Description
These buttery coconut bars are delightfully rich and tender, with a melt-in-your-mouth texture and a sweet coconut flavor. Perfect for dessert or a sweet snack, they combine a simple buttery base with shredded coconut for a classic treat that’s easy to make and irresistible to eat.
Ingredients
Scale
Wet Ingredients
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Dry Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/2 cups sweetened shredded coconut
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare Pan: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour an 8×8-inch baking pan to prevent the bars from sticking.
- Combine Wet Ingredients: In a large bowl, mix the melted butter and granulated sugar together until well combined. Then stir in the eggs and vanilla extract thoroughly until the mixture is smooth.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt to evenly distribute the leavening agents and salt.
- Combine Wet and Dry Mixtures: Gradually add the dry ingredient mixture into the wet ingredients, folding gently and mixing until just combined without overmixing to maintain tenderness.
- Add Coconut: Fold the sweetened shredded coconut into the batter until it is evenly dispersed throughout.
- Transfer to Pan: Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan and spread it out evenly to ensure uniform baking.
- Bake: Bake in the preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the bars comes out clean, indicating they are fully cooked.
- Cool and Serve: Allow the bars to cool completely in the pan before cutting them into 16 squares for serving.
Notes
- Make sure not to overmix the batter after adding the dry ingredients to keep the bars tender.
- Using sweetened shredded coconut gives these bars a richer flavor; unsweetened can be used but will reduce sweetness.
- These bars can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or refrigerated for up to a week.
- For extra texture, consider toasting the shredded coconut lightly before folding it into the batter.
- You can substitute vanilla extract with almond extract for a different flavor profile.
