Healthy honey joys made with coconut, seeds, and honey—nut-free, gluten-free, and perfect as healthy snacks or lunchbox treats for kids and adults.
Jump to: ℹ️ Overview | 🛒 Ingredients | 📷 How To Make | 👩🍳 Recipe Tips | Serving Suggestions | 📝 Full Recipe Card | 🍽 More Healthy Snacks
These healthy honey joys are inspired by the classic Aussie party treat (think Rice Krispies treats in the US) —but with a nutritious twist. Made with unsweetened coconut flakes, pumpkin seeds, banana chips, and a touch of honey, they’re nut-free, gluten-free, and naturally sweetened.
They’ve got that irresistible crunch factor with a soft honey coating that sets into a golden, toasty bite. I’ve made them a few times —usually for lunchboxes, snack stash, or when I just need something a little sweet but still wholesome. Each little “joy” is full of healthy fats and fiber, with no refined sugar or grains. Honestly, they taste like a treat, but feel like a healthy snack win.
👩🍳 Looking for more healthy snacks? You might also like these homemade sesame snaps, my collection of protein muffins (sweet and savory), or these healthy kids muffins. Check out my savory crispy rice squares and oatmeal peanut butter balls, or these healthy bliss balls.
What You’ll Need
Here is what you’ll need for this honey joys recipe. Find the full measurements in the recipe card below.
Crunchy Base
- Coconut flakes – light, crisp, and full of flavor.
- Banana chips – for crunch and natural sweetness. Skip banana chips if you prefer lower sugar or want to avoid processed options.
- Pumpkin seeds – add texture, fiber, and healthy fats. Swap seeds (like sunflower) or add a sprinkle of cinnamon for variation.
Sweet Binder
- Honey – sticky, sweet, and naturally refined sugar-free. Use maple syrup for a vegan version (though it may not set quite the same).
- Coconut oil – helps the mixture set and adds richness.
Flavor Boost
- Vanilla extract – warm, sweet aroma that makes it feel like a treat.
How To Make Healthy Honey Joys
Find the full recipe and nutritional information below. Here are some handy step-by-step photos for healthy honey joys.
- Preheat oven to 160°C / 320°F (conventional).
- Roughly break banana chips into smaller chunks.
- Mix banana chips, coconut flakes, and pumpkin seeds in a large bowl.
- Gently melt honey, coconut oil, and vanilla in a saucepan.
- Pour over dry ingredients and stir until well coated.
- Spoon into muffin cases (about 2–2.5 tablespoons each).
- Bake for 8–10 minutes until lightly golden.
- Cool completely before eating so they set properly.
Recipe Tips
- Storage: Store in an airtight container at room temp for 4–5 days. Fridge in hot weather to keep them crisp.
- Make-ahead: You can prep the dry mix and honey mixture separately a day ahead and combine before baking.
- Vegan option: Use maple or rice malt syrup instead of honey, but keep in mind the texture might be slightly softer.
- Crunchy factor: For extra crunch, toast the pumpkin seeds before mixing in.
- Serving size tip: You can use mini muffin liners to make smaller snack bites for little kids or a snack platter.
Serving Suggestions
These healthy honey joys are fab as a mid-morning pick-me-up, a lunchbox snack (for kids and grown-ups), or a post-dinner sweet treat. I’ve even served them at parties next to fruit platters, and they disappear fast!
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Ingredients
- ½ cup banana chips, broken into small pieces approx. 1.8 oz / 50 grams
- 1⅓ cups unsweetened coconut flakes approx. 5.3 oz / 150 grams
- ¼ cup pumpkin seeds approx. 1.2 oz / 35 grams
- 1 heaped tablespoon coconut oil, solid state approx. 0.7 oz / 20 grams
- 5 tablespoons honey approx. 3 oz / 85 grams
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 5 ml
- Muffin/cupcake cases for shaping
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 160°C (320°F).
- Add banana chips, coconut flakes, and pumpkin seeds to a large mixing bowl.
- In a small saucepan, melt together the coconut oil, honey, and vanilla until fully combined.
- Pour the honey mixture over the dry ingredients. Stir well to coat everything evenly.
- Spoon about 2 to 2.5 tablespoons into each muffin case. Press gently to shape.
- Bake on the middle shelf for 8–10 minutes, until just golden on top.
- Cool completely in the muffin cases—this is key for them to set and hold together.
Notes
- Are these good for lunchboxes? Yes! They’re nut-free and hold together well, so they’re safe for school and perfect as lunchbox snacks.
- Can I skip banana chips? Yes—just add more coconut flakes and/or pumpkin seeds to balance it out.
- Can I make them vegan? You can use maple syrup or rice malt syrup instead of honey, though they might be a little softer and less “set.”
- Do they freeze well? Not really. Freezing can affect their texture. Best eaten fresh or stored in a cool pantry or fridge.
- Can I use desiccated coconut instead? Flaked coconut is ideal for the crunch factor, but desiccated will work—just slightly less texture.
- Storage: Store in an airtight container at room temp for 4–5 days. Fridge in hot weather to keep them crisp.
- Make-ahead: You can prep the dry mix and honey mixture separately a day ahead and combine before baking.
- Crunchy factor: For extra crunch, toast the pumpkin seeds before mixing in.
- Serving size tip: You can use mini muffin liners to make smaller snack bites for little kids or a snack platter.
Do these really need to be baked? When we made them as a kid( same as with rice bubbles) we just set them in the fridge. Banana chips in nz are very sweet. Is that just from the banana natural sugars?
Most of the unsweetened banana chips are still quite sweet naturally. Some do have added sugar or honey, so check the label.
Oh, and baking wise, I like to bake them to get the coconut chips nice and toasted as it adds more flavour.
These clusters of goodness look amazing! Wish I weren’t allergic to coconut 🙁
You had at me honey and coconut om nom nom… I would never have thought of adding in banana chips – I bet they’re sooo good!
We call them crispy cakes in the UK but I remember making these well! So great to recreate a childhood favourite and these are great to make with children.
will this work with shredded coconut instead of the flakes?
Yes, it might be slightly different texture, probably closer to coconut macaroons.
These look so amazing and delicious. I want to go make them right now.
What lovely and tasty treats to have for anytime.
These look so good…. and so easy! Can’t wait to try them!
This nut free recipe looks so good and totally delicious ! Thanks for sharing !
I have never heard of honey joys! These sound delicious.
These tropical treats sound very yummy! Love the use of banana chips in them 🙂
I’d completely forgotten about the cornflake cookies my mom made sometimes, at Christmas she’d put in red and green candies. I love how you’ve made it completely healthy, but they still look amazing!
I have never heard of a honey joy, but these look like such a delicious and easy treat! I love how the honey caramelizes!
What a treat! I had to share these on my FB page. Just perfect!
These look like a great little snack! I’ve never had anything like it and now I can’t wait to make these! Such a great idea! I think my youngest will love them too.
These are so going into my kids’ lunch boxes this week. And mine too, no shame in saying that 🙂
Pure genius! Irena, you are amazing, well done on a brilliant recipe! xxD
Never had honey joys before, but these look so good! Can’t wait to give them a try!
They look delicious! So creative!
These are super fun! I am in a school morning snack rut for packing and these would be perfect! Thank you for the great idea! My girls will love it!
Agreed, these are great for kids 🙂