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Zen Bars Recipe

Zen Bars
Difficulty: Easy | Total Time: 40 mins | Active Time: | Makes: 24 bars

The traditional seven-layer cookie bar gets an Asian twist in this version with graham cracker, chocolate, almonds, candied ginger, coconut, and sesame seeds. A few bites will take you one step closer to Nirvana.

This recipe was featured as part of our Good Food for Kids.

INGREDIENTS
  • 12 tablespoons unsalted butter (1 1/2 sticks), melted
  • 3 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
  • 3/4 cup whole almonds
  • 1/3 cup finely chopped candied ginger
  • 1 1/3 cups unsweetened flaked coconut
  • 6 ounces semisweet chocolate chips
  • 1/4 cup white sesame seeds
  • 1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
INSTRUCTIONS
  1. Heat the oven to 350°F and arrange a rack in middle. Coat a 13-by-9-inch baking dish with butter and line it with parchment paper; set aside.
  2. Combine butter and graham cracker crumbs in a medium bowl and mix until moist throughout. Sprinkle over the bottom of the baking dish and press down lightly to form an even layer; set aside.
  3. Combine almonds and candied ginger in the bowl of a food processor and pulse until pieces are pea-sized, about 20 times. Add coconut and pulse a few more times until coconut is oat-sized.
  4. Evenly sprinkle chocolate chips over the graham cracker crust, followed by the ginger-coconut mixture. Top with sesame seeds, then drizzle the sweetened condensed milk evenly over everything. Bake until the bars are golden brown around the edges and springy to the touch, about 25 to 30 minutes. Let cool completely before slicing.
    Write a review | 14 Reviews
  • Zen Bars Recipe
    5

    I'm sorry to see so many bad reviews, my family loves these bars. From my husband to my 3 year-old son. I've them to other family and friends and with exception to a person who doesn't like ginger, never heard a bad thing about these bars. I've had the crumbly prob too, but still delicious. I think they set better when I process the graham crackers thru the food processor until like sand.

  • I'm so sorry but must agree with most other reviewers here. Shite bars! Crumbly, dry and unforgiving....

  • Can anyone suggest substitions for the coconut? Thanks.

  • Maybe coconut milk/cream instead of condensed milk for the vegan version ?

  • Can I substitute anything for the condensed milk to create a vegan version?

  • Menitoning an "Asian twist", "Zen", and "Nirvana" all in the same article is (1) lumping about 50% of the world together in one mediocre cooking and (2) kinda racist.

  • Not a big hit for us. They fell apart when I cut them and only about half were salvageable. The crust was especially dry, and although I liked the ginger, the overall taste just wasn't what I'd hoped. We thought they were average at best.

  • if you pour the condensed milk on the graham crust before layering everything else on, and press down on the layers before baking, it should do what its supposed to.

  • You may need to give them a second chance (as I just did). They're pretty good !

  • Now, if you enjoy munching on soap, you might love these. Otherwise...

  • Made them for a company party last weekend AND shared them with neighbors. Everyone loved them. They're not as sweet as 7 layer bars and have the added ginger dimension. The graham cracker bottom is a little more crumbly than I'd like, but not terribly so. Maybe lower crumb:butter ratio next time. They're definitely worth adding to my baked goods repertoire.

  • shaebones, try underbaking them a bit. They should be pretty miost from all the coconut and cond. milk....

  • Made them this weekend. Dry and very crumbly. Will use them to sprinkle over ice cream b/c they fall apart . Tastes good but don't think I'll make them again.

  • These sound good... I think I'll try em out some time :) Thanks for the recipe!

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