my comfort recipes
♥ Log in Sign up
  • en
  • fr
  • es
  • pt
  • de
  • it
  • nl
    • 🌍 World Kitchen
    🌍 World Kitchen
    Log in Sign up
    Home / Dessert / Nanaimo Bars

    Nanaimo Bars

    Nanaimo bars recipe: a triple layer of chocolate-coconut crumb, creamy custard, and glossy chocolate — British Columbia’s most beloved no-bake dessert.

    ⏱ 15 minPrep time
    🔥 30 minCook time
    🍽 4Servings
    🏷 DessertCategory
    ☆☆☆☆☆No ratings yet
    Nanaimo Bars - chocolate-coconut crumb base, custard middle and chocolate top

    Nanaimo Bars were born on Vancouver Island, and while their exact origins are fuzzy, the first known recipe appeared in a Nanaimo ladies’ cookbook in the early 1950s. The city has since embraced its namesake dessert so wholeheartedly that it runs a Nanaimo Bar Trail, and the bar was even the runner-up in a national contest to name Canada’s favourite sweet.

    What makes it great is the architecture: a crumbly, nutty chocolate-coconut base, a luscious custard-buttercream middle, and a firm chocolate top that snaps when you bite through it. No oven required, endlessly sliceable, and unapologetically sweet — this is the bar that shows up at every BC potluck, bake sale, and Christmas table.

    West Coast / BC recipes →

    Step by stepInstructions

    1. Melt 1/2 cup of the butter with the sugar and cocoa in a saucepan over low heat, stirring until smooth, then whisk in the beaten egg and cook for 2 minutes until slightly thickened.
    2. Stir the graham crumbs, coconut, and walnuts into the chocolate mixture and press the base firmly into a parchment-lined 9-inch square pan.
    3. Cream the remaining 1/2 cup butter with the custard powder, then beat in the milk and icing sugar until light and fluffy.
    4. Spread the custard filling evenly over the chilled base and refrigerate until firm.
    5. Melt the semisweet chocolate with a spoonful of butter and pour it over the custard layer, smoothing the top.
    6. Chill the bars for at least 2 hours until set, then cut into squares with a sharp knife.

    💡 Chef tips & storage

    Use real custard powder — it gives the middle layer its signature yellow colour and flavour. Dip your knife in hot water between cuts for clean, neat squares, and keep the bars refrigerated until serving.

    Rate this recipe

    ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
    ☆☆☆☆☆No ratings yet
    Sign in to rate this recipe.

    Recipe details

    Prep15 min
    Cook30 min
    Servings4
    CategoryDessert
    PublishedAugust 17, 2026
    Emily — the cook behind My Comfort Recipes

    Hi, I'm Emily 🧡

    Hi, I'm Emily — the cook behind My Comfort Recipes. Simple, tested comfort food for real weeknights, written down the way grandma would. Pull up a chair. More about me →

    Keep browsingYou might also like

    View all recipes →