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Irresistible No-Bake Sour Cherry Coconut Bars: A Healthy & Delicious Treat

Experience a symphony of flavors with these tangy, creamy, and decadently chocolate-covered No-Bake Sour Cherry Bars! Bursting with the vibrant taste of fruit, they offer a delightful way to utilize tart, juicy Evans cherries. What’s even better? You’d never guess these delicious bars are crafted with a bounty of wholesome, healthy ingredients, making indulgence guilt-free. (Skip to recipe.)

The Annual Evans Cherry Harvest: A Seasonal Delight

Every year presents a delicate dance with our beloved Evans cherries. It’s a game of patience, pushing the limits of time to allow them to achieve peak sweetness on the trees. However, this waiting game comes with a catch: the ever-present threat of wasps. These tiny, winged adversaries are notorious for discovering the juicy, tart-sweet orbs and launching a full-scale assault, making the harvest a race against nature. This year, the usual rhythm of the seasons felt notably accelerated.

Across the region, everything seemed to ripen much earlier than usual. The forests, typically a canvas of green until late summer, began to flaunt their golden hues at least two weeks ahead of schedule – we spotted the first yellowish leaves by early August, a surprisingly early signal! Tomatoes and peppers matured swiftly on their vines, while peas and lettuces concluded their season by the close of July. We even enjoyed our first asparagus harvest a full month earlier than ever before, relishing its tender spears by the beginning of May. This accelerated growing cycle meant a shift in our cherry-picking strategy.

A Race Against Nature: Battling Wasps and Weather

In most years, waiting for that first light frost bestows an extra layer of sweetness upon the cherries. However, this year, such a delay would have been disastrous. The wasps, emboldened by the warmer temperatures, would have claimed the entire crop, leaving behind a trail of large, chunky holes in the fruit clusters. These drunkenly lazy insects, stumbling among the branches, would have posed a stinging threat to anyone attempting to salvage the remaining cherries.

So, our household transitioned into full-blown cherry-picking mode. My partner, Raymond, was often enlisted to help gather pailfuls of the precious fruit whenever I could coax him into action. Our curious kittens, ever eager to participate in any outdoor adventure, usually rushed out to “assist” as well, adding a touch of playful chaos to our harvest efforts.

The Joys of Cherry Picking and Preserving

Once gathered, our kitchen transforms into a cherry processing hub. We pit them with dedicated focus, then freeze them for future use, and even dehydrate them – they make wonderfully tart substitutes for raisins and are fantastic for snacking. We whip up batches of cherry cordial and, of course, countless servings of these incredible Coconut and Evans Cherry Bars. I can honestly tell you, these bars disappear almost as quickly as I can make them. They’ve been a hit with family, carried in platefuls to potlucks, and shared generously with friends. The enthusiastic praise I receive invariably sends me back to the kitchen to prepare yet another batch. If you happen to have a frozen stash of these tangy Evans Cherries, be sure to reserve some especially for this irresistible bar recipe.

From Orchard to Plate: Crafting the Perfect No-Bake Cherry Bar

This recipe is a delightful evolution, adapted from my prize-winning No-Bake Coco-Lassies bars, transformed into this vibrant, fresh, and fruity rendition. The best part? There’s no need to even turn on your oven! The magic lies in the creamy, rich coconut oil-based filling, infused with the bright tartness of cherries and nestled between generous layers of deep, dark chocolate. It’s a culinary combination truly made in decadent dessert heaven.

A Healthy Indulgence: Guilt-Free Decadence

Perhaps the most surprising and satisfying aspect of these bars is their wholesome nature. While they exude a super sweet, indulgent appearance, they are, in fact, crafted from a blend of genuinely healthy ingredients, bound together with just a touch of natural honey. Coconut oil, which forms the creamy base, is renowned for its multitude of health benefits. Sour cherries themselves are packed with natural anti-inflammatory properties and antioxidants. Even the sweeteners like honey and the rich dark chocolate contribute to their nutritional profile. Considering all these elements, it’s fair to say these bars are almost a health food – a delightful way to enjoy a treat without compromise.

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Kitchen Notes & Pro Tips: Evans cherries are particularly juicy and delicate, making them best used shortly after picking or promptly frozen for later enjoyment. For an easy method to pit and freeze them efficiently, refer to our detailed guide here. These versatile frozen fruits are excellent additions to morning smoothies, baked into fruit crisps, or transformed into a classic sour cherry pie.

Given that coconut oil acts as the primary binding agent in the filling, these bars thrive when refrigerated. Coconut oil begins to melt at approximately 24°C (just 3 degrees warmer than average room temperature), so keeping them chilled ensures they maintain their firm, appealing structure. For the best creamy texture and optimal flavor, allow the bars to sit at room temperature for 15 to 20 minutes before serving. This brief warm-up period brings out their inherent creaminess and enhances their delicious taste.

Recipe: Coconut & Sour Cherry Bars (with Evans Cherries)

gluten free, dairy free, nut free, egg free

1¼ cups (240gms) chocolate chips, divided (dairy-free if necessary)
300 grams (10½ ounces) fresh or frozen pitted Evans cherries or other sour cherries (1¾ cups pitted fresh cherries or 2 cups pitted frozen cherries)
6 tablespoons (90ml) honey (¼ cup + 2 tablespoons)
Pinch of salt
3 cups (260gms) unsweetened fine shredded coconut (or medium shredded coconut ground fine in the food processor)
⅔ cup (160ml) virgin coconut oil + 1 tablespoon for top layer
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
2 tablespoons long shredded coconut for garnish

Instructions:

Line a 9×9 inch (23x23cm) pan with a parchment paper sling, ensuring it extends up on each end by about an inch for easy removal. Crease the paper along the inside bottom edges to ensure it sits flat in the pan. You can secure the paper to the sides of the pan using bulldog clips.
Melt half of the chocolate chips (½ cup + 2 tablespoons) using your preferred method: either microwave on high for 1 minute, then stir until the remaining bits are fully melted, or in a heatproof bowl set over a pot of simmering water. To prevent the parchment paper from shifting, place a small dab of melted chocolate under the paper in each corner of the pan. Spread the melted chocolate evenly over the bottom of the parchment paper – an offset spatula works best for a smooth finish. Allow this base layer to harden, which takes about 15 minutes in the fridge or longer at room temperature. *Do not wash the dish used for melting the chocolate; add the remaining chocolate chips to it and set aside for the final layer later.
In a large saucepan, combine the fresh or frozen sour cherries, honey, and a pinch of salt. Heat the mixture over medium heat until the cherries just begin to simmer. Add the shredded coconut and continue to cook for two minutes, stirring constantly. During this time, the sweet cherry liquid will be absorbed by the coconut. Evans cherries, with their thin skins and abundant juiciness, will naturally break down into smaller pieces as you stir. (If you are using a firmer variety of sour cherry, you may need to chop them beforehand or mash them gently with your spoon while stirring.)
Remove the saucepan from the heat. Add the vanilla extract and the ⅔ cup of virgin coconut oil. Stir continuously until the coconut oil has completely melted and evenly coats all the coconut flakes, which should take approximately one more minute.
Scrape the prepared cherry-coconut filling from the saucepan and spread it evenly and smoothly over the hardened chocolate base in the pan using a silicone spatula. Allow this layer to set and harden, typically about ½ hour in the fridge or longer if left at room temperature.
Once the filling has hardened, melt the remaining half of the chocolate chips together with the extra 1 tablespoon of coconut oil (using the same unwashed dish from step 2). Spread this melted chocolate mixture evenly over the hardened cherry-coconut filling. Sprinkle the long-thread coconut uniformly over the top layer for garnish.
When the top chocolate layer has fully hardened, run a knife along the sides of the pan that are not covered by the parchment paper sling. Gently lift the entire slab of Cherry Bars from the pan by pulling up on the parchment paper flaps. Transfer the slab to a clean cutting board and cut it into 24 small bars (creating 4 rows of 6 bars) or 16 larger squares, depending on your preference.
Store the Coconut & Sour Cherry Bars in an airtight container in the fridge, where they will maintain their freshness for several weeks. For the best creamy texture, remember to remove them from the fridge at least 15 minutes before serving to allow them to come closer to room temperature.
The bars also freeze exceptionally well for longer storage.

Makes 16 to 24 bars.

Guten Appetit!

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