Coconut Dream Bars are an incredibly delicious old fashioned cookie bar with a toffee shortbread crust, gooey filling, and toasty coconut. Delicious treat that is super easy to make with basic ingredients you probably already have.
For more nostalgic treats, be sure to try Hello Dolly Bars (with a THICK graham cracker crust!) and Microwave Peanut Brittle.
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I found this recipe in my husband's grandmother's recipe box. The first time I made them, I wondered how such a simple recipe could be called dreamy? Then I made them and we couldn't stop eating them.
You’re Going to Love These
- Soft, chewy coconut dream bars with gooey coconut filling and toffee shortbread crust
- Easy bar cookie recipe with simple pantry staple ingredients
- Fun vintage recipe -- if you don't remember these, someone you know probably does!
- Versatile recipe you can adapt with nuts, chocolate chips, or other add-ins!
- Classic cookie bar recipe is the perfect treat for bake sales and holiday parties
Ingredients
See recipe card at the bottom of the post for the full list of ingredients and exact amounts.
Brown sugar. I love dark brown sugar for the rich molasses flavor, but light brown sugar also works.
Butter. Use room temperature butter so it will combine smoothly into the shortbread crust ingredients.
Eggs. Room-temperature eggs are easier to stir into the coconut filling. Set them in warm water for 10 minutes if you forget to take them out ahead of time.
All-purpose flour. Measure flour by spooning it into the measuring cup and leveling it off with a knife. Scooping flour out of the bag compacts it and can lead to adding too much.
Sweetened coconut flakes. I prefer Baker's Sweetened Angel Flake Coconut for recipes like this or these Chewy Coconut Macaroons. It tends to have more moisture than other brands I've tried. I'm not being paid to say that, either :).
How to Make Coconut Dream Bars
Step 1: In a large mixing bowl, mix the brown sugar, flour, butter, and salt with a hand or stand mixer until it forms a soft dough. You may also need to knead the dough with your hands.
Step 2: Pat the shortbread crust into an 8X8 square pan and bake in a preheated oven at 350 degrees for 10 minutes. It will not be fully baked.
Step 3: Beat the eggs in the same large bowl used for the crust. Stir in the flour, sugar, coconut, baking powder, salt, and vanilla.
Step 4: Pour the coconut filling on top of the crust. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until the coconut is golden brown. Cool completely on a wire rack and cut into bars.
Expert Tips
- I use an 8x8 pan, but if yours is 9x9, the bars will be a little thinner. To adjust baking time for a different pan size, increase the oven temp by 25 degrees and decrease the baking time by 25%.
- The shortbread crust mixture should come together into a soft dough. If it's crumbly, use your hands to knead it together.
Recipe FAQs
There are quite a few recipes called coconut dream bars, and they aren't always the same thing. Sometimes they are a gooey coconut bar on a toffee shortbread crust, like this one, and other times they are more like 7 layer bars with graham crackers, sweetened condensed milk, coconut, and chocolate chips.
Yes. This coconut dream bar recipe freezes very well. To freeze, wrap them in a double layer of plastic wrap and place them in a freezer bag or airtight container.
Yes. You can double the recipe and make them in a 9 x 13 inch pan.
More Dessert Bar Recipes
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📖 Recipe
Easy Coconut Dream Bars
Ingredients
Crust
- ½ cup brown sugar
- 1 cup flour
- ½ cup softened butter
- ½ teaspoon salt
Filling
- 2 eggs
- 3 tablespoons flour
- ¾ cup brown sugar
- 1 cup sweetened coconut
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350.
- Make the toffee shortbread crust. With a hand mixer or stand mixer, mix the brown sugar, flour, butter, and salt together until it forms a soft dough. The dough should not be crumbly, you may need to knead the dough together with your hands.
- Pat the shortbread crust into an 8x8 square pan and bake for 10 minutes.
- Make the coconut filling. Beat the eggs in the same bowl. Stir in the flour, sugar, coconut, baking powder, salt, and vanilla. Pour the coconut filling over the shortbread crust.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes or until the coconut is golden brown. Cool completely and cut into bars.
Notes
- I use an 8x8 pan, but if yours is 9x9, the bars will be a little thinner. To adjust baking time for a different pan size, increase the oven temp by 25 degrees and decrease the baking time by 25%.
- The shortbread crust mixture should come together into a soft dough. If it's crumbly, use your hands to knead it together.
- Try stirring in ⅓ to ½ cup of chopped nuts, chocolate chips, or raisins into the coconut filling.
My co-worker made these and I asked her for the recipe. She said her MIL made them by memory. In hers there were cherry Jam as a layer… do you think I could add a layer of jam preserves to this recipe? Thank you!
Hi, Michelle, that sounds really delicious, I don't see why it wouldn't work. Let me know how it goes! Cara
These squares are awesome! And easy. Made them twice this week.
Thank you, Lorie, I'm so glad you love them too! 🙂 Cara
That is a very good recipe for them, best I ever ate. I do not have a printer is there a way you can help me get you recipes on lines everything I seen I 💕 🎄 merry Christmas
Hi, Ronda, I'm so glad you enjoyed the Dream Bars -- and many other recipes on my blog. How wonderful to hear! Yes, there are a couple of options. First, you can click on the "share" icon on the lower right side of any page and create an account in Grow.me -- it's very easy. Then when you see a recipe you love, click the "heart" icon and it will bookmark the recipe to your account! Another option is to print the recipe to a pdf and save them to a folder on your computer. I have sent you an email with more detailed instructions on creating a Grow account -- please let me know if you have any questions. Thank you and merry Christmas to you, too! Cara
Haven’t tried this recipe yet, but just made my third Chocolate Caramel PokeCake. Everyone who tastes it keeps asking me to “make another one, PLEASE”. This is the most addictive cake I’ve ever made, can’t thank you enough for the recipe! I’ve emailed it to so many friends, also to my granddaughter in Brazil! Thanks again!
That's awesome, I'm so glad you love the Chocolate Caramel Poke Cake recipe! And I really hope you love these, too :). Cara
Hi! I am so excited to try this recipe!!!! As I read it, it looks like something my mother used to make all the time for us…but it was a box mix called Vienna Dream Bars! They have been discontinued for more than 30 years, I’m sure! This recipe is going to replace those long-lost bars and they will actually be homemade!!!
Thank you, thank you, thank you!!
Hi, Diane! Thank you so much for your fun note! I found this recipe in my husband's grandmother's recipe box, which is probably from about the same time when the Vienna Dream Bar box mix was popular. If they were anything like these bars, I'm sure they were delicious! And even better that you have memories of your mother making them for you. I hope you enjoy them and they remind you of the bars you grew up with! Enjoy :). Cara
I love these…I added 1/3 to 1/2 cup minced up pecans or walnuts…TY for post…It’s been years…saved in my notes for future sweet tooth attacks
Yum, I'll have to try them with nuts next time! You're very welcome -- enjoy :). Cara
These are absolutely amazing and so easy!!! I will be making these again!
Hi, Nancy! Thank you so much for letting me know! The first time I made them, I was so surprised by how these really basic ingredients were able to turn into something SO GOOD! Thanks, again, I'm so glad you enjoyed them :). Cara
I had these bars at a church potluck and have been looking for the recipe for 30 years! I always thought it was magic bars, with a different crust, but now realize that it was this. Amazing! Thank you for posting this!
Hi, Kris! I am so happy you found the recipe you've been looking for! Your story just made my day -- so thank YOU for posting this message :). I hope you enjoy them and they taste just the way you remember!
I was just wondering if these squares freeze well?!
Thank you!
Hi, Patricia! Yes, these are freezer-friendly! We eat them too fast, but folks tell me they freeze them all the time -- and that they taste pretty good straight from the freezer :)!
Hi, again, Patricia, just following up... I made a batch and froze them and I can confirm that they freeze beautifully AND that they taste pretty darned amazing right out of the freezer :). Happy baking! Cara
Hi Cara!
Im going to make these tomorrow for a cookie exchange. I need 48 bars/cookies. Can I do this bar cookie in a 11x9 pan? Or should I make the bars in a 8x8 pan and do it 3 time? Any suggestions would be awesome!!
Hi, Kirsten! Yay, how fun!! I would think you can double it in the 11x9 pan just fine-- I know others have doubled it in a 9x13 pan successfully. It will probably be a little thicker, since the surface area of 11x9 is smaller than two 8x8 pans or one 9x13 pan, so you may need to add a little baking time to each step. I hope this helps? Let me know how it goes!!
Hi Cara!
I love this recipe! Thank you!
I wanted to know, after baking the crust am I supposed to let the crust cool and then add in the filling or is it ok to just add the filling immediately after.
Hi, Tina! Isn't it a fun recipe? I was so excited to find it in the family recipe box. No, you don't have to let the crust cool at all, just go ahead and add the filling and finish baking. Enjoy!
I have made these for years . Got the recipe out of our church cookbook. They are called yum yums . And they are yummy !
Yum yums! What a great name for these bars! Thanks for sharing :).
Sweetened or unsweetened coconut?
Grandma Lanz's recipe card didn't specify, so I used sweetened coconut :).
Easy and delicious
Yes, so much flavor for such a simple recipe!