Coconut Pineapple Bars

Springtime is here….sort of.

Texas weather is highly unpredictable. But that’s okay.

Over the weekend, Bryan and his dad hooked my stove up. Now I can cook in the house! And of course I had to bake something!

I came across these island experience bars a few months ago on Facebook, posted it on my wall and proceeded to forget about it. It was 22 degrees outside, and the islands were definitely not calling me. Then these bars started popping up on all the recipe pages and I was like, “Oh right, I should totally make these.”

If you don’t like coconut, you are definitely not Carribean (or Hawaiian, basically an Islander). I wasn’t raised or born on an island, but I have yet to meet a Puerto Rican that doesn’t like coconut. Or pineapple.

Puerto Rico created the pina colada! And what’s a pina colada? Pineapple and coconut. I should have renamed it a pina colada bar but there isn’t any cream in it.

Coconut Pineapple Bars

Crust Ingredients:

1/2 cup butter, melted
1/3 cup light brown sugar
1 cup flour

Filling Ingredients:

2 eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon lime juice
1/3 cup light brown sugar
1/4 cup flour
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup crushed pineapple, drained
1 cup shredded sweetened coconut

Topping:

1/4 cup shredded sweetened coconut.

Directions

Combine the crust ingredients in a small bowl square pan.

Spray a square baking tin with cooking spray and press the crust mixture into the bottom of the tin. Bake at 350 for 12 minutes.

Take out of oven and let it cool down for 10 minutes. You can make the filling during this time.

Place the pineapple and shredded coconut in a bowl.

Sprinkle with flour, brown sugar and salt. Stir to coat.

Mix together the eggs, vanilla and lime in a separate bowl.

Stir egg mixture into the pineapple mixture.

Pour the filling over the crust and top with the remaining coconut.

Bake for 25 minutes. Let cool completely before slicing.

Makes 16 bars. Calories: 180, Carbohydrates: 22 grams, Sugar: 10 grams, Fiber: 1 gram, Protein: 3 grams.

The islands are in my mouth and my tastebuds are enjoying a pina colada near the ocean. I can hear the island drums playing.

This would convert anyone who doesn’t like pineapple or coconut to one that does.

The only request Bryan had was, “Make sure it comes out moist.” when I asked him what he wanted to bake. This is by far the moistest bar I have even eaten.

I love it. The toasted coconut with a caramelized pineapple on a shortbread like crust. Who could say no? No one!

And then I could smell it on my hands for the rest of the night despite the fact that the puppies kept licking my hands.

If you want you could always keep the drained juice for later. Make your morning orange juice tropical or something.

I reduced the amount to coconut for the topping, as well as the amount of sugar in the crust. There is such a thing as too much coconut. And I wanted an even balance of the pineapple and coconut.