A quick and easy sweet treat which can be made with items you already have in your pantry. Coconut Square Chewies have a simple shortbread-like base, and are topped with a sweet, gooey, chewy topping, before being baked to golden perfection. If you love home style, rustic desserts, Coconut Square Chewies are perfect for you!
Even though my mom never made this particular recipe; not that I can recall anyway, this recipe reminds me so much of her. My mom loved to cook and bake and I credit much of my love for food to her. Our home was never without a homemade square, bar, cookie, cake, or pie. And, she learned everything she knew about cooking and baking from her mom.
I wish I could say the same thing! My mom never let me near the kitchen – except to help with the dishes or something like that. Much like me, she liked to be alone in the kitchen. Having someone help or having to show someone what to do, only slowed her down.
In my own life, there are many times when I will complain about having to take care of all of the cooking and baking for both John.e and McKenna. And, they often offer to help me out, but I always politely decline. If I have to tell someone how to crack an egg or how to properly measure a cup of flour, I’d prefer just to do it myself. But, they’re both great with the clean up! Even on the weekends when I bang out two or three recipes back to back for this blog, John.e is right there to wash up the dishes. Isn’t he great!?
Let’s get back to this recipe though, before I get too carried away. A Coconut Square Chewie is a great sweet treat to start with if you’re new to baking. It’s easy to make, has very inexpensive ingredients, and the results are pretty much guaranteed to be perfect every time. Seriously, Dear Reader, it would be extremely difficult to mess up this recipe!
Creating a shortbread base is very easy to do and you’ll love the crumbly, cookie-like texture of this particular one. And, to top it all off, you get a chewy, sweet, gooey-like texture on top of the shortbread base, which creates a flood of taste and texture in your mouth. Serve this treat with a hot tea on a stay-at-home Saturday or Sunday afternoon, and it’s bound to put a smile on your face.
If you’d like to get a little more fancy, you could also drizzle melted dark chocolate over the top of these once they’re cooled and have been cut into squares. How’s that for an impressive afternoon tea social!?
Coconut Square Chewies
Ingredients
For the base:
- 1/2 cup butter, soft/room temperature
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
For the topping:
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup brown sugar, lightly packed
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 cup coconut, sweetened and shredded
Instructions
- Begin by preheating your oven to 350 degree.
- Next, line a 9x9 inch pan with parchment paper and set aside.
- In a mixing bowl, use a handheld mixer to fully incorporate the butter, sugar, and flour amounts under the 'base' heading above. Mix on medium speed for a full 2 minutes. The mixture will be crumbly.
- Pour the mixture into the prepared pan and gently press the mixture into the pan. Be sure to get into the corners. Use the bottom of a drinking glass or mug to evenly press the mixture.
- Bake the base for 10 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool slightly.
- In the meantime, add the 'topping' ingredients to a mixing bowl and use your handheld mixer to just incorporate the ingredients. Don't over mix.
- Pour the topping mixture over the base and spread out evenly.
- Bake for 20 minutes.
- Allow to cool completely before removing from the pan and cutting into squares.
Traditionallymodernfood says
I m a big of coconut flavour these bars looks super yum. My son will love it I guess
Amanda says
I was sold when I read “coconut.” These look delicious, but I really didn’t need to see the calorie count! They sound worth every bite. 🙂
Emily @ Recipes to Nourish says
Oh my goodness these look so decadent and yummy! I REALLY wish I had some to enjoy tonight, it’s been a day and this sounds perfect. I hear you on the cooking in the kitchen thing. I do prefer to be alone too, but I do have a little helper who loves to get in there with me – and I usually let her when it’s baking or something easy. It’s fun teaching my youngest how to bake just like my grandma and mom taught me.
Veena Azmanov says
Oh my word… Byron. I just made some Coconut Squares this week… so I can almost taste these.. Love coconut flavor. Next time I’m going to try your version.. Sounds yum.
Gloria @ Homemade & Yummy says
My mom didn’t let me help in the kitchen much either. Now that I am a gramma….my grandson LOVES helping me…and I love spending time with him in there too. Yes it is a bit more work, and takes more time, but the bonding and memories it creates are priceless. These delicious squares are what I need to get me thorough some video editing this weekend!!
Stephanie@ApplesforCJ says
I could pretty much relate to a lot of what you said. Growing up my Mom used to bake a lot and we would always have some kind of sweet treats. I didn’t really have an interest then but I guess just watching is where I acquired my love for the kitchen. I love coconut anything and love the simplicity of this recipe.
ManilaSpoon says
I grew up in an island surrounded by coconut trees so I love anything coconut! This looks like a yummy and simple recipe to try for those days when I pine for my little island! YUM!
byronethomas@gmail.com says
You’re so lucky! 🙂
Helene D'Souza says
I got all the ingredients in my pantry so I will make this today for my husbands family. I think they will enjoy it, especially the kids because they have summer holidays now. 🙂
byronethomas@gmail.com says
Please let me know what your family has to say. 🙂
Helene D'Souza says
I made it yesterday night and they turned out great. I gave some t omy mother in law and sister in law. They havn’t reported back but I bet they enjoyed it. 🙂
byronethomas@gmail.com says
I’m so glad to hear that, Helene; yay!!!
Noel Lizotte says
Love this recipe … I don’t know why, but I always begin to crave coconut this time of year (spring). This tasty treat will be a great way to satisfy that longing!
byronethomas@gmail.com says
I crave coconut almost all year. 🙂 Any cake, pie, or cookie with coconut is among my favourites.
swathi says
Just like your mom, my mom doesn’t teach any cooking. I learned from my friends, and my dad as he started cooking because mom can’t cook because of her diabetics. Lovely shortbread coconut chewies. coconut is my weakness, I grown up in place where coconut used three times a day. I agree with you this is perfect recipe.
Sandhya Ramakrishnan says
I am like your mother at times and would like to work by myself in the kitchen, especially when I am baking. The chewies look fabulous and it will be one of my favorite since I am big lover of coconut. We used coconut in almost all the recipes in India as we had coconut tress everywhere.
Adriana Lopez Martn says
wow this is just perfection, nothing better than coconut and a chewy treat, I bet these squares are addicting, great stuff Byron now I want one with my coffee! =)
Molly Kumar says
OMG, These ‘Coconut Square Chewies’ are totally my kinda snack/dessert & I love how simple you kept the recipe. It’s actually a small batch which is fabulous as I don’t want to make tons and end up eating all by myself (which I don’t mind but I think I should 😉 It’s funny how you mentioned about you feeling as if your mom made this recipe while growing up as I do get similar feeling from some of the recipes that I make and my mom didn’t ever make & lastly, John.e sounds Awesome for doing all the cleanup!!
byronethomas@gmail.com says
Thank you, Molly. I get that same feeling a lot! Weird, right? And, yes, John.e is pretty damn awesome!
Daniela Anderson says
I always happen to have desiccated coconut in my kitchen, I love baking with it. I must say that I am so impressed with those layers, they are pure perfection, I hardly ever manage such precision when I bake squares, that’s just amazing!
byronethomas@gmail.com says
I think it comes with practice, Daniela. But, hey, I did say rustic! It’s the taste that matters most. 🙂
Jennifer A Stewart says
Coconut is my JAM! My mom loved having me in the kitchen and I learned so much from her and my Ma. My boys could care less about helping in the kitchen and the most I can get them to do is to unload the dishwasher. They still put the dishes in the wrong spot on purpose hoping that I will not let them do it anymore. I’m on to them!! These bars look great for breakfast in my house as well as afternoon snacking with some tea!
byronethomas@gmail.com says
Ha! That’s funny. I think my daughter does the same thing. We have a dishwasher, but I refuse to use it. But, when she dries the dishes, she purposely places the everyday cutlery in with the good cutlery and it drives me crazy!
Natalie says
You warmed my heart with this recipe. It reminds me of coconut squares my grandma used to make for us while we were kids. I never tried to make this myself … I have to change this like NOW! Looks delicious!
byronethomas@gmail.com says
Thank you, Natalie. 🙂
Kylee from Kylee Cooks says
HA! “If you love home style, rustic desserts”… what a crazy suggestion that people might NOT love it! These remind me of something my Mum used to make when I was a kid. We fought over the last one, all the time (to be fair, we fought over the first one too). These look fantastic, Byron. Your family is lucky to have you in the kitchen!
byronethomas@gmail.com says
Aw! You’re so sweet! Thank you, Kylee. 🙂