Love lemon bars? Then you have to try this tropical twist. These Coconut Lemon Bars marry a chewy coconut shortbread crust with a rich, tangy lemon filling for a treat that's sweet, tart, and impossible to stop eating. Perfect for make-ahead desserts or stashing in the freezer for lemon emergencies.
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You know those lemon bars that make you close your eyes for a second because they're just that good? Yeah, these are even better.
The secret is in the crust. We swap out a plain shortbread for a coconut shortbread that bakes up with the perfect chew and just enough tropical flavor to make people go, "What's in here?" without being overpowering. It's a simple upgrade, but one that makes a big difference.
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Why you'll love this recipe
- Double citrus punch: Both juice and zest mean no wimpy lemon flavor here.
- Chewy, flavorful crust: Coconut adds texture and depth that takes these above your standard issue lemon bar. (It's the secret ingredient no one knew they needed!)
- Make-ahead magic: Chill, slice and serve later. Or freeze for a rainy day treat. They defrost beautifully.
- Friends go "oooooh!": You didn't invent it, but it looks and tastes like dessert genius.
Ingredients & Substitutions
You'll find everything you need to make these coconut lemon bars in one trip to the grocery store.
Ingredient Notes:
- Cold, unsalted butter: Keeps your crust flaky and textured. If using salted, skip any extra salt.
- Fresh lemon juice & zest: Bottled just doesn't compare here. It's all about that real citrus kick. Feeling adventurous? Try lime juice and zest for a key lime vibe.
- Coconut: The standard bag of sweetened, flaked coconut from the baking aisle is exactly what you need. Toasting it adds just a hint of nuttiness.
- Flour: All-purpose is standard, but a good 1:1 gluten-free blend (like King Arthur's Measure for Measure or Bob's Red Mill 1-to-1 Baking Flour) works well, too.
Instructions
Toast the coconut
Preheat the oven and toast the flakes until golden. Watch them - they go from golden to burnt fast.
Make the crust
Blitze crust ingredients in a food processor until sandy. Press into a lined 8×8 pan and bake.
Mix the Lemon layer
Blend the lemon juice, zest and the rest of the filling and pour over hot crust.
Bake
Bake until center is just set and bounces back. Tent with foil if it browns too fast. Cool completely and dust with powdered sugar before serving.
FAQs
Yes. They're fine on the counter for a few hours, but store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge.
They "look" best within 2-3 days but are still tasty beyond that.
Yep! Wrap each bar tightly or layer them with parchment. Keep for up to 2 months. Thaw in the fridge and dust with powdered sugar right before serving.
Use the parchment paper to lift the whole block of bars out of the pan and onto a cutting board. Grab a sharp knife, warm it under hot water, and wipe it dry. Do this before every single cut until you're done.
Helpful tips we swear by
- Toast with TLC. Coconut goes from golden to dark in seconds. Keep a close eye on it.
- Always zest before juicing your lemons (Ever tried to zest a juiced lemon half? It's not easy!). You'll need 2-4 lemons for this recipe, depending on the size of your lemons.
- Line your pan with parchment AND spray it. Seems like overkill but lemon bars really like to stick to the pan.
- Rinse and reuse your food processor bowl. Use it for the crust and the filling to make cleanup easier.
- Glass vs metal pan: Glass pans help you see browning better but metal pans give you crispier edges. Choose your texture vibe.
- Check the bars halfway through baking time. If they are browning too quickly, tent the pan with foil and return to the oven.
- Cool completely first. Cutting too soon? Your bars will crack. Let it chill and set.
- Dust with powdered sugar at the last minute so it stays visible and pretty.
More lemon desserts
We're not the only ones who love lemons. Check out our most popular lemon dessert recipes below:
Want more dessert inspo? We have even more dessert recipes in our archives.
Made this? Loved it? Tell us everything!
Leave a quick star rating and comment below so we can trade tips and cheer each other on.
Who knows? Your twist might become someone else's new favorite!
Recipe
Coconut Lemon Bars
Equipment
Ingredients
Crust:
- ⅓ cup sweetened flaked coconut
- 1 cup flour
- ¼ cup sugar
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 6 tablespoons chilled unsalted butter, cubed
Filling:
- 1 ½ cups sugar
- 4 large eggs
- ½ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 2 packed tablespoons grated lemon zest
- 2 teaspoons flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- Pinch of salt
Topping:
- ½ cup powdered sugar
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Instructions
To make the crust:
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line an 8 x 8 pan with enough parchment paper so that there is some overlap on the sides (to help lift the bars out of the pan later). Spray paper with cooking spray. Set aside.
- Spread coconut on a sheet pan and bake until golden brown, shaking the pan every few minutes as needed. This should take about 10 minutes. Allow coconut to cool.⅓ cup sweetened flaked coconut
- Place flour, sugar and salt in the bowl of a food processor and pulse to combine. Add coconut and butter and process until the mixture resembles a fine meal. Pour into pan and press crust into even layer. Bake for 25 minutes or until crust is starting to turn golden brown.1 cup flour, ¼ cup sugar, ¼ teaspoon salt, 6 tablespoons chilled unsalted butter,
To make the filling:
- While the crust is baking, rinse the food processor bowl and add all of the filling ingredients into it. Mix thoroughly. Take crust out of oven and gently pour filling over hot crust. Return to oven and bake for another 25-30 minutes or until the center starts to spring back when touched. You may have to tent with foil about halfway through the baking time if the top of your bars is browning faster than you'd like.1 ½ cups sugar, 4 large eggs, ½ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice, 2 packed tablespoons grated lemon zest, 2 teaspoons flour, 1 teaspoon baking powder, Pinch of salt
- Remove from oven and cool completely on wire rack. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours.
- When ready to serve, lift parchment from the pan and cut bars. Sift powdered sugar over bars, if desired.½ cup powdered sugar
Notes
- Shake the pan every few minutes when toasting the coconut to ensure even toasting.
- Skip the bottled lemon juice (with preservatives) and squeeze your own lemon juice for best flavor.
- Lemon bars generally tend to stick to the pan so be sure to thoroughly line your pan with parchment as well as spray the paper with cooking spray for easy removal.
- Check the bars halfway through baking time. If they are browning too quickly, tent with foil.
- Dust bars with powdered sugar just before serving so the sugar isn't absorbed into the lemon filling.
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Nutrition
Nutrition info not guaranteed to be accurate.
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