Keto Nanaimo Bar Recipe – A Low Carb and Gluten Free Keto Dessert
If you have never had this iconic Canadian dessert bar, well what can I say, I am so sad for you! Let’s fix that right now with this Keto Nanaimo Bar Recipe!
What is a Nanaimo Bar you ask? Traditionally, it is a 3 layer no bake bar. The bottom layer is a chocolate coconut wafer concoction. The middle layer is a custard and the top layer a nice dark chocolate ganache.
The Nanaimo Bar originated in Nanaimo, BC which is not too far from where I live. The first recorded Nanaimo bar recipe (according to the wikipedia) was in the Nanaimo Hospital Ladies Auxillary cookbook in 1952.
These gluten free Keto Nanaimo Bars are also featured in The 12 Days of Keto Christmas Treats blog post, which has more amazing Keto and Low Carb Christmas desserts.
The two most important things you need to know about Nanaimo Bars? One, they are over the top delicious and a perennial favorite around here, and 2) They are actually super easy to make! So don’t be scared by the 3 layers!
We Canadians eat these by the ton in my geographical location of the Canadian West Coast. The local supermarkets sell giant slabs of it at Christmas. So it was real important that I make this into a Keto Nanaimo bar recipe or I’m done for!
What will I need to make these gluten free nanaimo bars?
All of the ingredients are easily obtainable from any major supermarket. If you are in a remote location then Amazon is your friend so I’ll share the links for the harder to find ingredients. (Note, these are affiliate links meaning I get a small commission if you order them, which doesn’t affect the price you pay)
- Custard Powder – I use the standard classic Bird’s
- Confectioner’s Erythritol (has an icing sugar consistency for smoother blending, especially for the custard)- Use this So Nourished Sweetener
- Most stores now have Almond Flour but if they don’t I like this brand
- Unsweetened Chocolate such as Bakers
There’s no baking involved here which is always a bonus. You’ll just need a 9 x 12 casserole pan, because honestly there is no point in making a small measly pan of these.
You’ll be just making it all over again, so it’s better to make lots just the one time. Besides, you can freeze these too.
So now that you know what it is, let’s keto-fy this thing so I can have some at Christmas!
Printable Keto Nanaimo Bar Recipe card below:
Keto Nanaimo Bar Recipe - Low Carb and Gluten Free
Nanaimo Bars are a classic Canadian Christmas treat but honestly we find an excuse to eat them year round. This is an easy no bake recipe! Gluten free, keto and low carb!
Ingredients
Bottom Layer:
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter
- 1/4 cup granulated erythritol
- 1 egg, beaten
- 5 tbsp cocoa powder
- 1 cup almond flour
- 1 cup unsweetened coconut
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
Custard Filling Layer:
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter (softened)
- 3 tbsp custard powder (like Bird's)
- 1 1/4 cup confectioner's erythritol (like So Nourished powdered sweetener)
- 1 tsp or 1 pkg stevia
- 3-4 tbsp heavy whipping cream
Top Chocolate Layer:
- 3 tbsp butter
- 6 ounces unsweetened chocolate
- 2 tbsp confectioner's erythritrol
Instructions
Bottom Layer
- In double boiler or heavy sauce pot on low heat, mix the butter, sweetener and cocoa powder until all melted. Stir in beaten egg slowly. When mixture thickens remove from heat and mix in almond flour, coconut and cinnamon. Combine until it looks like a ball of dough.
- Press chocolate coconut dough into the bottom of a 9x13 pan lined with parchment or wax paper. Place in fridge to firm up.
Middle Custard Layer
- In a mixing bowl, combine butter, custard powder, sweetener and cream
- Mix until fluffy (see below to see what it should look like)
- Spread custard over the chocolate coconut base and place back into fridge
Top Chocolate Layer
- In heavy saucepan or double boiler melt the butter. Add in chocolate and sweetener. Stir until smooth and remove from heat. Allow to cool for about 10-15 minutes. You want it to still be liquid.
- Spread over the custard layer
- Cover pan with clear wrap and place back in fridge for 2-3 hours.
Cut into 36 squares and enjoy!
Notes
Beating the Custard Layer:
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Nutrition Information:
Yield: 36 Serving Size: 1 barAmount Per Serving: Calories: 136Total Fat: 13gCarbohydrates: 4gFiber: 1gProtein: 1g
Try Some Other Keto and Low Carb Desserts
Please share this great Low Carb Christmas Dessert by pinning it to Pinterest below:
Other Keto Dessert Bars you'll Love!
Keto and Low Carb Dessert Bars and treats
Keto Cranberry Lemon Bars
These luscious lemon bars with a hint of almond and a burst of cranberry will be a welcome addition to your holiday dessert table. Easy to make but impressive in flavor and color!
Keto Chocolate Peanut Butter Dessert Bars
These no bake low carb dessert bars combine my 2 favorite food groups: peanut butter and chocolate! Perfect keto treat for a potluck or party!
Instant Pot Chocolate Cheesecake!
Use your pressure cooker to make this keto chocolate cheesecake smooth and rich! A favorite low carb dessert for any occasion.
this is the recipe I use every year!! you should be rated online honestly yours shows up with no reviews and it’s the best out of them all I’ve made a few with top review and they aren’t that great..I’ve grown up on this stuff and being able to make a sugar free version is awesome thanks for sharing!!!
Dan
Thank you so much Dan!
This is absolutely fantastic! Thank you for this recipe!
I plan to make this soon, but for now wanted to share my ideas for my substitutions I will need to make for my allergies:
—Egg – will replace with Gelatin
—Bird’s Custard Powder – I will replace it with part gelatin and part powdered coconut flour (Coconut flour buzzed in the coffee grinder to make it a super fine powder – it won’t need much because it thickens well, plus the gelatin will do a great job of thickening too). Could also add collagen possibly, depending how it blends.
—-Erythritol – will replace with powdered Allulose.
Thanks again!
I know this is an older post but given the current events, I’m home with a lot of time to find and make new recipes. This recipe for nanaimo bars is great!!! I didn’t grow up with these but was introduced to them by a Canadian colleague. I followed this recipe and the bars turned out really well. Decadent and still very low carb. The only change I made was the topping. I had stevia-sweetened chocolate chips on hand so I just melted those with the butter for the topping. Great!
I know what you mean, I have been making cabbage rolls and baking way more than usual! Thanks for your kind words!
These look amazing!! Are these Keto? I noticed the Custard Powder has cornflour. What are the carbs for the Custard Powder pls? THank you!!
People who are doing ‘clean keto’ would definitely poo poo this dessert! I normally am pretty clean keto but at Christmas I am dirty keto or I’m not going to make it through the holidays, you know what I mean!? So about ingredients being ‘keto’, there’s actually no such thing as a keto food. Ketosis is a metabolic state brought about by keeping your carbs very low. These Nanaimo Bars are 3 net carbs (4 total carbs) per bar. If you ate several, sure it will kick you out of ketosis. I bake a sheet in December and freeze the bars and kind of use them as needed. The 3tbsp of Birds powder contribute about 26 carbs to the recipe, so less than 1 carb per bar is from the Bird’s powder. I hope that helps and make your decision based on what’s best for you and your way of doing Keto. (But watch out for the Keto police, they are everywhere!) :-)
these look great!!!
Hi! I was just looking over the recipe. Sounds so delish!
I noticed beaten egg added in bottom layer but listed in ingredients.
You are correct and thank you for pointing it out! I have fixed it!