Homemade Mounds or Bounty Chocolate bars are always a crowd pleaser over the holidays. They also make perfect gifts when wrapped up in small boxes or baggies and adorned in some ribbon or bows!
Originally published December 4, 2012.
It’s hard to believe it’s Christmastime again.
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I don’t know about you, but I think I have a touch of denial, in addition to a spot of procrastination, incorporated with a little bit of lack-of-preparation, and this is not a good combination. However, here’s a tip: most people hate useless gifts. I love to give edible treats during the holidays, especially when they are easy to make ahead of time and keep on hand. I do this every year, and you can too!
The discovery
A few years ago, I was visiting my Uncle Fred and Aunt Virginia in Scotland and as usual, my aunt was in the kitchen (just so you know, most of my relatives are usually in the kitchen). She pulled out a jar of homemade dark chocolate creations and offered one to me. Although she had to twist my arm and really convince me to try one–ahem–I finally relented. Reluctantly (insert sarcastic face here), I took three from the jar.
I asked Aunt Virginia what they were and all she said was “chocolate drops.” Translated, that meant homemade “Bounty” bars (or homemade “Mounds”*, for those of us in the US). Coconut doesn’t seem to have too many “take-it-or-leave-it” fans.
People tend to love it or hate it–I happen to love it–so of course, I had to have the recipe. (There’s also an added benefit to making these instead of buying them; see the very bottom of the post.)
Scottish Snowballs
Aunt Virginia
I called my Aunt Virginia this morning to ask her permission to add her photo and recipe to my site. At first she didn’t want her picture posted, but I promised her I’d add a good one.
Unfortunately, I don’t have any recent photos of her, as I haven’t seen her lovely face (in person) in over 7 years, but I do have a gorgeous old photo of her sewing in Italy.
Like my mother and the rest of her sisters, my Aunt Virginia is nothing short of a phenomenal cook. I would put her up against any celebrity chef and wouldn’t have any doubts as to her ability to turn out something so incredibly delicious, it would put the opposing chef to shame.
This candy recipe not indicative of the extraordinary dishes that come out of her kitchen, but the homemade Mounds are delicious, and very simple to make. If you want to surprise your friends and family this year, make a batch and just see what happens! I bet there will be no complaints among coconut lovers.
Note: many copycat homemade Mounds recipes use sweetened condensed milk which I think makes these cloyingly sweet. I feel this recipe is the easiest to make and the best tasting. Let me know what you think in the comments below.
Here is another of Aunt Virginia’s recipes; another very simple one.
Pineapple and Cream Digestive Delights!
Homemade Mounds or Bounty –
Chocolate Covered Coconut Candy
makes over 2 dozen chocolate logs or 4 dozen balls
Ingredients
- 4 oz (one stick) salted butter, softened (use a pale butter if you want white results for the filling)
- 6 oz (2 1/4 cups) confectioner’s/powdered sugar
- 8 oz (2 3/4 cups) UNSWEETENED shredded/dessicated coconut (propylene glycol free)
- 1/2 tsp vanilla
- 12 oz good quality dark chocolate
Cream the butter and sugar with a wooden spoon.
Next, add the coconut and vanilla, and mix until well incorporated.
Next, form into small logs or balls, and place on a wax paper lined tray.
Refrigerate for 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, melt chocolate in a bowl in the microwave at the defrost setting, or over double boiler.
When melted, using a fork or dipping tool, begin to dip each coconut shape into the chocolate.
Once completely coated, place back onto the wax paper lined tray, and if desired, sprinkle the top with a little coconut. Repeat with the rest of the candies and store in an airtight tin.
As you can see, homemade Mounds or Bounty bars make perfect little gifts!
Keep the homemade Mounds refrigerated, but remove at least one hour prior to serving. They are fine at room temperature for a few days, as long as it’s not too warm. Oh, and don’t miss another Scottish coconut recipe for the holidays: SCOTTISH SNOWBALLS!
Do you want to eat these ingredients?
*If you’re concerned about what you are eating, check out the ingredients in Mounds; I can guarantee you are better off making your own at home!
CORN SYRUP; SEMI-SWEET CHOCOLATE ( CHOCOLATE; SUGAR; COCOA; MILK FAT; COCOA BUTTER; SOY LECITHIN; PGPR, EMULSIFIER) ; COCONUT; SUGAR; SALT; NATURAL & ARTIFICIAL FLAVOR; HYDROLYZED MILK PROTEIN; SODIUM METABISULFITE, TO MAINTAIN FRESHNESS; SULFUR DIOXIDE, TO MAINTAIN FRESHNESS; CARAMEL COLOR; MILK
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Homemade “Mounds" or “Bounty" Chocolates
Homemade coconut bars covered in chocolate. Copycat Mounds and Dark Chocolate Bounty bars.
Ingredients
- 4 oz (one stick) salted butter, softened
- 6 oz (2 1/4 cups) confectioner’s sugar
- 8 oz (2 3/4 cups) shredded/dessicated coconut (try to get a propylene glycol free brand)
- 1/2 tsp vanilla
- 8 oz good quality dark chocolate
Instructions
- Cream the butter and sugar, then add the coconut and vanilla, and mix until well incorporated.
- Form into small logs or balls, and place on a wax paper lined tray. Refrigerate for 20 minutes.
- Meanwhile, melt chocolate in the microwave at the defrost setting, or over double boiler. When melted, using a fork or dipping tool, begin to dip each coconut shape into the chocolate.
- Once completely coated, place back onto the wax paper lined tray, and if desired, sprinkle the top with a little coconut. Repeat with the rest of the candies.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 24 Serving Size: 1 pieceAmount Per Serving:Calories: 205Total Fat: 9gCarbohydrates: 20gProtein: 1g
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These were delicious! I rolled them into balls so they would be bite-sized, quick & easy. I think they’d make a nice hostess gift *any* time of year.
That’s great, Kathy! Thank you!
These homemade candies are so good! A really simple and popular sweet treat!
So glad you enjoyed them!
[…] Homemade Mounds or Bounty Chocolate Bars […]
I’m a fan of both Mounds/Bounty and Almond Joy … delicious looking home made candy bars.
They’re really so good!
I’m glad you reposted this. Mark and I love coconut, although so many people hate it – more for us, I say. Do you find it hard to find unsweetened coconut? That is one of the hardest things to source here, although I have not yet tried Whole Foods. Looks like a great giveaway – I won’t be entering because my Instagram is private. (I get way too many weird followers…)
Trader Joe’s has unsweetened shredded coconut! Or the link in my post to Amazon :) Enjoy, David!
[…] Homemade Mounds by Christina’s Cucina Holiday Candies by Homemade Food Junkie Festive Almond and Honey Nougat by Sweetness and Bite Cinnamon Rock Candy by Serena Bakes […]
Wow! You are so right, Christina – far better off making your own at home and you know what goes into it: great ingredients!
Great recipe and super idea for giving as Christmas gifts.
Oooh, I missed this! Sorry, Jill, but yes, so right!
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[…] share them with you! Don’t forget, this is the same Aunt Virginia that gave me the recipe for Homemade Bounty & Mounds Bars. Let me know what you think about either of these great recipes and I’ll pass it on to Aunt […]
[…] I mentioned in a previous post when I made Homemade Mounds (Bounty) Bars, I’ve found that most people either adore coconut, or abhor […]
[…] If you love chocolate and coconut, you will probably also love this recipe from my Aunt Virginia in Scotland! Homemade Bounty/Mounds bars! […]
We made these for the holidays.
They never made it even close to Christmas. Do not judge.
We then made them for gifts and the general response was ‘OMG’.
These have now become part of our short list and are often made when someone says ‘You know what you haven’t made lately…’
I won’t judge you, Ken, because I know how hard self-restraint is with coconut and dark chocolate! :) They are PERFECT for gifts and no one realizes how easy they are to make! Thanks for the lovely review!
I made these just before the holidays and they were amazing!
Fantastic, Rachel!! So glad you liked them and thanks so much for coming back to leave a review! :)
*loving
Made these today for my coconut-living husband. While my logs weren’t as perfectly shaped as yours, they were a hit nonetheless! And the Green & Black dark chocolate–yum!! Love your blog. Merry Christmas to you and your family, Christina.
Wonderful, Robin! You can make them any shape you like, even press them into molds, but as you said, they’re always a hit! Thanks so much and Merry Christmas to you and your family, too!
This is my all time favorite treat besides Licorice. I am not Italian but I was born in Scotland and grew up in Florida and now live in England :-) Can’t wait to try out your recipe and thank you . Love Beverley xoxo
You’re about as mixed up as me, Beverley! Makes us more cosmopolitan, though, right? So glad you found my aunt’s recipe here, enjoy and check back often! CC ;)
You should hear my accent , a day doesn’t go by when someone asks me where I’m from! I get all sorts but yes it does make us more cosmopolitan xoxo
Ha ha! Like my mum, her accent is Italian-Scottish-American!! Dad is still total Glaswegian. ;)
Hi there, these look amazing and so thank you for posting. Please could you tell me what you do with the butter (or am I dumb, and have totally missed in the narrative?!), also, in the UK, do we use desicated coconut as I’m not sure where we can buy shredded coconut? Many thanks, Julie
Hi Julie!
No, it was me omitting the butter in the directions! Oops! Thank you for catching that; I fixed it in the recipe, but it is mixed in with the coconut and vanilla in the first step. Yes, dessicated coconut is what my aunt in Scotland uses, so that works fine. Thanks again, and come back to let me know how you like them! Happy cooking!
CC :)
Christina, now I am glad that I stopped by…I was searching for homemade bounty bars for a long time…my son loves these bars so much….I plan to make this soon..so I have a doubt….can I use fresh coconut (I live in Kerala, the land of coconuts, so fresh ones are available and dried packeted ones are rare) ….your aunt is so pretty and love this post….thank you!!
Yeah! So happy you found this, too! However, I am sorry to say that I have absolutely no idea how fresh coconut would work! I know it would taste amazing, but maybe the moisture in the coconut would change the texture and I don’t know about the chocolate sticking? I’m sorry I can’t answer this, but if you do try it, please come back and let me know what you discovered. Now I’m really curious myself! Thanks, Nisa! CC
YESSSSS!!! Gluten-free, and I loved Mounds and Almond Joy growing up! Girlfriend, you had me at propylene glycol-free! :) P.S. Your aunt looks like the lovely Laura Dern!
Then you’ll love these, they taste just like Mounds! Stick an almond on top and milk chocolate and you’ll have your propylene-glycol free Almond Joy! I’ve tagged all my GF recipes so you should have them all come up if you just search “gluten free.” I just love this pic of my aunt! CC
Yeah the only thing i notice it’s Christmas, then Easter and then Christmas again :D
Oh.. Bounty bars are one of my favorite :D
Oh, don’t remind me! I know…we’ll blink and it will be Easter! Let me know if you try these; they taste just like Bounty! Mmmm…CC
What a lovely post. The recipe looks fabulous and I LOVE the story behind the recipe!
That’s so sweet of you to say, Kelli! Thank you! CC