Coconut Bars

These rich and indulgent Coconut Bars feature a buttery shortbread crust topped with a luscious coconut filling. Perfectly portable, they’re a crowd-pleasing treat for potlucks, holidays, tailgating and bake sales.

What You’ll Love About These Coconut Bars

• Rich Coconut Flavor – If you’re a fan of coconut, these bars are a dream. They’re packed with shredded coconut flakes that bring out a naturally sweet, tropical taste.
• Rich and Sweet – These coconut bars combine a moist and slightly chewy interior with a toasted golden top and a buttery crust at the base for an added layer of texture.
• Simple Ingredients – You’ll need just a handful of pantry staples like sweetened condensed milk, eggs, sugar, butter, flour, and of course, coconut.
• Quick to Make – These bars come together in under an hour, making them perfect for last-minute gatherings, bake sales, or weeknight cravings.

Ingredients to Make Coconut Bars Recipe

Ingredients you’ll need to make Toasted Coconut Bars: (Scroll down for full printable recipe card.)

• Crust – All purpose flour, light brown sugar and melted butter forms the base of the crust.
• Liquid -Sweetened condensed milk adds sweetness and forms the base of the filling.
• Coconut – Sweetened flaked coconut is the star flavor.
• Flour – All purpose flour stabilizes the coconut filling.
• Sugar – Light brown sugar for sweetness.
• Whole Eggs – Large eggs for richness.
• Flavoring – Vanilla extract adds creamy floral notes. You can also use coconut extract for added flavor.
• Salt – Salt is important in baked goods to balance the sweetness.

How to Make the BEST Coconut Bars Recipe

• Heat Oven and Prepare the Pan – Preheat oven and line a 13×9-inch baking pan with parchment paper leaving a 2-inch overhang. This will make it easier to remove the bars from the pan for slicing.
• Make the Crust – Use a whisk to sift together the flour, brown sugar and salt. Once combined, add the melted butter stirring until fully moistened. Mix just until no flour streaks remain.
• Press into Pan – Spread the crust mixture onto the bottom of the prepared pan.
• Oven – Bake per the recipe until light brown and set, then let cool slightly while you make the filling.
• Make the Coconut Filling – Whisk together the sweetened condensed milk, flour, brown sugar, eggs, vanilla extract, coconut extract and salt until blended. Add coconut, stir to combine.
• Pour Coconut Mixture Over Crust – Sprinkle with remaining shredded coconut. (It’s fine to add more than 1 cup to the top!)
• Oven – Bake per the recipe until the top is light golden brown and the filling is set when the pan is gently shaken.
• Wire Rack – Cool chewy coconut bars completely in the pan on a wire rack. Remove from the pan using the parchment paper overhang and slice into bars.

Kitchen Equipment You’ll need to make Coconut Bars

• 13×9-inch cake pan lined with parchment paper. You could also use a baking dish.
• Measuring cups and measuring spoons for accurate measuring of the ingredients.
• Large mixing bowl and small bowl for melting the butter.
• Whisk for sifting the ingredients.
• Large rubber spatula or spoon for stirring everything together.
• Wire rack for cooling the bars.

Recipe Variations and Substitutions

• Nuts: You could add 1/2 cup of chopped pecans or walnuts to the crust.
• Graham Crackers: You could use crushed cookie crumbs or graham cracker crumbs in place of flour for the crust.
• Coconut: You could adapt this recipe using unsweetened coconut. Taste the filling and adjust the sweetness to your taste.
• Sweetened Condensed Milk: If you can find coconut sweetened condensed milk, you can use it and omit the coconut extract.

Storage and Leftovers

• Storage: You can store these Coconut Bars in an airtight container chilled in the refrigerator for up to one week.
• Serving: Enjoy these cookie bars with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or whipped cream or just as is, with a tall glass of milk.
• Freezer: You can bake, cool and freeze these bars for up to 2 months. Thaw in the fridge and enjoy!

More Cookies and Cookie Bar Recipes to Make

• Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars are a nostalgic childhood sweet treat filled with chocolate chips.
• Rich and chewy Butterfinger Cookie Bars.
• Candy Bar Pretzel Cookies have that sweet and salty flavor profile we all love.
• Loaded Turtle Cookie Bars are a fan favorite.
• Homemade Almond Joy Cookies are the bedtime snack of champions!
• Ooey gooey Carmelitas!
• Treat the family to these White Chocolate Chip Cookies for dessert.
• No campfire required to make these S’mores Bars.
• Lemon Sugar Cookie Bars from the Salty Marshmallow.

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Helpful Kitchen Items:

• 13×9-inch Pan
• Cooling Racks
• Measuring Set
• Slice and Serve Spatula