Coconut Cherry Bars
There are recipes that I look at and know I will love. ‘Loving them’ was not my first thought, when I came across Coconut Cherry Bars in my recipe box. The recipe came from my cousin’s grandmother, who is a fabulous baker, yet I wasn’t sure how it would come together.
Fortunately for all of us, I gave it a shot. Coconut Cherry Bars are not good; they are great!
The aroma in the kitchen, as the crust bakes, reminds me of a butter cookie; and once the topping goes into the oven, the toasted coconut aroma hits in a mouthwatering way. The appearance at first glance is fairly plain. Yet, the dried cherries give the bars a beautiful ‘pop’ with their striking red color.
I tried one and fell in love. Knowing that it is important to get the opinion of others as well, I started sending bars to bakers around my area.
Guess what? I discovered that not only do I have friends who know their way around a kitchen, but they also have fabulous taste. The resounding feedback was, “I want more!”
So hurry up and get into your kitchen to whip up a batch. This is another very easy recipe that will pose a dilemma…to share or not to share…that is the question!
| Coconut Cherry Bars | | Print |
- Crust:
- 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
- 3 tablespoons sugar
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- Topping:
- ¼ cup all purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 2 eggs, slightly beaten
- ¾ cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1-1/3 cups shredded coconut
- ½ cup dried cherries, chopped
- For the crust:
- Preheat oven to 350°. Butter an 8” x 8” baking pan and set aside.
- Blend the butter and sugar together in a mixing bowl. Add flour and blend well. Transfer the crust to the prepared pan and press evenly into the bottom.
- Bake at 350° for 25 minutes.
- For the topping:
- While the crust bakes, whisk together ¼ cup flour, baking powder and salt in a small bowl.
- In a separate bowl, gradually add sugar to slightly beaten eggs. Add vanilla followed by flour mixture. Stir in coconut and chopped cherries.
- Once the crust comes out of the oven, spread the topping over the crust. Bake at 350° for 35 minutes.
- Cut into bars while still warm. Cool completely before removing them from the pan.
