These coconut dream bars are rich, chewy, and buttery. If you like coconut, you’ll love these bars! A sweet, chewy coconut topping is layered on top of a buttery shortbread crust. They’re easy to make but taste like you spent a lot of time in the kitchen.
I found a recipe for Swedish dream bars in an old Scandinavian cookbook. I’m a huge fan of anything coconut and this recipe sounded so delicious I just had to try it. They were a hit in my house! I’ve made a few changes to the original recipe, and I’m really excited to share this with you. I’m not sure what makes them Swedish though. Maybe they were the inspiration for the Swedish dream cake? Or maybe they’re really popular in Sweden? All I know is that they’re ridiculously delicious!
Ingredients & Substitutions
- Butter: I use unsalted butter. If you’re using salted, omit any added salt.
- Flour: All-purpose flour
- Brown sugar: Dark brown sugar has a rich, molasses flavor and works really well in this recipe. Light brown sugar would be just fine too.
- Eggs: Large eggs add creaminess and gooeyness to the filling.
- Baking Powder: Helps it rise.
- Unsweetened shredded coconut: I think this recipe is sweet enough so I used unsweetened coconut. If you like more sweetness, use sweetened coconut.
- Salt & vanilla: Flavors the bars.
How To Make Coconut Dream Bars
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Line an 8 x 8 baking dish with parchment paper, or grease dish with butter or cooking spray.
- In a medium-sized bowl, mix together the butter, 1/4 cup brown sugar and 1 cup of flour. The dough will be crumbly.
- Press dough into the bottom of the prepared baking dish, making sure it’s nice and even.
- Bake for 15 minutes.
- While the crust is baking, combine the eggs, vanilla, 1 cup of brown sugar, and salt.
- Sift together the 2 Tbsp flour and baking powder and add them to the egg mixture. Stir to mix well.
- Add shredded coconut to the mixture and stir to combine.
- Remove the baking dish from the oven and pour the coconut mixture evenly over the crust. Spread evenly.
- Bake for 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool before slicing.
Variations
- Add chocolate – Mini-chocolate chips would give this an Almond Joy flavor!
- Add nuts – Almonds would be delicious in the bars, but other nuts like pecans or walnuts would work as well.
Expert Tips
- Grease the pan with coconut oil or coconut oil cooking spray for added coconut flavor.
- Softened butter makes it so much easier to incorporate it into the crust. There’s no need for a mixer or pastry cutter. You just need a fork and/or your fingers!
How Long do Coconut Dream Bars Last
Coconut dream bars last 3-4 days at room temperature, about a week in the refrigerator, and about 3 months in the freezer. That’s assuming you have any leftover!
How to Store Coconut Dream Bars
Store coconut dream bars in an air-tight container like a lidded food storage container or a dish covered with plastic wrap. You can keep them on the counter or in the refrigerator.
If you’re going to freeze the bars, put them in a freezer-safe storage container or bag in a single layer. If you have more than will fit in a single layer, put a piece of parchment paper between layers.
More Recipes You’ll Love
- Brown Butter Cinnamon Rye Banana Bread
- Easy Cardamom Cinnamon Rice Krispie Treats
- Coconut Covered Chocolate Balls (Chokladbollar)
- Kärleksmums (Swedish Chocolate Mocha Squares)
- Danish Dream Cake (Drømmekage)
Coconut Dream Bars
Ingredients
For the crust:
- 1/2 cup butter, softened
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
For the filling:
- 2 large eggs, beaten
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 2 Tbsp all-purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 cup unsweetened, shredded coconut
Instructions
To make the crust:
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Line an 8 x 8 baking dish with parchment paper, or grease dish with butter or cooking spray.
- In a medium-sized bowl, mix together butter, 1/4 cup brown sugar and 1 cup of flour. The dough will be crumbly.
- Press dough into the bottom of prepared baking dish, making sure it's even.
- Bake for 15 minutes.
To make the filling:
- While the crust is baking, combine eggs, vanilla, 1 cup of brown sugar, and salt.
- Sift together 2 Tbsp flour and baking powder and add to the egg mixture. Stir to mix well.
- Add shredded coconut to the mixture and stir to combine.
- Remove baking dish from the oven and pour coconut mixture over the crust. Spread evenly.
- Bake for 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool before slicing.
Notes
- Grease the pan with coconut oil or coconut oil cooking spray for added coconut flavor.
- Softened butter makes it so much easier to incorporate it into the crust. There’s no need for a mixer or pastry cutter. You just need a fork and/or your fingers!
- Store coconut dream bars in an air-tight container like a lidded food storage container or a dish covered with plastic wrap. You can keep them on the counter or in the refrigerator.
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