You can't eat just one of these delicious bar cookies packed with chocolate, coconut, and walnuts.
This is a good recipe, but it is missing a few things. First of all, 1/2 cup of coconut is definitely not enough. I made these for a party, and I asked for everybody's opinion, and they all asked me why I called them Chewy Coconut Bars, as they could not taste the coconut. So, next time, I added 2 1/4 cups of shredded coconut, decreased the packed brown sugar by 1/4 cup, used 2 cups of milk chocolate chips (semisweet works fine too, but not as sweet. I substituted milk chocolate because I did not have semisweet on hand), used 1 cup of toasted chopped pecans, and substituted margarine for the shortening (I didn't have any shortening). That time, everyone raved about the bars. Thanks for the recipe though!
Read MoreI was so disappointed with these! They turned out moist alright, mostly because they didn't cook all the way through. The outer edges were edible, although quite crunchy, but the middle was a gooey mess. I did double the coconut, like other reviews suggested. I could have cooked these even longer, but I would have had to sacrifice the edges for the middle and it just wasn't pretty.
Read MoreThis is a good recipe, but it is missing a few things. First of all, 1/2 cup of coconut is definitely not enough. I made these for a party, and I asked for everybody's opinion, and they all asked me why I called them Chewy Coconut Bars, as they could not taste the coconut. So, next time, I added 2 1/4 cups of shredded coconut, decreased the packed brown sugar by 1/4 cup, used 2 cups of milk chocolate chips (semisweet works fine too, but not as sweet. I substituted milk chocolate because I did not have semisweet on hand), used 1 cup of toasted chopped pecans, and substituted margarine for the shortening (I didn't have any shortening). That time, everyone raved about the bars. Thanks for the recipe though!
Very good - like a chewy, chocolate chip cookie bar or blondie, BUT a little bland since the shortening has no salt or flavor. You will need to double the salt and vanilla. If using salted butter, keep salt as is, only increase vanilla. If you have it, use real butter. I also increased the coconut to 1 full cup. You can also use butterscotch or peanut butter chip for variety. Super easy and very chewy and moist. Will definitely make again (using only butter though!).
This is an easy, tasty recipe that gives a unique twist to the typical cookie bar. Although I didn't find the bars particularly chewy, they had a hearty, brownie-like consistency that was still appealing. (My husband absolutely adored them and raved that they were even better than chocolate chip cookies!) However, I did make a few modifications to the recipe. First, I used butter-flavored shortening instead of regular shortening to kick up the flavor a bit. (I think it might be a little bland without the butter flavor.) Also, I included a full cup of coconut and a full cup of nuts (pecans) to add more texture and up the taste a bit. When I make it again, I will probably increase the salt to a full teaspoon and increase the vanilla to two teaspoons for an extra punch of flavor. Overall, it's not a low-cal recipe, but it's definitely a yummy excuse to be a bit naughty!
I made these for a church get-together and they were a big hit! I used butter instead of shortening, increased the coconut to 1 cup, left out the nuts and used 1/2 almond extract and 1/2 vanilla. They were amazing. My husband is VERY picky about his cookies, and he loved these.
I made 2 batches of these, the first one I made as is but used a full cup of coconut and no nuts and the second batch I cut the chocolate chips to 1 cup and used 1 cup of coconut and no nuts. The batch with just 1 cup of chips was much better and stil very rich and sweet. I don't think that 1/2 cup of coconut is enough even 1 cup almost isnt enough. It's hard to taste any coconut over the chocolate taste.
I took these bars to a youth gathering at our church and they disappeared very fast! I was afraid they were going to turn out like chocolate chip pan-cookies, but they were sooooooo much better!
I halved the recipe and used an 8 x 8 pan. The batter was very thick and the bars were dense and gooey. Very good. Too good. I made these a second time using the full recipe amount. I didn't have chocolate chips so I doubled the coconut and drizzled chocolate syrup on top.
I used 1 cup nuts, 1 cup chocolate chips and 1 cup coconut. I also used butter instead of shortening. I've also made them using 1/2 chocolate chips and 1/2 white chocolate chips or butterscotch chips. Tastes great!
I used butter instead of shortening and cut the recipe down by 2/3 as I was an egg short. Added more walnuts, coconut (gives it nice texture) and some frozen berries. Turned out with a soft, gooey centre. (nice if you like it that way!)
We loved this. It was easy, quick and delicious. I'm so glad I didn't take the lazy way out and reach for the brownie mix instead.
Just delicious! I didn't change much. As someone else suggested, I added 1/2 tsp. each of vanilla and almond extract. I also switched the quantity of nuts and coconut. I mixed chocolate chips and M & Ms to make the 1 1/2 cup of chocolate as well. I will definately make these again!
I made these this week and must say that they are the absolute best for sure and deserve more stars than I can assign. I did use 3X the amt of coconut called for and went with the margarine as the fat. But they are just soooo soooo tasty. And, no, I couldn't eat just one. Thanks for the recipe, Myrtis. I'll be making these again and again. I gave some to a neighbor and she scarfed 'em down too. So next time, will be making 2 big batches. yum yum Bonnie N.
I was so disappointed with these! They turned out moist alright, mostly because they didn't cook all the way through. The outer edges were edible, although quite crunchy, but the middle was a gooey mess. I did double the coconut, like other reviews suggested. I could have cooked these even longer, but I would have had to sacrifice the edges for the middle and it just wasn't pretty.
I read past reviews and customized this recipe. Make sure you "pack" the brown sugar, otherwise it does not taste sweet enough. Another suggestion would be just to add a little more brown sugar than called for. Substitute butter for the shortening. I used the entire package of chocolate chips, one cup chopped walnuts, and 2 cups shredded coconut. I baked it until the center stopped jiggling. Sounds crazy, but it worked. They take a long time to cool before you can cut them into bars.
Oh my, people....these are exceptional! We live in Belize and have too many coconuts. We needed a way to use some of them up. We doubled the recipe, increased the coconut to 1 1/2 c. and reduced the chocolate chips so we could taste the coconut more. They smelled so good, that the neighbors actually came over while they were baking! We cut them into very small pieces since they are sweet and there are plenty left over for tomorrow. Thank you Myrtis for this fabulous recipe! Happy eating!
ooooooh these are good! I increased coconut to just under 1.5 cups, this was a little too much, I decreased chips to 1 cup. I also did a heaping tsp salt, and 'heaping' tsp vanilla extract. Mine turned out like the pic for once!
Delicious! They taste like yummy chocolate chip cookies in bar form. I substituted butter for shortening and added more coconut. Will definitely make again!
Pretty good, but really just reminded me of a chocolate chip cookie with added coconut. I added some extra coconut on top, and this added to the coconut flavor when it toasted in the oven. Overall, a decent recipe, just not one that I would do again.
Absolutely the best! My husband and kids love these and they are not huge fans of coconut. I use butter flavor shortening instead of regular. Also use 1.5 C coconut, 1 C walnuts, and 3/4 C dark chocolate chips so the chocolate flavor doesn't dominate the coconut and up the baking time to 30 min. This recipe also works well as a regular cookie recipe if you thin the dough out with some milk (just a splash) and bake at 350 for about 11-13 min. This is now my "go to" chocolate chip cookie recipe. Very good, can't stop eating the dough! Will make again and again!
These are yummy. I agree they taste very much like cookies, but still good. I baked them at least 10 min longer than directed. I left out the nuts because i didn't have them on hand.
Very tasty, too much choclat chips and too little coconut. You don't taste the coconut. They are a bit too sweet for our taste. I will make it more often but with less choclat and sugar and more coconut. Anneke
My husband and I love the Chocolate Chip Paradise Pie that they serve at Chili's. I went serching for a recipie that I could make at home...and this is it! Try a slice with a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top...it is fabulous :)
I make this all the time! It tastes like chocolate chip cookies without taking as long to make. I also use butter instead of shortening, double the coconut and nuts because we like them, and it doesn't seem to change the taste at all. I also use a whole bag of chocolate chips, simply because it is easier than measuring them out (and chocolate makes everything better!). Thank you for a great recipe!
These are amazing! I'm so glad I followed the suggestions from other reviewers because they came out perfect with the changes. Here's what I did: replaced shortening with unsalted butter, increased the salt to 1 tsp. and the vanilla to 2 tsp., used a whole bag (2 cups) of choc. chips, one cup coconut, and omitted the nuts. I cooked the bars for 20 minutes, then sprinkled some coconut on top. I ended up cooking them for a total of 32 minutes and the coconut came out nicely browned on top. I will make these again! Just the thing for my gooey, chocolately craving!
I subbed: whole-wheat flour, 1 3/4 cups natural turbinado sugar, Smart Balance 50/50 butter blend, 1 cup (unsweetened!) shredded coconut, 1 1/2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips. UNBELIEVEABLE!!! Rich, yummy, delish. Next time I will sub 1/2 cup rolled oats for 1/2 cup of the flour. Took 30+ minutes to cook.
This is a great recipe! I used sliced almonds instead because the gal I was making them for cannot have walnuts. I put a whole bag of choc. chips and a whole bag of coconut in. It did not look done when the time was up so left them in a little while longer. I had great reviews on this bar. You cannot eat just one!
These turned out perfectly! Very easy to make, and really tasty. They won't last long at our house!
Does need double the salt and vanilla. But good overall. If too sweet for you try using unsweetened coconut (try the health food section of your grocery store - my Fred Meyer (Kroger) sells it in bulk and in the Bob's Red Mill section.) Much less sweet and just keep the sugar the same. I too used butter flavored crisco. Won't be chewy if you use just plain butter. Toasting the nuts and coconut really helps the flavor too.
Good Base Mix for many variations. For my base (sugar, eggs, vanilla, shortening), I mixed 1/2C shortening, 3T butter and 2T margarine as the fat mixture. I find that this type of mixture allows for more flavor and also does well to create a moist batter, chewy texture with some density that doesn't make it too fluffy. I also made mine with Cherry and Butterscotch Chips (instead of the chocolate) and Doubled the Coconut as many others have also done. Mine turned out very well, although a little extra work with some mixing of ingredients I find that to make the ultimate recipe one must mix it up!
I wanted to make this recipe without wheat so I subbed oat flour, and then increased the baking powder to counteract the relative heaviness of oat flour. I don't think I needed to do this, in retrospect, because they turned out like cake! Very delicious cake! I did use 2 cups of brown sugar, but didn't pack it down. Also, I used coconut oil instead of shortening, since it has the same consistency and would bring out the coconut flavor. Only giving four stars because I made so many changes. Hoping this review helps others who may be thinking of going wheat-free or using coconut oil. It came out amazing and I definitely will be making this again!
So good! I followed the advice of other reviewers and increased the salt to 1 tsp, and the vanilla to 2 tsp. I added about a third of a bag of coconut. One thing is to make sure you let these cool completely. I made mine at night and let them cool overnight. Trying to cut into them or eat them any sooner and you will have a gooey (but yummy) mess. I just had one this morning...oh so yummy! This was a great way to get rid of that opened bag of coconut and chocolate chips in the cupboard. One of my favorite flavor combos is coconut and chocolate - thanks for the recipe.
These are INCREDIBLE. WOW. Probably the best bars I've ever had. I agree there wasn't enough coconut. I added 1 1/2 cups to my batch, but even then I could hardly taste it with the other flavours. I recommend toasting the coconut (on 350 for 8-10 minutes) before adding it to the batter. This will highlight the coconut flavour without having it take over everything else.
Yummy! I substituted butter for the shortening and increased the coconut to two cups, per the reviews. These are very good. The dough is a little plain but with all the other stuff in there, that's ok. I think next time I'll add some peanut butter to the batter.
I've made these so many times now. The first time I made them they were great.I wanted to try a couple variations though. The only difference I do is I add in 1/4 tsp of coconut extract and 1/4 tsp of almond extract. Everyone at work absolutely loves these when I make them!
I liked these, but they needed some improvement in my opinion. I doubled the coconut and used milk chocolate chips (because that's what I had on hand). I used about 1.5 tsp of vanilla; I would kick it up to at least 2 tsp next time. I also would use semi-sweet chocolate chips instead of milk; I think that would add more "pop" to the flavor. I sprinkled about 1/2 cup coconut on top after about 20 minutes in the oven. Mine needed to cook much longer than the 20-25 minutes, more like 40 minutes. I agree that they do need to cool completely before cutting. I let them sit overnight and liked the consistency much better in the morning. Not bad, just not spectacular in my book.
These were good. I felt that 1 1/2c sugar would have been too sweet for us combined with the chocolate chips and the coconut so I cut it back to about 3/4c. Next time I would cut the chocolate back to 1c but I'm also not a huge chocolate fan. There was just enough coconut flavor without being overwhelming. Served with a scoop of lite vanilla ice cream. Definitely keep it in mind for next time. Thanks for the recipe
Good chewy bar that isn't overly sweet. I was looking for a coconut bar but didn't want chocolate chips. The reviews seemed to all agree on butter and more coconut. I used white chocolate chips and was careful to not over bake them. They came out great. I plan to make again with white chocolate and macadamia nuts and then with the other suggestions of butterscotch chips. I think several different chip/nut combos would be very good.
More coconut (at least a cup), use butter instead of shortening, add a little more vanilla, and decrease the sugar. Wow, suuuper sweet the first time I made them. I also used milk chocolate chips just because :) very good though!
I love this cookie! I have to say, however that I changed it a bit. Definitely double the coconut and use white chocolate chips instead. I got rave reviews with this version! Thanks!
This is a huge hit at home and in the office at work. I double the coconut and walnuts because my house loves them like crazy. I can't keep it in the house and was hounded to hurry up and make more!!
Delicioso!!!!
Pretty good cookies. They were a little crumbly around the edges and I didn't think the dough part of the recipes was as good as it could have been, but the nuts, coconut and chocolate made up for it
Very easy to make and sooo good...added extra chocolate chips and coconut because we don't like nuts.. this is a keeper!!
Very good. It's like a gooey chocolate cookie with coconut. So moist and delish. Will be making this again and yes I would add extra coconut.
I have made these bars many times and always receive a request for the recipe. They are great and very easy to make!
This was a simple recipe and a definite alternative to brownies or cookies. I did however find them quite dry. Next time a little more chocolate chips and a little less flour.
I followed other suggestions and doubled the salt and the vanilla. I also doubled the coconut, added extra chocolate chips in the batter, and sprinkled chocolate chips on top. In the future I would add even more nuts for more crunch. Great recipe with modifications!
These were good but a bit too gooey in the center for my faste. They also were very rich and a bit too sweet. Better to scale back on the sweetness a little, make sure you cook completely and cut in very small pieces because a little bit goes a long way.
Very good. I took others suggestions and added an extra 1/2 tsp of salt, extra tsp vanilla and extra coconut (1 cup total). I also did not have enough brown sugar so I did 1 cup brown and a 1/2 cup coconut sugar....I didn't think it needed two whole cups anyhow. I also used coconut oil in place of shortening. Everyone in my family is enjoying them!
The batter was good, but I found the actual bars kind of bland, and a bit dry. I don't think I'll be making them again.
These were great with a little alteration to make them healthier. I substituted honey for the sugar and added flax seed and vanilla protein powder which allowed me to cut back on the flour (I used bread flour). I used coconut oil instead of shortening and put it all in a 9x9 pan at 375 degrees for 23 minutes. They came out perfect and yummy!
These were good but not great. I used butter instead of shortening and added 1 cup of coconut. I still feel like it needed more coconut. Next time I'll use 1 1/2 cups of coconut and maybe some coconut extract would help too.
These are so good! They're moist, yet chewy and the combination of the coconut, chocolate chips and walnuts is amazing!
Yummy, yummy, yummy!!! I used butter flavored shortening, upped the coconut to 1 1/2 cups, salt to 1 tsp., and used the whole bag of chocolate chips. Chewy, gooey awesomeness!!!!
I followed this recipe exactly and really liked it. I made a variety of cookies/bars for Christmas this year and this one got rave reviews. Still, I think I agree with other users that it could've used a bit more zip. Not a nut person but will follow other suggestions and add a tad more vanilla and coconut.
These bars are dangerously delicious. I had to freeze half, because I eating them too fast. Lol. I used butter instead of shortening and pecans instead of walnuts. I also used 1 1/2 of coconut and lessened the chocolate to 1/4 cup.
These are WONDERFUL! Thank you to the person who shared this recipe!! I used pecans instead of walnuts and 1 C of coconut and they were delicious!!!
quite good. might be too rich for me. might mix chocolate chips with white chocolate chips. cooking time was longer than what recipe stated.
I used 3/4 cup coconut, 1 whole tsp salt, left out choc chips because I didn't have any, left out one egg because I didn't have any, and decreased the flour/baking soda mixture just a little bit (maybe by about 1/2 cup)and these came out perfect. My whole family literally raved about them and they were gone in one hour. Then everyone asked for more! Next time I think I will try with chocolate chips.
These chewy coconut bars are so good. I used butter since I don't like using shortening (yuck) and I used milk chocolate chips. One of the best bars I've made in a long time.
It was good and easy to make but you couldn't taste the coconut. Next time I'll either omit the coconut or add 1 cup.
Although these bars were moist and cake-y like, all the additives (nuts, chocolates and coconut) were just too much and overwhelmed everyone's taste buds in my family. Sadly, most of the bars just went into the trash.
I thought these were sort of bland, yet my husband thought they were great! I even threw in some extra coconut.
This bars are actually very good. I reduced the recipe to 10 servings and used a 8X13 pan. It yielded about 12 bars which I doubled to 24 by cutting them in squares. Which is still a lot.The sugar amount was just right however I still can reduce it to 1/4c less and it will still be sweet enough. My personal touch was to previously toast the walnuts and the coconut to bring flavors out. It was just perfect. I will make it again.
I don't get it. Where is the "chewy" part? They are good, but taste like pieces of cake. I'm not sure what I did wrong because I did everything the recipe says, except used butter instead of shortening and more coconut and nuts then required. Any help on how I can make this chewier next time?
Calling this a coconut bar is a bit misleading. I used a full cup of coconut, no chocolate chips, and butter instead of shortening. They were delicious with just a faint coconut flavor - more butterscotch or caramel ...yumm!
Next time I will use more coconut & walnuts. All of those I shared this batch with are looking for more LOL
These were really good but I can only give four stars because I made changes. I used all butter because that's what I had on hand. I used 1 cup coconut, 1 cup chocolate chips, 2 tsp. vanilla and 1 tsp. salt. I ended up cooking them about 10 minutes extra but my oven tends to be slow. These were good enough that next time I will leave out the chocolate chips.
I followed the advise of many other reviews and I substituted butter for the shortening and I added more coconut. They turned out amazing!! I will definitely make these agin
This is a blondie. I make them with unsweetened coconut (all I can get in Zimbabwe) and pecans. Don't over bake. They're nicest when they're chewy.
I was so excited to find this recipe, I had some leftover coconut I wanted to use but I didn't want a recipe with sweetened condensed milk, like most of the coconut bars include. I changed it a bit, I used 1/2 vegetable oil 1/2 butter, one bag of chocolate chips (11.5oz) and about one cup coconut (it was a bit more than 1/2 a bag) I also used about 1/2 a cup of pecans and didn't have vanilla extract (which I put in EVERYTHING whether it calls for it or not!) so I used 2 tsp. almond extract. They came out very chewy and delicious. The things that keep it from being 5 stars are things that are my fault, really. I don't like almond extract and although it seems to enhance the coconut flavor it seems to predominate the bars, of course that was my fault. Next time I will do everything the way I did this time except I will use 1 cup of pecans, 2 tsp. vanilla extract and 1/2 chocolate chips, 1/2 peanut butter chips. Then it will absolutely be the best cookie bar ever, for me.
This is a great base for a bar recipe....especially if you love coconut like we do! So of course I added more coconut, had a handful of dried cranberries so added them, and I always use butter instead of shortening.
Use butter flavored shortening. I added 1 cup of coconut and no nuts (due to family intolerance) and this came out great.
My husband loved these! I did as others suggested and doubled the vanilla, salt and coconut and used a full cup of walnuts. I also used butter flavored shortening. I think the extra nuts and coconut are what made these more than just a chocolate chip cookie in a bar form. I will be making these again.
These are great! I love coconut so I slightly more than doubled the coconut and only used 1/2C of butter and half the brown sugar. Broke up a large bar of Ghirardelli semi-sweet chocolate for a chunk instead of chip and 10x10 for a little bit thicker bar.
I LOVED the coconut in these bars. The only complaint I'd make is that they got dry pretty fast, so eat as many as you can when they come out of the oven!!
These were pretty good. I used butter instead of shortening, doubled the vanilla and used 1 1/2 cups of coconut. I cooked them for longer than 25 minutes and they turned out quite gooey. Good flavor though.
These were good and moist. I cooked mine in Stoneware so I cooked closer to 30 minutes and still perfectly chewy! Thing I changed were using milk chocolate morsels, rather than semi-sweet and I used 3/4 cup milk chocolate morsels and 3/4 cup of white chocolate morsels as that is what I had on hand..And I used chopped pecans instead of walnuts. These are VERY rich! And tasty.
These were very good but I should have taken them out of the oven a few minutes before I did. I will make these again.
I thought these bars were delicious and so did everyone who ate one today. In my opinion, though, there wasn't enough coconut in them to call them chewy or coconut. They were more like a chocolate chip bar cookie with a little coconut in them. I will increase it to at least a cup the next time I make them.
This recipe is delicious when made with the recommended changes. Definitely need to at least double the amount of coconut in it. I left out the nuts and used half vanilla extract half almond extract. I also found that cooking it for 30 minutes was perfect. Not under baked and not over baked. More like a cookie bar, which I like! I will make again with the above changes every time.
2-1/4 cups shredded coconut or at least 1 full cup. Please! Decrease the packed brown sugar by 1/4 cup. Use salted butter. Double the vanilla. A spoonful of corn syrup will improve chewiness!
Sooooo good...I too used butter and added extra coconut (about 1 1/2 cups total).
Followed the recommendations of others and added more coconut. I used half the sugar, with a stevia and raw sugar blend. The kids loved it! Thank you for the easy and yummy recipe.
I made my own sweetened condensed milk and I also used half dark chocolate chips and half semi sweet, I layered whole graham crackers over the graham cracker crumbs and my recipe turned out delicious and extra crunchy......
Wonderfully moist, chewy, and delicious! I substituted the butter for the shortening as suggested by others. Topped batter with extra chips, coconut, and nuts. I also drizzled a small amount of sweetened condensed milk over top after 10 minutes of baking time. Baked on lower rack of oven for 25 minutes.
Pretty good, was just a little disappointed that it wasnt as chewy as I had initially hoped. Came out a little cake-like. Will try some of the suggestions to make this better the next time I bake it
Oh my word this recipe is so sweet! I only used 1 and 1/2 cups of sugar since I followed the recommendation by others to add more sweetened coconut and I was worried about too much sugar. And I had reason to be worried because the bars were overly sweet to my taste. Otherwise the texture and the taste were good... I followed the recipe other than than those two modifications.
