Description
Coconut bars bring pure tropical sweetness right to your kitchen with just a few simple ingredients. Creamy, nutty, and perfectly sweet, these bars will make your dessert dreams come true in minutes.
Ingredients
Scale
Base Ingredients:
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Binding Ingredients:
- 2 large eggs
- ½ cup unsalted butter, melted
- 1 cup sweetened condensed milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Flavor and Texture Ingredients:
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup unsweetened shredded coconut
- ¼ cup additional shredded coconut for topping
- ½ cup chopped nuts (pecans or almonds)
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F and position the rack in the center position. This ensures even baking for your coconut bars.
- Grease an 8×8 inch baking pan with butter or line it completely with parchment paper, allowing slight overhang for easy removal.
- Mix 1 cup flour, ½ cup shredded coconut, ½ cup sugar, ¼ teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon baking powder in a medium mixing bowl until thoroughly combined.
- Whisk ½ cup melted butter, 2 large eggs, and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract in a separate large bowl until smooth and fully incorporated.
- Gently fold the dry ingredients into the wet mixture, stirring until just combined. If using nuts, fold in ½ cup chopped pecans or almonds at this stage.
- Combine 1 cup sweetened condensed milk with ½ cup additional shredded coconut in a small bowl, mixing until well blended.
- Transfer half the batter to the prepared pan, spreading it evenly across the bottom with a spatula.
- Pour the coconut-condensed milk mixture directly over the first batter layer, creating a smooth, even coating.
- Carefully spread the remaining batter on top of the coconut layer, using gentle motions to prevent mixing.
- Sprinkle ¼ cup extra shredded coconut across the top surface of the bars.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes, watching for golden brown edges and a clean toothpick test from the center.
- Remove from oven and allow bars to cool in the pan for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack.
- Once completely cooled, slice into 9-12 squares using a sharp knife.
- Store bars in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days or freeze for longer preservation.
Notes
- Use room temperature eggs for better batter consistency and smoother mixing.
- Lightly toast the shredded coconut before adding to the recipe for enhanced nutty flavor and depth.
- Make sure to fold the dry ingredients gently to prevent overmixing, which can make the bars tough and dense.
- For a gluten-free version, replace wheat flour with almond flour or a gluten-free baking blend to keep the same delicate texture.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 25-30 minutes
- Category: Dessert Bars
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 9
- Calories: 255 kcal
- Sugar: 20 g
- Sodium: 70 mg
- Fat: 16 g
- Saturated Fat: 10 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 5 g
- Trans Fat: 0.2 g
- Carbohydrates: 26 g
- Fiber: 1.5 g
- Protein: 4 g
- Cholesterol: 55 mg