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Holiday Cooking | December 9, 2016

Coconut Lime Bars

Every Christmas cookie lineup  should include a good bar cookie.  Coconut Lime Bars have a buttery crust, a thick layer of nutty-coconut goodness and are topped with a fresh lime glaze that sets this dessert apart from every other bar cookie you have ever eaten!

Coconut Lime Bars

My friend Laurie, who has contributed several recipes on this blog (type “Laurie” in the search bar)  gave me this recipe while she and her husband Raymond were serving as mission presidents in Wisconsin. As a mission president’s wife, the mission home is often filled with missionaries and occasionally, visiting church leaders who need to be fed! There is no doubt in my mind that the missionaries of the Milwaukee, Wisconsin Mission were very well fed when they stopped by the mission home!  Laurie is a master of perfecting recipes, and also serving the masses. This recipe can be cut into 60 pieces. Yes 60 pieces. It’s a rich little bite of coconut and lime goodness.

Coconut Lime Bars
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A few tools I use to make these bars quick and easy are listed here…The butter crust is simple to make, I used a cake decorating spatula to smooth and flatten out the dough in the bottom of the half sheet pan (18x13x1) .  For zesting the lime, my favorite tool is this microplane grater. I’ve had mine for years and it’s the only way to finely zest any type of citrus fruit or grate parmesan or other hard cheeses.

Coconut Lime Bars

Juicing is really simple with this hand held juicer. I use mine several times a week. If your lemons or limes are a bit on the hard side, set the fruit in the microwave for about 12-15 seconds. It will produce more juice if heated up a bit! I always look for limes and lemons that are easy to squeeze, instead of firm.

Coconut Lime Bars

Coconut Lime Bars have a cookie crust bottom with a filling similar to the nut and coconut layer on  our favorite  German Chocolate Bundt Cake. But not quite as sticky. The coconut browns up a bit which give the bars a bit of a golden color. After the bars are cool completely, they are topped with a fresh lime glaze. The lime glaze totally sets this cookie bar apart from every other cookie bar you’ve ever eaten. Make sure to use fresh limes. It totally makes a difference in this recipe!

Coconut Lime Bars

I am sure we will enjoy Coconut Lime Bars all year long, but I think they make a perfect dessert on a buffet table at holiday time. I made a batch and after the bars were completely cooled, cut them into small pieces. I cut six across and ten wide, equalling 60 bars. I’ll just take them out as we need them for parties, cookie exchanges, etc.   This recipe is simple enough for a beginner baker, but looks like you’ve been hanging in the kitchen with the likes of Ina Garten.

Hope you enjoy this recipe!  Next up – Chocolate Walnut Buttons…

Coconut Lime Bars
5 from 3 votes
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Coconut Lime Bars

Servings 60 bars
Author Laurie Cutler for A Bountiful Kitchen

Ingredients

Crust:

  • 4 cups flour
  • 1 1/2 cups unsalted butter. softened
  • 1 1/2 cups light brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon salt

Filling:

  • 6 large eggs
  • 1 1/2 cups walnuts chopped
  • 1 1/2 cups brown sugar
  • 4 1/2 cups shredded coconut
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla

Glaze:

  • Juice and zest of 2 limes
  • 2-2 1/2 cups powdered sugar

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 with rack in center of oven.
  2. Place the flour, softened butter, brown sugar and salt into a mixing bowl. Mix until all ingredients are combined.
  3. Press the mixture into lightly greased jelly roll pan (half sheet pan) on the bottom and up the sides a bit.
  4. Bake for 15 minutes, remove from oven.
  5. While the crust is baking, mix all filling ingredients in a bowl. Pour filling mixture over crust and smooth out with spatula.
  6. Bake for 18-20 minutes.
  7. Remove from oven and let cool completely.
  8. Whisk together lime juice and powdered sugar. Drizzle glaze over bars when completely cooled.
  9. If desired, sprinkle top of bars with about 1 cup toasted coconut.
  10. Cut into bars when cooled.

11 thoughts on “Coconut Lime Bars

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Recipe Rating




  1. 5 stars
    So easy and so good. These were a nice treat that was something a bit different than I normally make. They were refreshing and delicious!

  2. 5 stars
    I made these for my nephew’s missionary homecoming and everyone went banana’s over them. So yummy and the lime is so refreshing with these rich yummy bars.

  3. Do you think pistachios or cashews would work in the crust? I do not like many nuts but these two are ” acceptable” in our house. 😉

    1. Hi Piper, I would try using cashews first. Let me know how this works out! Thanks for reading ABK,
      xo
      Si

  4. 5 stars
    I love these lime bars! I’ve used pecans and walnuts and like them both in this recipe. They are decadent with a fresh citrus twist, and so easy to make! I love how many the recipe yields and they keep well in the freezer. I always include them on my holiday treat plate for friends and neighbors and they are a hit!