Coconut Macadamia Bars
Chewy, coconut-forward bars studded with crunchy macadamia nuts and a rich, caramel-like topping. Adapted from Gourmet magazine, these bars are easy to slice and freeze, making them a great make-ahead dessert or snack.
Equipment
- food processor
- 9 x 13-inch baking pan
- saucepan
- mixing bowl
- Spatula or spoon
Ingredients
Crust:
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 sticks cold butter cut into pieces
- 2/3 cup powdered sugar
Topping:
- 1/2 stick butter melted
- 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
- 3/4 cup canned cream of coconut such as Coco López
- 1/4 cup heavy cream
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 2 2/3 cups sweetened flaked coconut
- 1 1/3 cups macadamia nuts large pieces, halved
Instructions
For the Crust:
- Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease or line a 9 x 13-inch pan with nonstick foil, leaving an overhang for easy removal.
- In a food processor, pulse the flour, cold butter pieces, and powdered sugar until the butter pieces are about the size of peas and the mixture looks like coarse crumbs.
- Press the crumbly dough evenly into the bottom of the prepared pan and bake until the edges are set, about 20 minutes. Remove from the oven.
For the Topping:
- In a saucepan, melt the 1/2 stick of butter over low heat, then remove the pan from the heat.
- Stir in the packed brown sugar until it dissolves into the warm butter. Whisk in the cream of coconut, heavy cream, and lemon juice until smooth.
- Fold in the sweetened flaked coconut and the macadamia nut pieces so the topping is evenly combined.
Assembly & Bake:
- Pour the coconut-macadamia topping over the partially baked crust, spreading it to the edges.
- Lower the oven temperature to 325°F (165°C) and return the pan to the oven. Bake until the topping is lightly golden and mostly set, about 40–50 minutes.
- Let the bars cool completely in the pan on a wire rack before lifting out using the foil overhang. Cut into 24 bars. Store in the refrigerator or freeze for longer storage.