There is a reason that my Keto Nanaimo Bars are widely considered the best. It was my favorite dessert as a kid! And as a stickler for taste and texture, I worked overtime to make this recipe as close to the original as possible. Now it’s one of my most popular no-bake keto desserts.
They’re almost as popular as my keto peanut butter bars, and that’s saying something!
If you are scratching your head, wondering exactly what they are, you are not alone. They aren’t a well-known dessert outside of Canada, although they have has become increasingly popular in the United States. They consist of a dense chocolate crust, a sweet vanilla layer that’s somewhere between frosting and pudding, and a rich chocolate topping. And once you try my low carb Nanaimo bars, you will be hooked.
Wondering how to pronounce the name? Repeat after me: “Na-Nigh-Mo”. Nanaimo. It’s a small city on Vancouver Island, and originally comes from the anglicized version of a First Nations word meaning “big, strong tribe”.
Reader’s Thoughts
“These are one of the best desserts I’ve ever had. We LOVE them, especially the crust, which I’ve been using for all kinds of keto deserts. There are a lot of steps here, but the final product is worth it!” — Zhenya
Why you will love this recipe
- Three indulgent layers: My keto version has the same rich chocolate base, creamy custard filling, and a silky chocolate topping as the original.
- Made with healthier ingredients: This recipe contains no instant pudding mix or custard powder, just high-quality keto-friendly staples.
- Freezer-friendly: You can make these bars in advance for holidays, potlucks, or just to have some sweet treats on hand.
- Customizable: You can easily adapt these bars to be dairy-free or nut-free.
- Canadian nostalgia: My fellow Canadians will be delighted to enjoy Nanaimo bars again, without blowing their macros!
- Crowd-pleaser: I’ve served these bars to keto dieters and non-keto folks alike. Everyone always loves them!
Ingredient notes
- Heavy whipping cream: This helps make the luscious vanilla cream filling for these bars.
- Almond or hemp milk: I updated the filling with a bit of nut milk to lighten it up just a touch. You can use all heavy cream if you prefer.
- Sweetener: I recommend using powdered sweetener for both the crust and the filling.
- Cream cheese: Conventional Nanaimo bars don’t use any cream cheese, but this allows for a thicker filling without using a ton of sweetener.
- Cocoa powder: I prefer Dutch process cocoa powder as it has a deeper, richer chocolate flavor.
- Almond flour: This replaces the graham cracker crumbs in the original bars.
- Shredded coconut: If you really don’t enjoy coconut, you can use more almond flour instead.
- Nuts: Nanaimo bars almost always have some chopped nuts in the crust.
- Sugar free chocolate: Do note that this isn’t the same as unsweetened chocolate, which contains no sweetener whatsoever. You do want some sweetness in the topping. I usually use Lily’s dark chocolate.
- Kitchen staples: Butter, eggs, vanilla extract and salt.
Recipe overview: How to make Keto Nanaimo Bars
Don’t be daunted by the long ingredient list and lengthy instructions. These are actually quite easy to make, require no baking and are undoubtably worth it. And you get a little taste of Canada into the mix!
- Make some pastry cream: Traditional Nanaimo bars use custard powder for the unique texture and flavor. But custard powder contains cornstarch which isn’t keto friendly. My solution is to create an actual vanilla custard (aka pastry cream) to add to the filling. Preparing pastry cream is very much like making keto pudding on the stove.
- Prepare the crust: The ingredients for the no-bake crust are cooked together in a saucepan for a few minutes. This helps them bind together well before pressing the mixture evenly into a square baking pan. Then the crust is chilled for a little while to set and firm up.
- Complete the filling: While the crust is chilling, beat the cream cheese together with the butter until it’s nice and smooth, then beat in the the cooled pastry cream until combined. Don’t over-beat is as it can begin to separate. Some additional powdered sweetener gives it the classic Nanaimo bar flavor.
- Add the topping: Melt the chocolate and butter and spread evenly over the filling and let set.
Tips for Success
I created an early version of these keto Nanaimo bars back when I first started out on my low carb journey. Not being quite as adept at low carb dessert as I am now, I relied on sugar-free pudding mix to replace the standard custard powder. But I don’t use these things anymore as they have usually contain questionable ingredients.
My solution to this dilemma? Creating a real vanilla custard and mixing that into cream cheese and butter to achieve the requisite flavor and consistency of conventional Nanaimo bars. It’s so good and making custard (pastry cream) is easier than you think.
But keep a close eye on it! Mixtures like this can thicken up suddenly and you don’t want it to curdle. Be sure to stay close to your stove and not walk away while it’s cooking. And make this part first, as indicated in the recipe, so it has time to cool before you add it to the filling.
Chocolate toppings like this can crack as you try to cut them into bars. I recommend heating up your knife so that it slices through the chocolate more easily. I do this over the flame of my gas stove but dipping it into a glass of hot water works as well.
Dairy-Free Option: If you can’t tolerate dairy, you can use coconut cream and your favorite butter substitute in the pastry cream. For the crust and topping, coconut oil or another butter substitute will work nicely. Cut back to 6 tablespoons of coconut oil for the crust as it can be more greasy.
Nut-Free Option: Replace the almond flour with sunflower seed flour and use hemp milk or another nut-free milk for the pastry cream.
Sweetener Options
The sweetener you choose for this recipe definitely has an impact on how it turns out. The crust can be made with your favorite powdered sweetener, but the filling is more finicky. I’ve made it with both erythritol and allulose, and while both technically work, allulose can make it extra soft. This means it takes longer to set properly and it can be a little squishy when you try to cut the bars.
So I recommend erythritol for the filling. If you want to cut back on it more, you can use a little concentrated sweetener like stevia or monk fruit extract.
Frequently Asked Questions
This keto nanaimo bar recipe has 6.8g of carbs and 3.3g of fiber per serving. That comes to 3.5g net carbs per bar.
Store the bars in a covered container on the counter for up to 4 days or in the fridge for up to a week. You can also freeze them for up to 3 months.
Keto Nanaimo Bars Recipe
Ingredients
Pastry Cream
- 1/3 cup (78.86 ml) whipping cream
- 3 tbsp (45.65 g) almond or hemp milk
- 2 large egg yolks
- 1/4 cup (47.5 g) powdered sweetener
- Pinch salt
- 1 1/2 tbsp (21.3 g) butter, cut into two pieces
- 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
Crust
- 1/2 cup (113.5 g) butter
- 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1/4 cup (47.5 g) powdered sweetener
- 1 large egg, beaten
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 cup (112 g) almond flour
- 3/4 cup (69.75 g) unsweetened shredded coconut
- 1/2 cup (54.5 g) chopped pecans or walnuts
Vanilla Filling
- 4 ounces (113.4 g) cream cheese, softened
- 1/4 cup (56.75 g) butter, softened
- Pastry cream, (from above)
- 6 tbsp (60.87 g) powdered sweetener
Chocolate Topping:
- 3 ounces (85.05 g) sugar-free dark chocolate, such as Lily’s, chopped
- 2 tbsp (28.4 g) butter
Instructions
Pastry Cream:
- In a medium saucepan over medium heat, bring the whipping cream and almond milk to a simmer. In a medium bowl, whisk the egg yolks with the sweetener and salt until well combined.
- Slowly whisk about half of the hot cream into the yolks to temper, then stir the yolk/cream mixture back into the remaining cream in the saucepan and cook until thick and glossy, about 3 to 4 minutes, whisking continuously.
- Remove from heat and whisk in the butter and vanilla. Let cool to room temperature.
Crust:
- In a medium saucepan over low heat, melt the butter. Stir in the cocoa powder and the sweetener, and then slowly whisk in the egg.
- Cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens. Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla, almond flour, shredded coconut and nuts. Press the crust evenly into a 9×9 or 8×8 square pan and refrigerate until firm.
Filling
- Beat the cream cheese and butter until smooth. Beat in the cooled pastry cream until well combined, then beat in the powdered sweetener. Spread the filling over crust and refrigerate until firm, at least one hour.
Chocolate Topping
- Combine the chopped chocolate and butter in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of barely simmering water. Stir until melted and smooth. Spread over filling and let set.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional Disclaimer
Please note that I am not a medical or nutritional professional. I am simply recounting and sharing my own experiences on this blog. Nothing I express here should be taken as medical advice and you should consult with your doctor before starting any diet or exercise program. I provide nutritional information for my recipes simply as a courtesy to my readers. It is calculated using MacGourmet software and I remove erythritol from the final carb count and net carb count, as it does not affect my own blood glucose levels. I do my best to be as accurate as possible but you should independently calculate nutritional information on your own before relying on them. I expressly disclaim any and all liability of any kind with respect to any act or omission wholly or in part in reliance on anything contained in this website.
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Oh Canada! YES – these are so wonderful.
What is pastry cream?
It’s part of the recipe, please read it in full.
Hello. Can you please confirm…the crust on the low-carb nanaimo bars is uncooked, right? So raw egg?? I just want to make sure I didn’t miss a step somewhere. Thank you
nevermind…I skipped a step 🙂
Oh…okay, you saw it then. 🙂
It’s not BAKED…but it is cooked in a saucepan and so no, the egg is not raw.
These are SO delicious!! One of my absolute favorite low carb desserts I’ve found! Thank you!
Can these be frozen, looked for this in other comments but may have overlooked it?
They may change consistency a little but I can’t see why not.
I think they would be great frozen!
My husband says this is the best Nanaimo bar he ever had, and my daughter agrees. She loves it because it is gluten free and I love it because it is diabetic friendly. My husband just plain loves it.
And I love this review of it!
Awesome….I’ve just started a Keto diet…..and…..I live in Nanaimo!
Sorry, just laughed out loud at the Canadian childhood – I came to look at the recipe because my fondest memories are nanaimo bars and butter tarts!!
2017 I said goodbye to my lovely grandmother (98) and her sister (94) – they were the best cookie bakers I ever knew! Every Christmas! And nanimo bars were always part of the tins! Now I can continue on the tradition. Thanks!
Happy Holidays from a fellow Canuck!
Allie
From a happy Canadian…thanks for this delicious recipe, Carolyn! I had to laugh about the earlier comments about 20 bars being too small…my husband and I prefer them cut into 25 since they are so rich and satisfying 🙂 I have found that they cut beautifully if you score the chocolate top before it fully hardens. Also, a heaping 1/2 cup of Krisda or Lily’s choc chips works for the topping if you don’t have the choc called for in the recipe. One of our staple desserts 🙂
LOOKS AMAZING
But What is Pastry Cream??
And what amount?
Can I use powdered Stevia instead of Swerve?
The pastry cream recipe is right in the recipe. Just follow the instructions. I don’t know how powdered Stevia would fare in this recipe.
I just sent you a separate comment about this since I missed it in the comments the first time! Sorry! Excited to make these for my Canadian family in the US for thanksgiving!
I’m so excited to try this recipe! Thank you so much for this blog.
My daughter has a nut allergy. What would you suggest for a substitute?
Sunflower seed flour
Erythritol. Sorry about that. Auto-correct!
I’m having trouble finding swerve where I live. I have got monks fruit. Could I sub it for swerve, 1:1?
Is it just plain monk fruit or a blend with erythritol? What’s the brand name?
Brand name is Lakanto. Ingredients are earth ritual, monk fruit extract
I am pretty sure Lakanto measure cup for cup like sugar, as does Swerve, so it would be a direct substitution.
*That should start I Love your recipes and make them often.
This sounds delicious but I can’t get over the fact that the nutrition info is for 1/20 of an 8×8 pan. That’s hardly enough to satisfy anyone. 🙁
I disagree, these are very rich. In an 8×8 pan, you usually cut things into 4×4 or 5×5. this is actually 4×5 so it works.
Isn’t that like a 1-1 1/2″ piece? No thanks- I would rather splurge on something s little more filling!
I had to comment…I just made these (probably my 3rd or 4th time). This last time I said to myself, I’m halfing this recipe next time because it’s very decadent and my pieces are just too big 🙂
You really shouldn’t write off the recipe until you’ve given it a try 🙂
Thank you, Jackie!
I totally agree. I actually spread these out in a larger baking dish and cut 42 squares instead of 20. They are ricj, and hugely satisfying!
I have to ask…why comment to criticize? If you want Nanaimo Bars, make them. If you don’t, don’t. It really makes no difference to me.
LOL I am surprised it took this long for you to state the obvious Carolyn 🙂
I wasn’t trying to solely criticize as in my original post I noted how delicious they sound. Your pic shows a 4×4 cut for 16 bars. That, I can do. The 20 pieces is just too little to be considered a dessert for 200+ calories. I livid your recipes and make them often and didn’t mean to come across as nothing but criticism. For someone watching calories and struggling with weight, I doubt making these and eating 1/20th will do much good. 🙁
I am sorry, I understand. But I honestly make my serving sizes so that the desserts are both satisfying and within a certain amount of carbs/calories. I adjust to what the amount I can eat in one sitting (without going overboard). So I cut these 4×4 in the photos and then after I had one, I realized it seemed like too much because they were so rich.
That said…you could make them and allot more of your carbs/cals to them that day if you wanted a very rich and satisfying dessert. I think sometimes it’s all about working it into what feels right for YOU.
I’m really excited to make these for an extended family week at a cottage where we all have to take turns with the days’ meals. My SIL moved to the States and I don’t know if her husband and daughter have ever had Nanaimo bars! I was also wondering about freezing them, but I see it was already asked. Great!
I only have the granular Swerve, but I’m hoping putting it through my spice grinder will make it powdered? There wasn’t any difference in the ingredients.
I’m also wondering why you couldn’t use custard powder. There’s no sugar in it. I had originally planned to make my old recipe and just sub out the sugar for Swerve.
Custard powder is made with corn flour…loaded with carbs! http://amzn.to/2uj7GST
Interesting. My (Canadian) tin says cornstarch, not corn flour. The nutrition stats panel is hard to decipher as it’s one that says “as prepared” and had done values as dry mix and some as prepared. I think there’s 6gr carbs, 0 sugar) per 2 teaspoons. I don’t know how much my old recipe took.
I was mainly looking at the sugar content. I might try adding just a bit too the pastry cream if it doesn’t quite have the flavour. I do like the idea of making all the ingredients myself!
Cornstarch and corn flour are the same thing.
Why mess with perfection? This recipe is great as is…I’ve made it a few times, I try not to make it too much because it’s so good!
Aw, I appreciate that, thanks!