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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These bars sound amazing. Here’s an instant pudding that I found online which is keto if you are interested: https://simplydelish.net/shop/instant-puddings/. I wouldn’t use Royal or Jello brand either.
I love you, thank you so much for making the effort & then sharing with us. I’m from Nanaimo, B.C. …thinking ahead as well. My question is, is either part of the filling freezable? I plan to a) make A LOT from Nov-Jan b)ship it across the country to distant relatives. Everything freezes in these parts, eh. Any advice?
I dont’ think pastry cream freezes very well (tends to change the consistency), so I wouldn’t recommend it. It will freeze fine once full assembled, though.
can this recipe be doubled, particilarily the cream filling?
If you like!
My partner said these were the best Nanaimo Bars she had ever tasted. Thanks for another wonderful recipe.
I started following you about a month ago. I Love your Blog. I like delicious Keto desserts.
Thanks so much!
These are amazing! I have made them several times and even those that are non Keto love them!
My filling didn’t seem to set properly although I cooked it for over the specified time. It never seemed to get thick like custard although it did coat the back of the spoon. I put the finished slice in the fridge overnight to set properly but the filling still came out a bit too runny. Anything else I could do to firm up the filling? I used swerve sweetener.
Not sure you can thicken it up at this point, if you’ve put the chocolate on. Sounds like it really didn’t get cooked long enough. Next time, maybe try adding an extra egg yolk… I wonder if yours were on the small side?
May, 28,2022
I made the Nanaimo Bars for our family get together! Absolutely DELICIOUS! My sister and I grew up in Vancouver B.C. so could hardly wait to try this Keto recipe. It did not disappoint. We loved it! Thank you for every wonderful recipe you share.
Glad you enjoyed them!
These were absolutely delicious!! Yumm! Thank you!
These are so rich and delicious and were easy enough to make. I must say they do taste a lot better once they have chilled in the fridge for several hours. I am Canadian and have missed Nanaimo bars as I have been keto for over 3 yrs. These brought back fond memories. You do have the best recipes and I thank you for all that you do.
Hi Carolyn!
Quick question…I live on a small island in the Caribbean and happen to have all the ingredients (because I bring them down with me). Except the coconut…which is hilarious because there are coconut palm trees all around me…but shredded coconut is hard to find.
My good friend here is Canadian and her birthday is coming up next week. Anything I can substitute for the coconut in the crust?
Thanks so much…I’m obsessed with your recipes!!!
Cara
Just use some almond flour! Hey… can I come visit? 😉
Hi Carolyn would I add the same amount of extra almond flour as the coconut amount if I wanted to substitute? Thank you.
You mean in the crust? It’s finer so I might do a bit less.
I live in the North East of Scotland so some of your names for products are different to we Scottish. Can you please explain what pastry cream is in this recipe for Nanaimo bars. Many thanks.
Pastry cream is a kind of custard. You make it first, then fold it into the filling. It’s all listed out in the recipe.
I made these today! Multiple inspirations, a big one was I was making a meal for a friend who has had surgery. They came out like th picture but I need to work on my tempering technique.
Amazing! Better than the originals!
Thank you!
My mistake… Sorry just found I used granular sugar in the pastry cream and filling instead of powdered sugar. Sorry.
Will try this again another time as it sure tasted like a Nanaimo bar.
I followed the recipe exactly and the filling set in the fridge for 3 hours. When I pulled it out for dinner it all turned to liquid. We ate it like a sundae in a bowl with a spoon, the taste was perfect, just a runny filling. Any ideas what went wrong? I didn’t make any substitutions and attempted to cut it as soon as it came out of the fridge.
Hmmmm, that is very odd. I haven’t had anyone else say that… you didn’t use a different sweetener?