Easy Coconut Dream Bars

coconut dream bar with a bite taken out on a blue napkin.

4.89 from 17 votes

Coconut Dream Bars are nostalgic, old-fashioned cookie bars with a buttery toffee shortbread crust, rich, gooey filling, and toasty coconut on top. They’re quick and easy to make with simple pantry ingredients and truly live up to their name.

Prep Time10

Cook Time30

Total Time40

Course: Dessert, Snack

Cuisine: American

Servings:

Calories: 122kcal

Author: Cara Lanz

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.

Nutrition