These Coconut Lime Bars feature a coconut shortbread crust, topped with a smooth lime filling. They’re the perfect summer treat!
Hi all! Hope you’re having a lovely week.
I don’t know how the weather’s been by you, but it was unseasonably warm in Brooklyn, NY the other day, which got me to thinking about summer. I just can’t wait to hit the beach again!
In all of my excitement for summer (and complete disregard for spring, lol), I decided to bake something that would bring those summer vibes to my home. And that’s how these Coconut Lime Bars came to be!
Lemon/lime desserts are also my favorite (um, hi Lemon Lavender Cupcakes and Oatmeal Lemon Cream Bars), so that definitely helps.
Toasting Coconut Flakes
Wondering how to go about toasting coconut flakes? Not to worry—I’ve got you covered. Some folks like to use their oven, but I preferred doing this using my stovetop.
It’s as easy as measuring out your coconut flakes and pouring them into a skillet/pan.
You’ll want to cook the flakes over medium heat, until most of the flakes are golden brown. Make sure to stir frequently! All in all, this should take about 5 minutes.
Once they’ve cooled, it’s time to start making the crust!
The shortbread crust calls for pretty standard ingredients outside of the coconut flakes—flour, confectioner’s sugar, and butter.
You can use either a pastry blender (which is what I used) or a food processor to cut the butter into the flour.
Don’t worry about fully incorporating the butter into the rest of the ingredients. That’s not what we’re looking for here. Lumps are good. Say it with me now!
The crust needs to bake before you pour the filling in, so we’re just going to stick it in the oven for about 25 minutes until the edges are juuuuust browning.
While you’re waiting for the crust to bake, it’s time to start working on the filling! And the formula here is pretty simple as well—a can of condensed milk, loads of lime zest/juice, and 3 egg yolks. Ain’t nothing to it.
Take the crust out once it’s ready and pour the filling on top. Then, stick it back in the oven for another 15 minutes and you’re one step closer to munching on this tropical delight.
By FAR, the hardest part to this whole recipe is waiting for the bars to cool. But the wait is so worth it, I promise.
I let these babies cool on a wire rack for about an hour before transferring them to the fridge to cool for another 2 hours. I wanted the filling to be nice and firm before I cut into it.
Once that’s done, it’s time to slice n serve!
As you can see, I dressed these up with a little bit of whipped cream and lime zest on top. If you want, you can just sprinkle some powdered sugar on top and call it a day. Enjoy!
If you give these bars a try, let me know by dropping a comment below and rating the recipe. You can also find me on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, and Twitter!
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Coconut Lime Bars
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Total Time: 70 minutes
- Yield: 16 bars 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Description
These Coconut Lime Bars feature a coconut shortbread crust, topped with a smooth and tart lime filling. They’re the perfect summer treat!
Ingredients
Coconut Shortbread Crust
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup shredded coconut (toasted and cooled)
- 1/2 cup confectioner’s sugar
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter (cut into cubes)
Lime Filling
- 3 egg yolks
- 1 14 oz. can condensed milk
- 1 tablespoon lime zest
- 1/2 cup lime juice
Instructions
- Toast the coconut flakes in a skillet or pan. Cook over medium heat until flakes are golden brown. Set aside in a small bowl to cool.
- Preheat oven to 350F and grease an 8×8 square baking pan with nonstick spray and/or parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, cooled coconut flakes, and powdered sugar. Add the butter and cut into the flour mixture until coarse lumps have formed.
- Press shortbread dough onto the bottom of your greased baking pan and bake for 25 minutes, until the edges are just turning brown.
- In the meantime, add the egg yolks to a medium bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer and whisk for 2 minutes. Add the condensed milk, lime zest, and lime juice and whisk until combined.
- Pour the lime filling on top of the partially baked crust and place back into oven for 15 minutes, until the filling sets.
- Transfer the pan to a wire rack and cool for an hour. Then, transfer the pan to the refrigerator and allow to cool for 2 hours.
- Cut into squares, and enjoy!
Notes
Coconut shortbread crust adapted from Bon Appetit.
Note: calorie information is generated using an app and may not be 100% accurate.
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