Fudgy Peanut Butter Coconut Bars

Several layered peanut butter coconut cookie bars on a marble surface.

Fudgy Peanut Butter Coconut Bars

These Fudgy Peanut Butter Coconut Bars pair a rich, fudgy peanut butter cookie layer with a golden, chewy-crispy coconut macaroon topping. Easy to make, not too sweet, and seriously satisfying.

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 45

Chill Time 4 30

Total Time 5 35

Servings bars

Calories 189kcal

Author Jennifer Field

Equipment

Ingredients

For the Peanut Butter Layer

56 grams butter 2 oz or 4 Tbsp, salted or unsalted, very soft
68 grams granulated sugar 2.4 ounces or about 1/3 cup
68 grams dark brown sugar 2.4 oz or about 1/3 cup, lightly packed
160 grams creamy peanut butter 5.6 oz or about 2/3 cup, such as Jif, Skippy, or Peter Pan
2 egg yolks
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
⅜ teaspoon kosher salt I use Morton's. If using Diamond Crystal, use a scant 3/4 teaspoon. If using fine salt, use a scant 1/4 teaspoon
¼ teaspoon baking soda
68 grams bread flour 2.4 oz or about 1/2 cup

For the Coconut Macaroon Layer

110 grams sweetened condensed milk 3.9 oz or about 1/3 cup
2 egg whites
40 grams granulated sugar 1.4 oz or about 3 Tablespoons
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
⅛ teaspoon kosher salt
140 grams unsweetened shredded coconut 4.9 oz or about 1 3/4 cups

To Finish

1-2 pinches flaky finishing salt such as Maldon

For Optional Peanut Butter Drizzle

60 grams peanut butter chips 2.1 oz or 1/3 cup
1 ½ teaspoons coconut oil 6 grams, refined or unrefined

Instructions

Mise en Place

Set a rack in the center of the oven. Preheat to 325° F/ 163° C. Line an 8" x 8" (20 x 20 cm) pan with parchment, cut or folded to fit across the bottom and up the sides of the pan.

For the Peanut Butter Layer

In a small bowl, whisk the baking soda and bread flour together. Set aside.
Use a spoon, whisk, or hand mixer to cream softened butter with the sugar and dark brown sugar until smooth.
Add peanut butter, 2 yolks, vanilla, and salt and cream together until uniform.
Stir in the bread flour mixture by hand until evenly mixed.
Scrape the dough into the pan in blobs. Use an offset spatula to spread out evenly.
Refrigerate for 30 minutes.

For the Macaroon Layer

In a medium bowl, combine sweetened condensed milk, egg whites, sugar, vanilla, and salt until smooth and evenly combined.
Add the coconut and stir together to evenly moisten.

To Layer and Bake

Make sure the chilled base is as smooth as you can make it.
Evenly blob on the coconut mixture, and then use an offset spatula to spread it evenly, connecting all the blobs and pressing gently to compact the layer.
Sprinkle on a pinch or two of flaky salt, just enough to get a couple of flakes on each bar.
Bake in the preheated oven for 40-45 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through if your oven tends to have hot spots. When fully baked, the coconut will be medium golden brown around the edges and a nice, light golden brown across the surface. Shoot for an internal temperature of 195° - 200° F / 91° - 93° C. NOTE: If the coconut is browning a bit faster than you'd like, you can loosely tent the pan with foil for the last 10 minutes of baking.
Allow to cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then use the parchment to remove the bars to a rack to cool completely. Cover and chill for several hours or overnight before slicing.

For the Optional Peanut Butter Drizzle

In a small, microwave-safe bowl, combine the peanut butter chips and coconut oil.
Microwave in 15-second bursts, stirring between each burst, until the mixture is smooth.
Load into a zip-top bag, and cut the tiniest possible corner off.
Drizzle evenly with the peanut butter glaze. NOTE: Glaze after chilling the bars and right before slicing.

Notes

Sweetened coconut: This recipe is formulated for unsweetened coconut. If using sweetened shredded coconut, reduce or omit the 40 grams of granulated sugar in the macaroon layer according to your taste.
For clean slices: Chill the bars for several hours or overnight before slicing with a large, sharp knife. They can be served chilled or allowed to come to room temperature. They are also most excellent heated for just a few seconds in the microwave before serving.

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