Coconut Clusters Vegan Snack | Gluten-Free
Coconut Clusters Vegan Snack is a gluten-free, ‘copycat’ coconut bites recipe that tastes a lot like the insanely popular InnoFoods brand of coconut clusters that you can find at Costco, Walmart, and on Amazon.
Practically any time I think of coconut, memories of my Mom flood forward. And right after that, there are the memories of my Dad. When he and I would run a grocery errand, he always told me to pick a few of those colorful Neopolitan layered candies for her.
Whenever he and I did a grocery store run, we always found a reason to stop by the Brach’s candy display and fill it with our favorites. His favorite were those yellow disks of butterscotch—hard candy to help him resist the urge to smoke.
My favorite was Brach’s Sundaes Neapolitan Coconut Candy, just like my Mom’s, which I’m positive he knew.
So, when I hear coconut, I pretty much think, love—and love it I do!
For the record, one of my four brothers hates coconut, and so does his oldest daughter, so I get it. Not everyone appreciates coconut.
But as for me, I cannot get enough of the snowy white stuff. And the broad unsweetened flakes that I use in this toasted coconut snack recipe are my favorite!
One of our most popular recipes on VEEG is for mess-free plant-based and oil-free Fakin’ Bacon, which you make out of coconut flakes!
While the pretty layered cube candies my Mom and I adored are no longer in production, there is a replacement. Amazon offers Neapolitan 3 Color Coconut Slice Candy Bars.
But while this candy is likely vegan and gluten-free, I prefer to make homemade, fresh-baked, toasted coconut clusters.
Healthy Vegan & Gluten-Free Store-Bought Snacks with Coconut
As luck would have it, I have found a new and healthier store-bought coconut-laden candy. And it was this terrific find that led me to create this vegan snack recipe for homemade coconut clusters or bites.
Though I was barely even looking—hold off on the judgment, it’s my story.
Anyhow, while shopping, I noticed an organic coconut candy made by InnoFoods at Costco and Walmart. I then later found that this candy is also available on Amazon.
So, for your snacking pleasure when you don’t have even 10-minutes to whip up my vegan and gluten-free coconut clusters recipe, I offer you the following options. This first one is the best deal ever!
6-Satisfying Store-Bought Coconut Snacks
Sweet ‘n Crunchy Coconut Clusters are one of our favorite store-bought snacks because it’s a raw, super-clean, thoughtfully prepared snack. These healthier snacks are one of the items I purchase online through Thrive Market. Thrive Market is one of the sources I use to keep our pantry stocked with the most affordable staples that are organic, plant-based, vegan, and gluten-free.
InnoFoods Coconut Clusters is an organic and grain-free granola type of snack made with coconut, pumpkin, chia, and sunflower seeds. Though they’re sweet and crumbly, these vegan bites are health-minded, non-GMO, and gluten-free. You can find InnoFoods Coconut Clusters on Amazon and competitively priced at places such as Costco, Walmart, and other retailers.
Theo Chocolate Coconut Organic Dark Chocolate Bar is 70% cacao, totally vegan, gluten-free, and fair trade.
Purely Elizabeth Grain-Free Superfood Granola is gluten-free and vegan, paleo and keto certified granola with cashews and coconut flakes. The Purely Elizabeth brand is also available through Thrive Market.
UNREAL Dark Chocolate Coconut Bars are certified vegan and gluten-free and have less sugar than most similar candy types. UNREAL is a brand that is also available through Thrive Market.
Dang Toasted Coconut Chips are vegan, gluten-free, and non-GMO. Dang brand products are also available through Thrive Market.
How to Make Vegan Coconut Cluster Candy
- First, preheat your oven and line a muffin tin or mini muffin pan with parchment paper liners. Alternatively, line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Combine all of the ingredients, except the chocolate chips, in a mixing bowl and stir.
- Then, using a round measuring tablespoon, drop a single packed scoop into each parchment paper-lined slot. Or, if using a sheet pan, drop by the spoonful onto a baking sheet. With either method, be sure to squeeze the ingredients together just a little to help them stay together after they bake.
- Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, stopping midway through to add the mini chocolate chips if using. They’re ready to remove from the oven once the coconut begins to turn golden brown.
- For best results, allow this homemade recipe for coconut bites or clusters to cool for about 30 minutes or so before eating. Enjoy their coconut goodness just as they are, or crumble on top of your favorite yogurt, ice cream, or smoothie bowl! We think you’ll agree, these coconut bites taste even better than the coconut clusters you buy at Costco!
How Long Will Homemade Coconut Clusters Last?
How long these heavenly bites of crunchy coconut and pumpkin seed last, or don’t last, is entirely up to you. This recipe makes enough for about 24 clusters and will keep for at least 3 to 4 days at room temperature. Putting these coconut bites in the fridge may cause them to get a little chewy or soggy rather than crunchy as intended.
10-Vegan and Gluten-Free Recipes Featuring Coconut
In addition to this coconut bites recipe, here are ten of our most loved vegan and gluten-free recipes featuring coconut! We use coconut in everything from candy, treats, and snack foods to full-blown savory southern classics like collard greens, fried cabbage and, an eye-catching 7-Layer Salad. Just click on the title of the recipe you’d like to try for complete instructions.
The Recipes:
Fried Cabbage with Apples and Fakin’ Bacon
Easy Dark Chocolate Avocado Truffles
Vegan Yogurt Bowl with Granola and Toasted Coconut
Thank You for Reading about Coconut Clusters!
Allow me to tell you a little secret about this ‘copycat’ recipe.
Even though this recipe is a copycat recipe of InnoFoods Coconut Clusters, this recipe does not include sunflower seeds.
Like Old Mother Hubbard, I went to my cupboards, and my cupboards were bare! Well, not totally bare, of course, but I had no sunflower seeds, so I skipped them—and the coconut clusters still turned out terrific!
So, the reason for sharing that secret is this: try things—explore. Some of my best kitchen successes have come out of necessity!
Though I rarely do this, with these coconut cluster snacks, I felt I had to sample at least two or three to be sure they were, you know, good enough to share with my family. To me, this recipe tastes even better than the store-bought coconut clusters from Costco.
So yes, these coconut clusters are that good—so, grab yourself some coconut and seeds and stir!
Happy Eating!
Coconut Clusters Vegan Snack | Gluten-Free
- 5Prep:
- 15Cook Time:
- Yield: 24 Servings
A handful of pretty healthy ingredients is all you need to make yourself a batch of easy, sweet tooth-satisfying coconut clusters. Besides being a wonderful candy or snack, these clusters taste delightful crumbled-on top of your favorite plant-based yogurt or smoothie bowl.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups of broad unsweetened coconut flakes
- 3/4 cup of raw pumpkin seeds
- 1/4 cup of chia seeds
- 1/4 cup of pure maple syrup
- 2 tbsp of unrefined coconut sugar
- 1/8 tsp of pink Himalayan sea salt or another salt
- an optional drop of two, up to about 1/8 tsp to 1/4 tsp of pure vanilla extract
- and an optional 2 tbsp of vegan mini chocolate chips
Instructions
- Begin by preheating your oven to 350º F and line a muffin tin with parchment paper cupcake liners or mini muffin pan with mini cupcake liners to help keep the clusters in place. Alternatively, line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a reusable silicone baking mat.
- Combine all of the ingredients, except the chocolate chips, in a mixing bowl and stir until everything is evenly distributed.
- Then, using a round measuring tablespoon, drop a single packed scoop into each parchment paper-lined slot. Or, if using a sheet pan, drop by the spoonful onto a baking sheet. With either method, be sure to squeeze the ingredients together just a little to help them stay together after they bake.
- Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, stopping midway through to add the mini chocolate chips if using. They're ready to remove from the oven once the coconut begins to turn golden brown. For the best results, and your safety, allow them to cool for about 20 minutes or so before eating. Serve the coconut goodness of these clusters just as they are, or crumble on top of your favorite plant-based yogurt, 'nice' cream, or smoothie bowl!
Notes
- Coconut: We use unsweetened coconut flakes, but you could use unsweetened shredded coconut, though your cluster will then look a little different than ours.
- Baking Sheet Method: If liquid spreads out onto the baking sheet while baking your clusters, using a spatula or spoon, carefully push it back toward the baked candy. This sweet hot mess is what holds your coconut clusters together once they have cooled.
- Holding it Together: Lol, it's fun to include a note with this heading. Anyhow, I have experimented with grinding a tablespoon of the allotted chia seeds with a spice grinder like this one to help hold the clusters together a little better.
Nutrition
% DV
- Total Fat 8 g 12 %
- Saturated Fat 5.1 g 2 %
- Cholesterol 0 mg 0 %
- Sodium 13.9 mg 1 %
- Carbohydrates 7.1 g 2 %
- Fiber 2.2 g 9 %
- Sugar 4.6 g ---
- Protein 2.2 g 4 %
- Vitamin A 0 %
- Vitamin C 6 %
- Iron 3 %
- Calcium 1 %
Coconut Clusters Vegan Snack | Gluten-Free
BY VEEG.CO
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups of broad unsweetened coconut flakes
- 3/4 cup of raw pumpkin seeds
- 1/4 cup of chia seeds
- 1/4 cup of pure maple syrup
- 2 tbsp of unrefined coconut sugar
- 1/8 tsp of pink Himalayan sea salt or another salt
- an optional drop of two, up to about 1/8 tsp to 1/4 tsp of pure vanilla extract
- and an optional 2 tbsp of vegan mini chocolate chips
Instructions
- Begin by preheating your oven to 350º F and line a muffin tin with parchment paper cupcake liners or mini muffin pan with mini cupcake liners to help keep the clusters in place. Alternatively, line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a reusable silicone baking mat.
- Combine all of the ingredients, except the chocolate chips, in a mixing bowl and stir until everything is evenly distributed.
- Then, using a round measuring tablespoon, drop a single packed scoop into each parchment paper-lined slot. Or, if using a sheet pan, drop by the spoonful onto a baking sheet. With either method, be sure to squeeze the ingredients together just a little to help them stay together after they bake.
- Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, stopping midway through to add the mini chocolate chips if using. They're ready to remove from the oven once the coconut begins to turn golden brown. For the best results, and your safety, allow them to cool for about 20 minutes or so before eating. Serve the coconut goodness of these clusters just as they are, or crumble on top of your favorite plant-based yogurt, 'nice' cream, or smoothie bowl!
Notes
- Coconut: We use unsweetened coconut flakes, but you could use unsweetened shredded coconut, though your cluster will then look a little different than ours.
- Baking Sheet Method: If liquid spreads out onto the baking sheet while baking your clusters, using a spatula or spoon, carefully push it back toward the baked candy. This sweet hot mess is what holds your coconut clusters together once they have cooled.
- Holding it Together: Lol, it's fun to include a note with this heading. Anyhow, I have experimented with grinding a tablespoon of the allotted chia seeds with a spice grinder like this one to help hold the clusters together a little better.
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