These Chewy Coconut Bars are made with butter, eggs, flour, sugar, vanilla, unsweetened coconut flakes, and the magic ingredient, marshmallows. Enjoy these coconut delights with your coffee or tea as a perfect dessert or treat. Heat it for about 10-15 seconds before serving and add a vanilla ice cream scoop for the ultimate
dessert.
Why I Love It
One of the things I miss the most from home is the Coconut Pie from my favorite local bakery in Santo Domingo “DeLaCasa Pasteleria”. They make the best dessert in the city. Their Coconut Pie is very special to me because you would think that, as an island girl, I would automatically love coconut. Ironically, I’m not necessarily too fond of it.
My best guess is that when I was about 8 years old, my mom used to store fresh coconut water in a glass jar inside the refrigerator. Whenever I was thirsty, I went open the refrigerator to serve myself a tall glass of refreshing cold water. To my unpleasant surprised, my first sip would be coconut water. It was the worst surprise! From that day on, I was not too fond of coconut, until the Coconut Pie.
The Coconut Pie was my favorite dessert, so much so that on each birthday, I asked for that pie as my birthday “cake”. Weird, but true!
In my attempt to re-create the coconut pie; I developed this Chewy Coconut Bars recipe that is very close to the Coconut Pie filling. Let me tell you, this one exceeded my expectations! Hope you try it and let me know in the comments if you loved it as much as I do.
What Are The Ingredients
- Butter: Melted
- Marshmallows: it’s the secret ingredient for the chewy texture of this coconut bars.
- Sugar: of course, for more sweetness
- Eggs: for texture
- Vanilla Extract: I use Dominican Vanilla Extract, but you can substitute it with Badia Vanilla Extract Imitation Dominican Style
- Flour
- Salt
- Unsweetened coconut Flakes: for the filling and coconut taste
How To Make Chewy Coconut Bars
Step 1: Melt the Butter with the Marshmallow: In a saucepan, melt the butter and marshmallow over medium-low heat. Whisk to blend. Lower heat, to keep both melted and not burn it, while you work on the other ingredients.
Step 2: Mix wet Ingredients: in a stand mixer, mix the sugar, the eggs, vanilla extract, and salt. Add the melted butter-marshmallow to the mixing bowl and keep mixing until well combined.
Step 3: Add Dry ingredients: while the mixing bowl is still running, add the flour and unsweetened coconut flakes, and keep mixing until well combined.
Step 4: Bake the Squares: Line a 13 x 9 x 1-inch rectangular baking sheet with parchment paper because the chewy coconut Bars will be very gooey and sticky when taken out from the oven. Pour the dough on top of the parchment paper, spread evenly, and bake at 325 for 20-25 minutes.
Step 5: Chill the Squares: Take out of the oven and let it cool for about 30 minutes, it will be easier to cut when cool. Enjoy!
Tips
- Parchment Paper: Consider lining the baking tray – It’s a good idea to use parchment paper to line the baking tray before baking the cookie bars. This will help prevent them from sticking and make it easier to cut them into bars.
- Baking Time: Keep an eye on the baking time – The baking time for the cookie bars will depend on your oven, but it’s generally recommended to bake them for around 20-25 minutes. It’s best to take them out while they’re still slightly jiggly, as they will continue to firm up as they cool. Over baking can result in the bars becoming dry, so it’s important to watch the time carefully.
- Cutting: When cutting the squares, dip the knife in cold iced water and then proceed to cut. The cold knife will help make a cleaner cut. Repeat as needed.
Storage
- Fridge: You can store these chewy coconut bars in an airtight container for up to 5 days in the fridge.
- Freezer: Alternatively, you can also store them in an airtight container for up to 3 months in the freezer.
Chewy Coconut Bars
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 12 Bars 1x
Description
These Chewy Coconut Bars are made with butter, eggs, flour, sugar, vanilla, unsweetened coconut flakes, and the magic ingredient, marshmallows. Enjoy these coconut delights with your coffee or tea as a perfect dessert or sweet treat. Heat it for about 10-15 seconds before serving and add a vanilla ice cream scoop for the ultimate dessert.
Ingredients
- 1 1/4 Unsalted Butter Stick
- 1/4 Mini Marshmallow Bag (2.5 ounces)
- 2 cups of Granulated Sugar
- 3 Eggs
- 1 tablespoon of Vanilla Extract (Dominican Style if possible)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/4 cups of Unsweetened Coconut Flakes
- 1 1/2 cups of flour, sifted
Instructions
- Pre-heat the oven to 325 F
- Melt the butter and marshmallow in a saucepan over low heat
- In a Mixing, add the sugar, eggs, vanilla, and salt; mix well
- While the mixing bowl is on, add the butter/marshmallow mixture slowly
- Add the Coconut flakes and all-purpose flour, and keep mixing
- Line a 13 x 9 x 1-inch rectangular pan with parchment paper and add the dough, distributing evenly.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes. The top should be golden; insert a knife in the middle. If it comes out clean, it is done.
- Take it out of the oven and let it cool completely.
- Cut and Enjoy!
Notes
Parchment Paper: It is essential to line the baking tray with parchment paper before baking the bars. This will help prevent them from sticking and make cutting them into bars easier.
Baking time: Keep an eye on the baking time. The Baking time for the cookie bars will depend on your oven. Overbaking can result in the bars becoming dry, so it’s essential to observe the time.
Storage:
- In the Fridge: You can store these chewy coconut bars in an airtight container for up to 5 days in the fridge.
- In the Freezer: Alternatively, you can also store them in an airtight container for up to 3 months in the freezer.
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: n/a
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 Square
- Calories: 616
- Sugar: 34.1
- Sodium: 522.1
- Fat: 45.4
- Saturated Fat: 29.7
- Unsaturated Fat: 0
- Trans Fat: 0.6
- Carbohydrates: 51.1
- Fiber: 1.5
- Protein: 4.4
- Cholesterol: 148.2
Keywords: Coconut, Coconut Bars, Coconut Bar Recipe, Dessert, Bars, Sweet
