate and dip one side of each almond before pressing onto it. Let them set 10 minutes and the almonds will be thoroughly stuck and you can dip the whole thing no problem.
Add shortening to chocolate— about 1 T per cup…it thins it out, helps it reach the right texture for dipping.
Try coconut oil next time, it really is a nice change and does the same thing as the shortening and it is better for you.
I was looking for an almond joy candy recipe and found this site. From the sounds of it some of you are having a hard time with the dipping process. I find when using Chocolate Chips I need to add a tablespoon of coconut oil or Crisco. I used to use wax, but I really don’t think we digest this very well, but it does leave a nice shiny coating.
When mixing the ingredients for the filling, I added more coconut and a bit more powdered sugar to make it a thicker consistency. I rolled the mixture into small balls, about 40 and refrigerated overnight. ( actually I refrigerated the mixture overnight and then shaped into balls. I dipped the balls in chocolate and then pressed a toasted almond on top and used the tines of the dipping fork which still had chocolate on it to smooth more chocolate over the almond and then I refrigerated the candy before placing in little candy cups. They turned out great and this method is much easier than trying to dip the almond and center at the same time. Enjoy!
Ugh this didn’t turn out quite right. I couldn’t find unsweetened coconut, so made it with sweetened and then i tried using 1 TB and of the mixture but only ended up with 12( I’ll just cut them in half) and then couldn’t get my chocolate to met properly over the hot bath. these were way way too sweet. like so much sweeter than the actual almond joys and this is the first time i think i’ve liked something packaged over something homemade. oh well, i really suck at candy making i believe.
I feel that the amount of vanilla in this recipe is too much. The flavour was very unpleasant with that amount.
Im in the Uk & your measurements are a bit odd for me. I wouldnt use cups, I have no idea what size cup you would use.
Also when you say powdered sugar do you mean Icing sugar? And I would have to use desiccated coconut. They look devine, we dont have Almond Joys here, so it would be a first!
1 cup is 237ml. Powdered sugar is the same as icing sugar. You can always go to the internet to find conversions from Imperial to metric.
I can’t wait to try this recipe ! It sounds amazzing and the beginning made me laugh
I cannot use condensed milk since I’m on an elimination diet. What could be used in its place?
Oh my- These are totally going into the back freezer to hide until PMS attacks! I used smokehouse almonds which cut thru the sweetness more so I get sweet, salty and chocolate. My mood swings thank you!
I made these and they were a hit!!! but I did use sweetened coconut. I also am not a huge fan of semi sweet. so I used a bag of semi sweet and a half a bag of milk chocolate. they turned out so yummy. everyone loved them!!! thanks
Because I absolutely love Almond Joy but not the milk chocolate, my daughter (who is a fabulous baker) made these for me for Christmas with Ghirardelli 60% cacao bittersweet chocolate chips. They were totally amazing! The filling was the closest thing to a real Almond Joy I’ve ever tasted but much fresher. She also used the Emerald Dry Roasted Almonds. I simply cannot stop eating them. Thank you, Joy, for the recipe!
hello, these look so yummy. I want to make some but I dont know where to find the unsweetened coconut. can I use the sweetened kind or will it be to sweet?
I am a little confused, where’s the peppermint in the recipe?
there is no pepermint any where in the recipe or on the page.
correct.
I really want to make these!
Um, as I read this I just ate half a baby ruth. now i feel like a grandpa, but it did make me laugh : )
SO SIMPLE. we don’t have that candy here in the Philippines which sucks because I love EVERYTHING with dark chocolate, almond or coconut in it. I’m sure those three combined would be just..orgasmic. thanks for this recipe! can’t wait to try it out
Hi Joy,
I made these today as “truffles” because I was feeling lazy…and they worked perfectly! I used regular sweetened flaked coconut and it was no problem. I put liners in mini muffin tins {but also tried the liners just on a cookie sheet and they held up fine}, put a little chocolate in the bottom, slightly flattened a ball of coconut to fit on top, added an almond and then poured chocolate over the top. Mini=cute!
Oh, and if anyone wants a tip for mess-free chocolate coating, try Wilton’s Easy-Pour Candy Funnel. No dipping, no messy fingers, no dripping–easy and quick!
P.S.–Has anyone tried FREEZING these? I made a double batch, so if they can’t be frozen, I guess my husband’s office will be very happy with homemade treats this week! :-)
These are sooo yummy! Like Dale, I used all organic ingredients–yes, there is an organic sweetened, condensed milk! I only coated the top of them because I didn’t want to be messy and it was plenty good.
Hi Joy!
I’ve been wanting to make these ever since you posted the recipe back in October. (I think that’s how long ago it was). Anyway, I have not been able to find unsweetened coconut. Can these be made with sweetened coconut (and reduce the amount of sugar in the recipe)? I hope you are reading these comments ‘cuz I really want to make these.
Thanks Joy, you’re the greatest! Can’t wait for your cookbook!!!!
Sandra
You ROCK!!!
Can’t wait to try! damn they look so good!
These look irresistable! And as for names, I am so over hearing Mary had a little lamb and don’t forget Mary, Mary, how does your garden grow! LOL
My unsweetened coconut was thin and wide and wouldn’t stay together very well so the bars ended up to be ugly globs. Now I see the picture of your beautiful fine coconut, so I’ll try the food processor next time. Just because they weren’t pretty to look at doesn’t mean they didn’t taste fabulous.
I made these without the chocolate and in a tray – cut into slices. Totally delicious.
As they were so special we waited for our new cake plates to arrive so this would be the first yummy thing we ate off of them!
So I thought these would “complete me”. I love all of the ingredients, the photos were amazing and I could totally do these, right? Wrong. The only unsweetened flaked coconut I could find were these huge, expensive, organic flakes which just screwed up the whole recipe. It was downhill from there. They tasted okay, but they looked terrible. Back to the drawing board. Waaaaahhhh….
So…I stumble across this recipe early this afternoon, and didn’t have what I needed–but could not stop thinking about them…it’s now 11:16pm and I’ve managed to acquire everything needed to make these!! So excited, just wanted to say thank you in advance! I loovvee almond joys!!!
I cannot wait to try this recipe! A couple days ago I saw a commercial for almond joys, but didn’t want to buy any and thought, why don’t I try to make them?! Since I wasn’t sure where to start, I stumbled upon your site while googling for a recipe :)
I just made these and it was ugly. Very, very ugly.
My chocolate didn’t seem thin enough to coat, certainly not thin enough to dip the coconut into as the recipe suggests. And the coconut mixture was too wet and glopped into the chocolate while I was trying to coat them!
My kitchen is a mess and these turned out hideous. I guess I’ll stick with baking. :(
The too-thick-chocolate-problem sounds like a bit of a mystery. As to the too-wet-coconut-problem, you might have tried adding a bit more coconut and or sugar to make the mixture dryer? I thought this was such a fun and satisfying project! The only thing I changed was that I pressed the mixture into one layer, pressed in the nuts, and then cut even squares (I have nothing against the roundish shapes suggested in the recipe, but I wanted to wrap them individually into parchment paper and figured that that would be easier with squares)
Made these and the filling worked beautifully, but the technique for dipping in chocolate was a total disaster. Coconut everywhere and the chocolate didn’t melt thin enough to coat. boo :(
Are male, guy persons, of the masculine sex allowed to post comments here?
1. Umm . . . you think having the name “Joy” makes you a target? Imagine having a somewhat uncommon, hermaphroditic name, but the best-known namesake (Dale Evans) happens to be of the opposite gender.
2. I never regretted marrying a baker – Carol, the eldest daughter of Gene Baker, to be exact. She has kept me well supplied with cookies, pies, etc for several decades. And, she can wear skinny jeans but she doesn’t. Her dad could go by “skinny Gene”, too. When my Bread baker (or bred Baker?) produced a daughter as our mid-kid, we named her “Joy”. Joy had a LOT of fun with her name! In fact, she used it as the middle name for her own daughter.
3. That 4-year old granddaughter stayed with us last night when I tried this Almond Joy recipe. She reported to Joy that “Grandpa is making some special treats!”, and pronounced them “Yummy!” based on one sample.
4. Carol-the-(former)-Baker loves Almond Joys, but has gone through breast cancer treatment this past year. Consequently, she decided that Almond Joys are now semi-off limits, and I am on a diet that’s supposed to make me live longer. Or, at least make it SEEM like a very long time. I am trying to convince her that junk food (such as Almond Joys) is actually OK if you make it yourself. One of her cancer diets even says that dark chocolate is OK . . . though she hasn’t liked it as much as I do. So I covered my Almond Joys with 1 bag (12 oz) of Ghirardelli “60% Cacao Bittersweet Chocolate” chips mixed with 1/2 bag (6 oz) Ghirardelli “Semi-Sweet Chocolate” chips.
5. Carol is still amazed that I’d even try to make one of her favorite candies “from scratch” (and other secret ingredients). She’s still thinking about the notion of making your own junk food.
6. The ONLY unsweetened coconut I could find is a finely shredded, organic, no trans fat, no sulfite or preservative, product. That may support the idea that junk food is OK if you make it yourself. I think I might prefer my Almond Joys with a coarser, flaked coconut.
7. I’d alter the process sequence in this recipe. First, prepare the coconuy mixture. Then toast the almonds and melt the chocolate while the coconut mixture cools in the freezer.
8. I used 1 level tablespoon of coconut mixture for each candy, and put TWO toasted almonds on top of each. I got 27 candies from this recipe.
9. Since condensed milk comes in 14-oz cans, what do you do with the other 1/2 can of condensed milk?
10. Following advice on another website, I melted my chocolate over simmering water, but only heated it to 125 degrees F. Then, I replaced the simmering water with room-temperature water and cooled the chocolate to 80 degrees F – and finally, very gently heated the water to 95 degree F and tried to maintain the chocolate at 90 degrees F while dipping. It took a lot of work, and didn’t produce the glossy chocolate coating that the other web site promised – but DID produce a chocolate coating that seems comparatively hard (like a shell) on the surface, and fractures crisply.
11. Katrina’s idea about the (lightly) greased ice tray may work, but you’ll want to measure it (1 tablespoon) and pack it firmly into each cubicle. Even before chilling, I’d call the coconut mixture more than “thick” – it’s more like “stiff”.
Thanks for the great recipe!
Dear Dale,
This is a really good recipe for fresh homemade Almond Joys but I thought I’d also mention that making your own Almond Joys with unsweetened shredded coconut meat, coconut milk, coconut oil, stevia, toasted almonds and real dark dark chocolate (with just a little sugar) are actually good food…the science will back me up. Really!! Check out the rediscovered health benefits of coconut products! No longer regarded as dangerous, the saturated fats (they’re medium not long chain fats) in coconuts are amazing for the body and nothing to be concerned about after all. AND!!!….there are studies that have shown a little coconut oil daily can help with reducing weight….not gaining it…by giving you more energy from the fat itself. It is the sugar that causes so many problems….but coconut is real food….just ask the Polynesians and all those who regularly consume coconut in all its forms. The internet has lots of research about coconut and its benefits. EAT homemade Almond Joys! Just consider fiddling around with the recipe’s sugar content and check into using stevia drops in some coconut milk (not the low fat version….the full fat coconut milk version) and some coconut oil to hold things together and then cover in dark chocolate. They will be softer of course and perhaps not as beautiful (chill very well before dipping in chocolate) but then kept in the fridge they will taste great! It’s challenging to find alternatives to sugar that can work in recipes as well as avoiding spiking insulin….which, by the way, is one theory about the cause of some cancers in addition to diabetes and aging the body in general.. But for those who don’t mind tinkering in the kitchen, it is possible to discover some amazing new ways to prepare favorite things. Just be aware of agave and other high fructose type sweeteners….they don’t create sugar spikes but they can add on the pounds twice as easily as regular sugar and they tax the liver (Duke Univ study) No longer can coconut be classified as junk food…because without the sugar it can be a high fiber, high energy, low carbohydrate food that truly satisfies and is good for you at the same time!
YUM! I didn’t sift through the 1,000 comments…but does anyone know if there is a dairy-free substitute to use in place of milk?
Could these be made with something other than coconut? Im not nuts (no pun intended) about coconut, but they look so good!
forget it! I saw a commercial that began with a luscious lady walking sensuously along the beach. One I’d be proud to buy that special moonlit dinner for. Next thing you know, she’s turned into this skinny, shrewish looking over-exerciser that would be telling me to only eat 3 oz. of steak at dinner and not to butter my potatoes! I went with the “before” lady. Anyone knows that the looks get taken over by the ease and comfort of communication on all levels for IT to work long term.
some times you feel like a nut..some times you don’t
I just attempted these lovely treats….with not much luck. I am thinking it maybe the chocolate that I used b/c it didn’t spread very well over my coconut/almond bundles. Any suggestions? What kind of chocolate did you use Joy?
everything on here looks so delish!
twitter:@FASHION_ICE
I made your Almond Joys this weekend and their flavor was perfect! My little candy bars, however, were larger than they should have been – I got carried away when forming them. But they are delicious, nonetheless. I’ve posted about them (and, of course, linked back to your blog). Thank you so much for a great recipe! Love your blog!!
Hi Joy,
I can’t wait to make these, but I had a question about the consistancy of the coconut mixture. I was thinking of cheating and throwing the ingredients into an empty, greased ice tray to make the bar shape, is the mixture too sticky to do that, or do I risk having them crumble to pieces when I try to get them out? Thanks!
Where can I get unsweetened coconut? My grocery store has 3 different kinds of “sweetened” coconut, but, alas, no unsweetened coconut. Any suggestions? Please hurry…I’m dying to make these!!!
These look so yummy! I bought myself a bag for Halloween (they’re all gone now, btw), and the chocolate was getting old. Loving the fact that I can make ’em fresh!
I made them today and everyone loved it. Thanks for sharing the recipe! :)
My FAVORITE candy! I’m afraid to make them because I will eat them all! It’s only 30 right???
I’m not able to find unsweetened coconut in a ‘regular’ grocery store and since I have sweetened shredded coconut in my pantry. Can I use that and omit the powdered sugar?
Oh my..those look amazing! :)
perfect!! I have a ton of coconut (I told my husband to buy more, totally forgetting I have about 5lbs in the fridge… oops) and I’m kind of sick of batch after batch of coconut macaroons.
And almond joys are totally my favorites- even though my friends made fun of me for handing them out at Halloween last year. But seriously, who doesn’t like almond joys? (I mean, except coconut-haters, of course)
I’m new your blog and i say that it is an amazing site. Thank you for your recipes.
Joy-
My friend Casey showed me your site. Love the way you interact with your food ;0). I just moved to a new state and I am working towards being a full time photographer. I just landed a part time job so I could have some extra cash while I develop.. and to CELEBRATE..all the Joy that is to be had, I am making these! SO DELICIOUS looking. They invite me in! Have a swell day!
Kristin
I saw that you had points listed on other recipes so do you happen to know how many WW points these bars are?
Hi Joy,
I’m new to your blog – found it from a link on Heather’s “Heather Eats Almond Butter” blog – so glad I did! I made these today as a Halloween surprise for my husband – he’s addicted to chocolate/coconut concoctions. They are WONDERFUL! They would make great gifts if I was able to make my dipped chocolates look as nice as yours do.
Hubby said to practice, practice, practice and he’ll eat the trials ;)
Thanks!
Looks yummy–great gift idea! People are so over me giving them your delicious black and white cookies LOL.
These were a huge hit with my hubby and co-workers.
Today I’m making Vegan Pumpkin Walnut Bread! YUM!!!!!
oh my goodness! now if you would help me with a recipe for the chick O stick my life would be complete.
YUM! These look SO amazing! I wonder though, can you use shredded coconut just as easily as the flaked? or does it need to be flaked for them to turn out correctly?
Thanks for all the smiles and the delicious inpiration!!
you could pulse the shredded coconut in a food processor to make it smaller. that might make everything work!
Oh….I’m dead!
Almond Joys are my ULTIMATE favorite candy, next to Peppermint Patties!
One of the reasons I look forward to Halloween is so that I can raid my kids’
candy stash and claim all of the Almond Joys. Now I can make my own!!!
I love you Joy the Baker. :) You’ve made my day.
(and my thighs rub together too…sometimes so much so that I think I’ll start a fire! hahaha)
I would take eating these over the ability to wear skinny jeans any day. So good!
This is such a favorite and have been meaning to make a homemade version, can’t wait to make these! I bet it is so much better than the wrapped up stale version!
I made this this week & everyone loved them & wanted the recipe!
Thank you!
From Wales, UK :-) X
oh, you’ve read my mind! thank you!
Love that you’ve combined the Almond Joy with Mounds (Mounds is dark chocolate, Almond Joy is milk) – almonds and dark chocolate – the best of both worlds.
Looks totally worth a little thigh rubbin’ to me. ;)
Love this recipe… If you think you have heard enough “Joy” jokes, let me tell you that having the first name Winnie wasn’t a picnic in school (or even now for that matter)..People forever calling me Winnie the Pooh, or singing the song to me etc. I crack up when adults hear it for the first time and say “like Winnie the Pooh?” like I haven’t heard it before.
I love your site!
neighhh!
I just made these and I couldn’t even wait for the chocolate to harden before I ate one (maybe two)! Self control = not my strong suit. They were ah-mazing. So was the melty chocolate that I licked off the spoon, fork, and my fingers. Thanks for the recipe!
Aren’t you a clever clever girl!! I always used to trade my sister for these in Halloween candy. Now I can keep it all to myself. (actually, I’m a little old now for trick or treating … but a girl can dream)
I’m sure you got “Joy is such a “joy” to have in class!” on your elementary school report cards, too!
Right there with ya!
-Joy in MA
oh don’t worry–skinny jeans are totally on their way out (or so i read in us weekly). meanwhile, almond joys will never go out of style!
Oh you evil evil woman ;) All this pregnant lady has been craving is Almond Joys. I can’t wait to try these!!! YUM!
Oh! My! Gosh! Almond Joy is hands down my favorite candy in the world! Yummmmm!
Almond Joys are my absolute favorite candy bar. Unfortunately I’m the only one in my house that loves coconut. Dare I make this recipe just for myself? Just maybe. Thanks Joy!
Definitely worth giving up the skinny jeans for. Not all trends in life need to be followed. But chocolate with coconut and almonds. Well that’s a different story…
I think my favorite part of the recipe is this:
“I have thighs. They rub together a little.
These candies might be why.”
You’re a funny girl. Enjoyable!
Since this is a very joyful (sorry, necessary) post, I thought I’d let you know how happy you make my friends and me. I shared your blog with a few of my baking-loving sorority sisters, and they adore it just as much as I do. Your delightful baking and witty commentary bring smiles to our faces and ease the stress of tests, papers, and grad school apps. Thank you for making my days a little sweeter!
Joy, I mean this in the most plutonic non creepy stalker way…….You have pretty hands & I would like to stroke them. :)
I love Almond Joys.
I hate skinny jeans.
This solves both problems. (Because once you eat enough of them, skinny jeans become a moot point.)
:o)
On the skinny note- I’m a pretty slim girl (my thighs don’t rub…) but skinny doesn’t look good on me either. You have to be anorexic to look good in that thing. It would soon disappear! (or I hope it would…)
And- I love your blog and admire your endless energy to create and post!
If Baby Ruths are grandpa candy bars, I think Whatchamacallits should be reveling in the comeback that skinny jeans are enjoying. They’re so 80s (ok, so apparently created in 1978) and I love ’em!
Your Almond Joys are brilliant and adorable! Makes me wish I liked coconut, but that doesn’t mean I can’t make them for someone who does. :)
Nothing old dude about these babies – they look delicious, of course I’m slightly biased since coconut and chocolate are two of my favorites, these look great, to hell with skinny jeans ;)
try denim leggings in a super duper dark wash. like borderline black. they are WAY more comfortable than skinny jeans and, in my opinion, look better on almost everyone. and the dark washes are the most slimming.
clearly you have never eaten a baby ruth…those guys are dee-licious
Joy, your blog is lovely. Fantastic recipes and commentary. One question about the almond joys–I accidentally bought sweetened coconut. Any suggestions on how to adjust the sugar content of your recipe? Thank you!
Okay, I want to just inhale the picture. My two favorite candy bars are Almond Joy’sand Skybars.
Don’t know if Skybars are even available anymore but at least I now can make my own Almond Joys.
Thanks, Joy!
I feel you on the skinny jean trend. And, I thought I was the only one! So glad I’m not.
As if my hormones weren’t chanting “chocolate, chocolate, chocolate” already…they are now!
omg i love almond joy and i just had one yesterday ! lol gitta love halloween candy thats assorted ! :]
Wow, these look sooooooo yummy! I plan on making these babies soon. And speaking of old men Clark Bars, I actually work in the building of the old Clark Bar factory and we still have the giant candy bar sign!
Holy mackerel! These look insanely good. And can be made gluten-free to boot! Thank you for making my holiday dessert planning easier :)
I want this. Right now!
Wait a minute – I like Baby Ruths, and I’m not an old dude! I think Hard Butterscotch candies are old dude candies….no wait, those are Old Lady candies. Whatever.
These look great.
And trust me, you get to an age (35 I believe) where you stop caring if your thighs rub together and just buy a pair of fat pants!
You’re the devil. And I mean that in the most endearing way possible.
Clark Bars are totally old men candy bars. These look perfectly wonderful.
Skinny jeans are the enemy! I wish I could burn every single one of them in existence! And live a life full of these treats and skinny jeans free.
I really like what’s going on with those little gems too! Almond Joys were always one of my favs. I’m secretly glad I don’t have any unsweetened coconut right now though. I would eat the whole batch of those!
Almond Joy’s are my mom’s favorite…I think we will definitely add these to the Christmas baking list!
I AM SO EXCITED!!! MY BIRTHDAY IS COMMING UP IN A WEEK AND THIS WILL BE AN EXCELLENT ADDITION TO THE TRIPLE CHOCOLATE SUICIDE CAKE THAT I AM MAKING!!! THANKS AGAIN!!! I CANT WAIT JEN
These look amazing!! I actually spent one summer in high school working in the Almond Joy factory in my hometown (what’s better than an almond joy, is a freshly created almond joy right off the conveyor belt!!)…….
And please PLEASE —- rock some skinny jeans!!! My thighs are basically a uni-thigh but I refuse to let that stop me from enjoying the spandex-y comfort of skinny jeans!!
These look even better than the real thing! I will print off this recipe, because I like making homemade candies to give away as gifts at Christmas. These surely fit the bill!
Coconut AND chocolate?! How could it get any better! You really live up to your name
I love almond joys – these look amazing!
you make me swoon over coconut and chocolate…sigh.
Hey Joy! I love this post .. skinny jeans are not for me either..
I love your hands too: very elegant but also capable of great (yummy) things! :P
This stuff looks seriously delicious! Thanks for ruining my diet again! Luv ya for it!
When I saw this recipe my first thought was that it is going to be the bomb for Christmas gifts! Homemade candy seems a bit more exotic (and difficult) than homemade cookies. Thanks much.
Oh my! These are one of my favorites! I am so going to be making them soon!
Skinny jeans do not make anyone look skinny. I have had to learn this from personal experience. And being 12. SERIOUSLY.
–Lena :)
JOY….I’m not usually a commenty person but I’m a pregnant mamma and CRAVING nothing more than Almond Joy!!! PERFECT…thank you thank you thank you…you’ve made my baby’s day!! And this mamma is glowing just looking through the pictures :) Did I mention the drool : /
I just said almost the same thing about skinny jeans to my sister this week. So glad to know I’m not the only one not okay with these things. I’m waiting for this trend to pass because it just doesn’t work on my short, almond-joy loving body. Thanks for another great recipe.
Yay! These are my favorite candies! Thanks for sharing the recipe!
My husband (a semi-old dude) is going to make me stop following you if you don’t take back the Baby Ruth comment!
oh man…. but it’s true!!!
Do you get the “Joy to the world, all the boys and girls…” song, well I had a boss who every day thought it was necessary to sing “Sarah, Sarah, no time is a good time for goodbye…” Why do people do this? Don’t you just love having a name that’s in a song?!
BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!! I literally L’dOL when I read the part about the “old dude candy bar”! I will forever see that as an old dude candy bar. Or at least one that Chunk from Goonies always loved!
ooh these look so intriguing! Yum!
my dad will surely like ’em…..ahem.
What’s really bad is that I have just about 7 oz of leftover sweetended condensed milk sitting in my fridge just waiting to be used up PLUS the other ingredients. I wanted to work on dropping 5 lbs this week too. Damn, you Joy!
apologies
That’s the perfect Monday treat ! I will certainly be making these and enjoy them on a Monday in the very near future with a cold Diet Coke (my mom always told me if you eat a candy bar and drink a Diet Coke,it will cut the calories of the candy bar in half,that’s real nutritional education right there) !
Thank you, Meredith, for sharing that very valuable bit of nutritional information. I think it is probably the most useful advise I have received in a long time. And from a total stranger at that! You are totally awesome.
I was always disappointed by Mounds/Almond Joys…why does it have to be EITHER milk chocolate with almonds OR dark chocolate without? I want dark chocolate Almond Joy! Now, I can have both! Mmwahahahaha :) Thank you!
wow. just, wow. dream come true.
I always enjoy your blog, but today I am in love.
I loveee Almond Joys. And now I’m totallyyyy craving them! But perhaps I should make my own? These look amazing! And also, I’m super excited for November now :) :)
I’m a coconut freak, so I’m going to love these. I’ve dipped chocolates for years (I have a small machine that tempers 1 1/2 lbs. of chocolate at a time), and i’ve found that dipping the bottoms of the fillings, letting them dry on waxed paper, and then (usually the next day) dipping the whole thing in chocolate again makes for a downright professional looking chocolate. I always had trouble covering the bottoms before trying this. Of course, if you’re just going to eat them all, you probably don’t care! I wouldn’t. : ) Right now I’m into making clusters. First up, dried bing cherries and chocolate. I’ve made them before, a few years ago, and at the time it wasn’t easy to find dried sweet cherries. They’re very accessible now. And oh my, they’re as good as chocolate and coconut.
ohh, I’ve never had an almond joy before (or a baby ruth, for that matter) but they sound like a combination of things I love. So trying these!
Happiness is what is happening here.
Pure happiness.
Oh noes… I’m only 28 and I like Baby Ruths :( I always spill peanuts and tiny bits of chocolate all over the place. I did just become an aunt for the first time, but I didn’t think I was quite a grandmother already! lol
My fiance totally wants me to make these for him now though, I’m not a fan of coconut, but he loves loves Almond Joys so much. Oh and I made the baked oatmeal you posted awhile back and I love love love it! Next up is the onion rings, I don’t know why I never thought of marinating the onions in something first, but it is genius!
you’re a busy lady!
Have you checked out CHOW today? One of the top stories is about making your own candy bars.
it must be halloween time!
SNOW CAPS are the official old person’s candy – and my husband’s favorite. Go figure.
Sadly enough, I didn’t have my first Almond Joy until I was 30 and now I can’t get enough of them. Hmmm….funny that I refer to 30 as the age when my metabolism started to slow down. Coincidence?
Can’t wait to try these!
I’m so adding this to my Christmas cookie list this year. Thanks for sharing.
Yep…. I can relate…… Jean Hyie-gene…. Yep ever since I was in at least jr. high…. which for me! Hmmmm at least 40 some years ago! Not funny! But…. I’ve been eating the snack size almond joys all weekend….. everytime I walk by our cloth pumpkin…. not good for the pants at all! And now…. you give us the recipe….. I’m doomed!
Can’t wait to try this recipe. I have made a couple of different recipes for Almond Joy in the past – never have quite made it. Trader Joes sells some with chopped almonds rather than the piece of almond, so I might try that. Looking forward to more tastey adventures with you Joy!
P.S. my cousin is Autumn Joy – boy has she heard some!
Skinny jeans are terrible. They don’t work unless you are a stick. Then they look pretty good, but on anyone else? No thanks.
So cute and tasty-looking!
i love that not only do i find recipes for delicious treats on your website, but also like-minded women when it comes to unflattering and uncomfortable fashion trends! thanks joy!
Tell me you aren’t all sick of “skinny” and “boyfriend” jeans? What the hell is wrong? Can you IMAGine a guy buying skinny jeans? Or “girlfriend” pants? It is so insulting to us as women. Let’s revolt! Let’s take these candy bars, stuff ’em in our mouths, march into the Gap, and demand “Big Beautiful Butt Jeans!”
hmpft.
um… i have some boyfriend jeans and they’re kinda amazing. oops.
They may fit great…but don’t you find the name a tad off-putting? Maybe it’s just me.
:-)
it’s a little weird. i’ll still totally wear em though.
AH THIS LOOKS SO DELICIOUS. Can you schedule in approximately an extra 5 hours between now and this weekend so I can make them for trick or treaters??
Love love LOVE these. LOVE!!! (Have you tried my Almond Joy Cheesecake?: https://find.myrecipes.com/recipes/recipefinder.dyn?action=displayRecipe&recipe_id=10000001916229)
These look AMAZING! I will be making these soon!
Skinny jeans are never cute! Don’t worry about this. Your treats are truly cute and delicious anyway!
Wow~ but why stop at almonds?
You should try hazelnuts.
YES!
these are absolutely darling and they look delish too!
Joy- love your blog….try being named April Joy…I’ve had my fill of stupid name jokes too!
I’m moving Venice next week. Maybe someday our paths will cross.
Cheers,
April Joy :)
yaaay! welcome to venice. let’s go drink wine!
I adore Almond Joys!! I can’t wait to make these. They look delicious!
These are so awesome. I’ve been trying to think of a good homemade Christmas gift to give to people that’s still classy (because anything I craft will *not* be classy!). A tin of these might be perfect!
my favorite candy ever! (okay, after peanut butter cups, but I don’t think that should count) and homemade! You rock Joy! thanks! :
-Amalia
https://buttersweetmelody.wordpress.com
Oooh, Almond Joy is my 2nd favorite candy bar! Must make these! And on another note, I had sworn off skinny jeans since they came out, my thinking being that if you are old enough to have worn them in the 80’s you are too old to wear them now. But…..I tried on a pair at the insistance of a friend and guess what? I bought some. And them make me look….skinny. Which is totally counterintuitive. They’re Bandalino brand, which is a “womens” brand, not a teen brand, so maybe that’s why they take my thunder thighs and transform them into reasonably slender totally presentable versions of themselves. So I say, keep trying!
Yum!
I have 3 pairs of skinny jeans that I somehow bought over the past few years. They sit at the back of my wardrobe and I say to myself “one day… I will fit into those…”. It still hasn’t happened.
I’ll stick to my leggings and dresses :)
I love me some Almond Joys, and I love this recipe! Also, I wish I had long, graceful fingers like you, Joy. For serious.
You know, to be honest, I never really liked almond joys, and as a kid, if I got them while trick or treating or in my Easter basket I’d give them away. But these sound like they might actually make me convert to an almond joy lover!
OK, I’m a freak, but I like all my candy bars frozen solid. Weird, I know. But anyway… these would be awesome in the freezer! I haven’t had an alomnd joy in forever… cuz, um, sorry but they are, indeed, old dude candy.
um woah. that is all. that and i’ll be making these for my dad come Christmas- they are his ALL TIME favorite candies!!
Do you think these could be made with sweetened coconut and evaporated milk instead of sweetened condensed milk and unsweetened coconut? That’s what I have on hand… :)
well I guess I know what I’m making for gifts for my co-workers now :) they look amazing!
On no, you did NOT just post that. My hips don’t particularly need these, but apparently I’m going to have to make them… I don’t know why on earth I’d never thought to make these at home before!
These cookies look so cute and yummy! You could almost say that they make me JOYfull!!
Ha…ha…Why aren’t you laughing?
:D
oh emm gee!!! those look amazing! I’m definitely going to make them!
love and almond joy! love! These would be perfect for a Halloween party… a little classier than having wrapped candy bars out ;-)
Love Almond Joy! Will try these for sure!
I guess YES!!!!!!!!!! conveys my sentiments about this post well enough. omg. must make immediately.
It’s treats like this that make me miss being fat ;-) Spending an hour at the gym spoils the sweetness sometimes. I will *DEFINITELY* be adding this to my “Must Bake” list!!!!! Love you Joy!
@andrea I too love my skinnys- and struggle to fill out my thighs…(dont hate me for my glandular disorder and humming bird metabolism…)
@Joy- thanks for this fantastic recipe! cant wait to pack on the lbs! you were already my hero, I am nominating you for sainthood!!!
I am overJOYed…(really, how could I possibly resist? how?!)…I have got to make these asap..except my husband doesn’t like almonds, or coconut…which means…i’ll have to eat them all. woe is me. the bane of my existence has been trying to embrace the skinny jean..alas…i’m with the comment that it makes you look like a sausage. skinny at the bottom and all stuffed up and out at the top..blech. give me normal jeans or give me death. for reals.
I seriously hate the skinny form fitting world of clothes, but hubby loves it (go figure). hmmm, can you whip me up a Milky Way recipe?
I agree milky ways are the bestest!! Almond joys… not so much!
I’m having a Halloween party, so these will be perfect!
And btw, Baby Ruth is actually a grandma candy bar–one of my mom’s favorites :)
Thanks for this recipe!
Oh no you didn’t! This week’s lunch and dinner have now been planned. Thanks, Joy!
Perfect timing! I have a good excuse to make these this week because I am going to a Halloween Party. I have my doubts about them lasting until said Halloween Party though…
Oh well!
Sometimes I start to care about the fact that I could be ten lbs lighter and fit in skinny jeans if I just stopped my love of all things tasty….but then I think: how could I give up my chocolate addiction? or fresh baked bread, or currently my obsession with anything pumpkin.
I say it’s all about balance- and if I have to walk an extra mile a day to get my fill of delicious treats I will. Plus I’d rather have curves than be a stick figure any day. On that note I must attempt to make these treats for my dad—Almond Joys are his favorite.
Thanks for the post!
Ooooh these babies look good! Damn I’m such a coconut slut…
thank you for always making me giggle….
Skinny jeans? They should be called fAt jeans. They way they squish you tiny at the bottom, and up into a muffin at top.
Nah I am sticking with the almond joy hiding Maxi skirts.
Oh wow!!! Cannot. Wait. To. Make. These.
Hey, I’m only 49, and I like Baby Ruth’s!!!!!
Does that give me Grandma status? Is that the qualifier?
lmao
fun! My Aunt Shana makes these (sans almonds..which i guess would turn them into Mounds instead of AJ)..and they are uh-MA-zing!!! So fun to make things “from scratch” :)
love,
cathy B. @ brightbakes
You are my hero. I just ate an Almond Joy last night! I will make these soon as I’m sure they are much better.
I feel your pain on the skinny jeans…I went shopping for some last week and finally gave up. I’m just not gonna go there.
OH MY GOD. I LOVE YOU. Okay I am done now….. Seriously I am making these in the next few days. Oh if I skip the gym tonight I can make them tonight. Plan on!
And who cares that my boyfriend hates coconut so when I make these I will end up eating them all. Who cares one bit.
I`ve done something similar but with coconut only. Now I know that I need to try this recipe. It looks so goood!
have a nice time!
Paula
If the price for enjoying these candy bars is a little thigh-on-thigh contact, so be it! It’s a price worth paying. I didn’t used to like almond joy or mounds candies but I recently learned that coconut is actually good for you. Now I may just embrace coconut candies (and everything else) a little more!
This is the candy bar that disappears out of the Halloween candy before the little trick or treaters arrive. My household likes coconut anything so these are a must.
Skinny jeans?! Really. What are those?! Torture charading as fashion for real women. Let’s move on.
boo to skinny jeans! :P
Yum! My mom and I always used to buy mini Almond Joys for Halloween, but no one ever came to our house, because it was in a ‘bad’ neighborhood. That just meant there was more for us at the end of the night! ;) I can’t wait to try your recipe.
Those look awesome! I am definitely a fan of Almond Joys! Also, the skinny jeans, not so much for this girl with some thighs!
Oh dear Lord. Why are doing this to me Joy? I have to make these now. One time I ate a whole bag of mini almond joy bars. And then I got sick. It wasn’t pretty. I bet these taste delicious.
a) skinny jeans are definitely awesome on not-so-skinny legs – i have former-fieldhockey-player thighs & butt, and the skinny jeans actually look pretty good with some curves in them. (also, i just noticed chocolate glaze on mine from making your donut muffins last night… whoops…)
b) my sister definitely calls me an old lady when i eat almond joys or rasinettes, but i don’t mind, they’re delicious (and these look even better!)
I made these for one of my Food Memories blog entries this spring. They were fantastic. I had to send them to my husband’s office because I could not restrain myself from gobbling them all up.
I was just telling my husband yesterday that I was going to make almond joys! Skinny jeans are just about making the majority of women in this world feel bad about themselves. Embrace your curves, they are of the Goddess as are we all. We are women, we are not supposed to look like boys. Viva la hips!
People whose thighs don’t rub together a little bit can see me in hell. That is all.
How cool, those look yummy! I love the crunchy almond, chewy coconut and smooth chocolate in these candies!
…Yeah baybee! :o) These look wonderful and thank you so much for the recipe! *now printing*
…Skinny jeans are the devils’ work. Seriously. :o\
…Blessings…
We were seriously just looking for a recipe for homemade Almond Joys after seeing an Almond Joy inspired recipe in the new Baked book…and yay our search is over! These look perfect!!
Almond Joys are definitely better than Mounds! These treats look amazing and simple to make. Thanks for sharing :-)
These look amazing, can’t wait to try ’em out.
Am really not excited about skinny jeans, either.
Also, I love Baby Ruth bars … don’t hate!
Joy, I am also someone whose thighs rub together. On a whim, I took the plunge and tried on a pair of “jeggings” (awful word!)… and guess what? They suck in said thighs! No rubbing! So, um… there you go. As for these candies, woah nellie. They look uhhhh-mazing. Thanks!
Ugh skinny jeans. I too have things… and hips, and therefore no skinny jeans for me.
Anyway these are seriously cute! No way are they grandpa treats.
Delicious! I love Almond Joy candy bars :) I would have to add “Paydays” to your old man candy bar list–definitely a grandpa candy.
And I agree with your assessment of the skinny jean fad–not my favorite fashion trend.
I was way too glued to the first picture to think about jokes! This is incredible! One of my favorite candy bars ever.
I can’t do skinny jeans either, unfortunately so I don’t wear them (fortunately for the world)
My favorite candy bar ever! I’m willing to give up skinny jeans for some of these. Seriously.
These look awesome! I love making candy bars at home. I just made some homemade Snickers recently that definitely had an impact on my thigh rubbing situation…
I will never be in shape enough for skinny jeans. And I’m okay with that – particularly if it means I can eat Almond Joys – in DARK chocolate. (Thankfully, these are the candy bars that I can steal from my daughters with no guilt because they don’t like them! And Baby Ruths – put me in the mind of Caddyshack – classic!)
These candies looks divine. Thanks for giving me something to drool about during my bland oatmeal breakfast.
As for skinny jeans, I am a believer in the fact that thigh rubbage is a function of leg and pelvic shape, not fitness/slenderness. I have wider hips and am quite bowlegged, so the thighs never get close to touching, but I also look I’ve been riding horses all week at the Bar None ranch.
Try a pair of jeggings with clunky boots and a looser fit, hip length tunic/sweater. I bet you’d look lovely.
OMG! These look incredible!!!
Dear Joy,
Thank you for these I just learned about slavery in the major three chocolate producers candy and have had to cut myself off! So I am super excited to make my own candy with chocolate I can get that came from responsible farms etc. How about oreo cream got any ideas how I can replicate that?
coconut? check. chocolate? check. almonds? check. This recipe officially has 3 of my favorite things, yay :)
I can’t explain how delicious these look. Ridiculous. I want to make them NOW, and I’m still in bed checking my email.
Also, I just bought my first pair of skinny jeans this weekend, and I have good news. Val is right! They’re for chicks with legs, too! You just need some bangin’ boots to wear over them the first few times. Ease yourself into it. :)
This was my favorite halloween candy!! Oh my gosh…
Wow. These look great and like they’re not too hard to make. And definitely better than the skinny jeans.
Yay for thighs and almond coconut candies!
You guys are making me feel bad for finally embracing the skinny jean trend. In my defense, I have actually always wanted some thunderthighs but even lifting weights to try to boost my thigh-level has been unsuccessful so I’ve just decided to embrace my freakishly skinny legs and go ahead and wear skinny jeans. Know this: skinny legs are part of my (latin) heritage and unfortunately for me, if/ when I get fat I will have that unfortunate muffin top thing going on and I hope someone tells me it is no longer okay to wear skinny jeans.
The end.
These are one of my FAVORITE candies… they look delicious and I bet they taste even better homademade!!!! AHHHH! Thanks for sharing.
You are officially my hero. Seriously. I just broke down and bought an Almond Joy at the store a few weeks ago. Now I can make them myself and not worry about all the icky stuff that’s in the them. So excited to make a mess of these and share them with my mom.
I think that maybe the almond should have gone on the outside. It would have looked really gourmet.
These DO look joyful. Oh my.
I can’t think of Baby Ruths without thinking of my grandfather. He always had a stash of the miniature bars hidden in the glove compartment of his Ford F-150 and in the cabinet of his wood shop. He said it was our “our secret”, which I thought was totally awesome until I learned from my mother that he’d been using those hiding places for years. He was so cute. :)
I have to say it: you are hilarious! I’m from Toronto, Canada and we’ve got a few good blogs up here but yours is truly a ‘joy’ to read LOL. (Sorry. Couldn’t resist!) I found your blog by accident one day a few months ago and have become quite devoted. I always look forward to your posts. This almond joy looks amazing, especially since they don’t sell it here! And don’t worry about the skinny jeans honey – you’re young and beautiful and skinny jeans don’t deserve you…or me, for that matter!
I’m sick of the skinny nation of women trying to duplicate pre-pubescent girls. Thighs are meant to rub together. Skinny jeans should be about celebrating your womanly curves and not imitating a stick. And almond joys should be eaten and enjoyed.
haha true
One word : YUM. Those look so good. And covering them in chocolate is inspired :) xxx
Skinny jeans don’t do for me either, besides how many people in the world look good in them? Two maybe? These almond jewels speak for themselves…
Personally, I was just singing the “Almond Joys have nuts, Mounds don’t. Because sometimes you feel like a nut–sometimes you don’t” jingle in my head. :) No “Joy” jokes here.
But these do look good.
Holy Moly!!!!!! I know what my private Halloween candy will be this year. Joy you are cho subarashi (a.k.a. AMAZING). I can’t get these here and they are in my top 3 of candy bars. Oh boy, oh boy. Happy days are here!
Don’t be hatin’ on Baby Ruths — I ate one every day for breakfast, along with a Tab energy drink, when I first started my job. Watered-down Skittle water and salty peanuts got me through some tough times. ;-)
IMO skinny jeans only look good on people in ’80s movies. And even then, they’re iffy.
I’m with you on the skinny jeans. Seriously, how skinny do you have to be for those to look good? Like unhealthy, unhappy, can’t eat anything and have to go throw up because you drank some water skinny!
Let’s just all eat Almond Joys, be happy, and go back to jeans that were designed for normal people.
OH MY GOSH YES. they look fantastic beyond words. cannot wait to make these puppies.