Coconut Dream Bars are a nostalgic, old fashioned cookie bar with a toffee shortbread crust, gooey filling, and toasty coconut. They're fast and easy to make with basic ingredients you probably already have and truly taste like a dream. A coconut dream.
For more easy cookie bar recipes, try Hello Dolly Bars (magic bars), Toll House Chocolate Chip Bars, and Nutter Butter Bars.
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❤️You're Going to Love These
- Soft and chewy layers of toffee shortbread cookie crust with gooey coconut filling
- Easy bar cookie recipe with simple pantry staple ingredients
- Nostalgic, vintage recipe. If you don't remember these, you probably know someone who does!
- Versatile recipe you can adapt with nuts, chocolate chips, butterscotch chips, or other add-ins.
- Perfect make-ahead bars for a bake sale, baby shower, and your holiday cookie tray.
I found this recipe for dream bar cookies in my husband's grandmother's recipe box. I thought dreamy was a bit of a stretch, considering the simple ingredients. Then I made them, and it all made sense.
Be sure to check out my newest cookie bar recipes, Oatmeal Chocolate Revel Bars, Caramelitas, and Peanut Butter Banana Blondies. And if it's coconut you're into (same!), try my Chewy Coconut Macaroons, Coconut Haystacks, and Chocolate Coconut Balls.
🥥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 mixes easily into the shortbread crust.
- Eggs. Use room-temperature eggs. They're easier to stir into the coconut filling. If you forget to take them out, set them in warm water for 10 minutes.
- 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 and making the crust dry.
- Sweetened coconut flakes. I prefer Baker's Sweetened Angel Flake Coconut because it has more moisture than store brands.
🥣How to Make Coconut Dream Bars
Step 1: Make the shortbread crust. In a large mixing bowl, mix the brown sugar, flour, butter, and salt with a mixer until it forms a soft dough. You may need to knead it together with your hands.
Step 2: Bake the crust. Pat the shortbread crust into an even layer in an 8X8 square pan. Bake in a preheated oven at 350 degrees for 10 minutes. It will not be fully baked.
Step 3: Make the coconut filling. 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: Assemble and bake. 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 make these in an 8x8 pan. If you use a 9x9 pan, the bars will be thinner. Check the baking time early, they'll need less time.
- For easy removal and clean slicing, line the pan with parchment paper.
- Use room temperature butter and eggs for easier, more cohesive mixing.
- If the shortbread crust mixture is crumbly, knead it together with your hands.
- To double the recipe, use a 9x13 pan.
🧊How to Store and Freeze Coconut Dream Bars
- Fridge. Store coconut bars in an airtight container at room temperature for a few days or in the fridge for about a week.
- Freezer. Freeze them in an airtight container with parchment paper or wax paper between the layers for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature or in the refrigerator.
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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 room temperature
- 3 tablespoons flour
- ¾ cup brown sugar
- 1 cup sweetened coconut
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
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.
- For easy removal and slicing, line the pan with parchment paper.
Michelle says
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!
Cara Lanz says
Hi, Michelle, that sounds really delicious, I don't see why it wouldn't work. Let me know how it goes! Cara
Lorie says
These squares are awesome! And easy. Made them twice this week.
Cara Lanz says
Thank you, Lorie, I'm so glad you love them too! 🙂 Cara
Ronda moreland says
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
Cara Lanz says
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
Walda Ruiz says
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!
Cara Lanz says
That's awesome, I'm so glad you love the Chocolate Caramel Poke Cake recipe! And I really hope you love these, too :). Cara
Diane says
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!!
Cara Lanz says
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
Jo VanTassell says
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
Cara Lanz says
Yum, I'll have to try them with nuts next time! You're very welcome -- enjoy :). Cara
Nancy Lynn says
These are absolutely amazing and so easy!!! I will be making these again!
Cara Lanz says
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
Kris Cooper says
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!
Cara Lanz says
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!
Patricia Hodder says
I was just wondering if these squares freeze well?!
Thank you!
Cara Lanz says
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 :)!
Cara Lanz says
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
kirsten hakes says
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!!
Cara Lanz says
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!!
Tina says
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.
Cara Lanz says
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!
Marilou Barry says
I have made these for years . Got the recipe out of our church cookbook. They are called yum yums . And they are yummy !
Cara Lanz says
Yum yums! What a great name for these bars! Thanks for sharing :).
Esther says
Sweetened or unsweetened coconut?
Cara Lanz says
Grandma Lanz's recipe card didn't specify, so I used sweetened coconut :).
Nancy Olson says
Easy and delicious
Cara Lanz says
Yes, so much flavor for such a simple recipe!