Easy Coconut Bars
These coconut cream bars are an irresistible mashup between coconut cake and coconut cookies. And I do mean irresistible, once I make them it’s essential I make myself a small ration then pack them up and get them out the door, otherwise I finish them off all by myself.
They’re soft and chewy, and they are topped with a new and improved coconut frosting. Thanks to a few tweaks, the frosting is now simpler and less sweet than the original recipe, but still just as tasty (tastier, honestly)! A bit of toasted coconut on top adds texture and a warm, toasty flavor, and they are ready to serve.
A recipe like coconut cream bars has a lot of potential to be too sweet. To help offset the sweetness, both the base and the frosting used here today are tempered by a small portion of cream cheese.
This adds an extremely subtle, nearly imperceptible tang, but it does wonders in keeping the bars from being too rich. I use this same trick in my sugar cookie bars, and sort of fell in love with it.
Why I think you’ll love my recipe:
Ready in less than an hour! Satisfying, but not too sweet. Makes 24 servings, so it’s great for parties! Soft and chewy texture with a crunchy toasted coconut topping.
What You Need
While these coconut cream bars are simple, you should pay close attention to the following ingredients:
Unsalted butter. We’ll use unsalted butter in both the cookie bars and the frosting. Make sure your butter is softened to room temperature before you begin. Coconut. Use sweetened shredded coconut. While you technically don’t have to toast some of the coconut, I strongly recommend it. It just takes a few minutes to do and adds texture. Coconut extract. While this isn’t an ingredient I always keep stocked in my pantry, I do recommend it for this recipe, it makes a big difference! Without it, the bars are still good, but the coconut topping alone doesn’t pack as much of a coconut punch throughout the whole thing as I tend to like. Egg + egg yolk. An extra yolk adds richness to the dough and promotes a tender, chewy bite. Cream cheese. Besides tempering the sweetness in the frosting, just a small amount of cream cheese mixed into the dough makes the bars delectably soft and melt-in-your-mouth. The cookie bar base of this recipe is different than you may expect or be used to, it’s unique in its flavor and texture, and it’s just so dang good!
SAM’S TIP: I love topping off my coconut cream bars with a drizzle of melted dark chocolate. It adds a whole new dimension of flavor, and reminds me of my coconut macaroons! Remember, this is just an overview of the ingredients I used and why. For the full recipe please scroll down to the bottom of the post!
How to Make Coconut Cream Bars
Make the Bar Layer
A simple but super tender cookie bar, this comes together quickly.
Toast Coconut & Make Frosting
Toasting the coconut is, technically, optional, but it not only adds even more depth of flavor, it adds a pleasant crunch to the bars.
Decorating
SAM’S TIP: Stay close by the oven while toasting your coconut, because it can burn quickly! Make sure to check on it frequently and give it a few turns with a spatula to make sure it’s cooking evenly. Can’t get enough coconut? Try my island cookies or coconut cream pie! Enjoy! Let’s bake together! I’ll be walking you through all the steps in my written recipe and video below! If you try this recipe, be sure to tag me on Instagram, and you can also find me on YouTube and Facebook I originally published this recipe in April of 2017. I’ve updated the recipe because I felt the frosting on the original was far too sweet, so this version includes a less-sweet frosting. I’ve also updated the photos, improved the text to be more helpful, and added a how-to video.
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