Chocolate Orange Nanaimo Bars

Chocolate Orange Nanaimo Bars. A new recipe with a twist on the classic Canadian treat, the Nanaimo bar. Here the sweet centre gets infused with tangy orange flavour.

Chocolate Orange Nanaimo Bars

2020 update – following the success of my attempts to improve on traditional Nanaimo Bars, I decided to apply the same approach to this favourite recipe. The new recipe includes a thicker base and incorporates some custard powder into the orange filling.

All of my cookie testers loved that addition. I think it gives an almost orange sherbet-like flavour to the rich filling centre.

For those of you who want to stick to the original recipe which has been so popular here, simply use the ingredient list in the Notes section of the recipe.

Originally published November 24, 2011.

Chocolate Orange Nanaimo Bars

Chocolate Orange Nanaimo Bars, a delectable new version!

Okay, so maybe I’m a sucker for anything chocolate orange but I don’t know how I didn’t think of this idea before… shocked actually!

I’m thinking it’s because I don’t make Nanaimo Bars very often. I don’t make them very often because they are one treat I cannot resist.

Dark Chocolate Chips. I prefer 50% cocoa chips when melting chocolate.

With many of the treats I make, I am content to sample one or two and pass the rest on to family and friends but Nanaimo bars would never make it out of the house. They are the best thing to ever come out of that beautiful British Columbia town.

I’ve sampled many different versions of this classic Canadian favourite sweet, including mint, mocha, Irish cream, even peanut butter but I have never seen a chocolate orange version.

Chocolate Orange Nanaimo Bars

When Spouse and I were talking about which cookie recipes we could add to our growing on-line collection, she mentioned that I hadn’t included Nanaimo bars. As always, my mind goes to, “How can I put a little twist on that?”

Chocolate Orange Nanaimo Bars

Almost immediately the chocolate orange idea came straight to mind.With just a little orange juice concentrate and the finely minced zest of a single orange, these amazing no-bake bars are transformed into something new and spectacular.

You MUST try these… and no, none of these left the house. We all fought over the last crumbs.

Try this recipe with seasonal citrus like tangerines or Clementines for the Holidays.

Love Nanaimo Bars?

Be sure to check out all the other flavours in our Nanaimo Bars Collection!

The Nanaimo Bar Recipe Collection

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Chocolate Orange Nanaimo Bars

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Yield: 24 bars

Chocolate Orange Nanaimo Bars

Prep Time: 25 minutes

Cook Time: 5 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

Chocolate Orange Nanaimo Bars - a new recipe with a twist on the classic Canadian treat, the Nanaimo bar. Here the sweet center gets infused with tangy orange flavor.

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Ingredients

For the Base Layer

• 3/4 cup butter
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 8 tbsp cocoa
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 2 1/4 cups graham cracker crumbs
• 3/4 cup unsweetened coconut, fine or medium
• 1/2 cup walnuts, finely chopped

For the the Orange Frosting Filling

• 3/4 cup butter
• 3 tbsp frozen orange juice concentrate
• zest of one small orange, finely minced
• 3 cups icing sugar, i.e., powdered sugar or confectioners sugar
• 1/4 cup custard powder
• 1 tbsp milk, or enough to get it to a very thick but spreadable consistency

For the Chocolate Topping

• 1 cup chocolate chips
• 2 tbsp butter

Instructions

To Prepare the Base Layer

1. In a small saucepan, melt together the butter, sugar and cocoa over low heat.
2. Add the beaten egg and continue to cook, stirring constantly to fully cook the egg with the mixture resembling a soft scrambled egg texture.
3. Add the graham crumbs, coconut and walnuts.
4. Mix together until well combined then, press into the bottom of a parchment paper lined 9×9 inch baking pan.

To Prepare the Orange Frosting Filling

1. With an electric mixer, beat together the butter, orange juice concentrate, zest, icing sugar custard powder and milk until smooth.
2. This frosting should be very stiff but spreadable. If you think it’s too thick, you may add a few drops of milk at a time to bring it to the right consistency. If it is too soft, add a little more icing sugar.
3. Spread evenly over the bottom layer. Chill in the fridge for a couple of hours before adding the chocolate topping.

TO Prepare the Chocolate Topping

1. Melt together over low heat, just until the chocolate is melted, don’t over heat it.
2. Spread quickly over the chilled frosted layer. Return to the fridge until the chocolate sets.
3. Cut into squares or bars. These freeze very well.

Notes

Here is the ingredient list for the base and filling of the original version of this recipe as written in 2011.

For the Base Layer

1/2 cup butter

1/4 cup sugar

5 tbsp cocoa

one beaten egg

1 3/4 cups graham cracker crumbs

3/4 cup fine or medium unsweetened coconut

1/2 cup finely chopped walnuts

For the the Orange Frosting Filling

1/2 cup butter

2 cups icing sugar i.e., powdered sugar or confectioners sugar

Zest of one orange finely minced

2 tablespoons frozen Orange juice concentrate

Recommended Products

Rock Recipes a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. Our product recommendations are almost exclusively for those we currently use or have used in the past.

• 
  KitchenAid Professional 6 Quart Bowl Lift Stand Mixer with Food Grinder Attachment, Empire Red
• 
  Rock Recipes: The Best Food From My Newfoundland Kitchen

Nutrition Information

Yield

24

Serving Size

g
Amount Per Serving Calories 332Total Fat 19gSaturated Fat 11gTrans Fat 1gUnsaturated Fat 7gCholesterol 50mgSodium 146mgCarbohydrates 40gFiber 2gSugar 33gProtein 3g

The nutritional information provided is automatically calculated by third party software and is meant as a guideline only. Exact accuracy is not guaranteed. For recipes where all ingredients may not be used entirely, such as those with coatings on meats, or with sauces or dressings for example, calorie & nutritional values per serving will likely be somewhat lower than indicated.

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