A bite of these delightful lemon bars is like tasting sunshine. They’re simply irresistible with their thick coconut cookie crust and lusciously tart lemon filling. They make the perfect make-ahead dessert to brighten up any occasion, and they’re surprisingly easy to prepare with ingredients you’re likely to have on hand.
Rich, buttery, coconut shortbread crust is topped with a tangy lemon custard-like filling, then baked to golden perfection.
This cheerful take on classic lemon bars features the heavenly combination of lemon and coconut. Their appearance might be deceiving; these pretty bars are tart and bold, with the perfect ratio of cookie crust to lemon filling.
You don’t need any fancy ingredients or kitchen tools and the recipe is so simple to make. Most of your time will be spent twiddling your thumbs waiting for them to cool so you can dig in!
Tips for the most delicious lemon bars
Although they’re easy to make, here are a few tips we’ve learned for making them extra delicious:
- Use fresh lemon juice . This is an occasion when fresh lemon juice is better than bottled.
- Wash the lemons before zesting them . Most citrus fruit has a wax on the skin that can inhibit their flavor. Washing helps to remove the wax but if you really want to get it off, soak the lemons in water with a bit of apple cider vinegar then rinse them and wipe them dry with a towel. Organic lemons also tend to have less wax than conventional so this could be a time to opt for organic.
- Don’t skimp on sugar . It can be tempting to reduce the amount of sugar but it plays an important role of adding moisture and keeping the bars from cracking.
- Don’t over-mix the filling . To keep a light, airy filling, avoid over-mixing.
- Allow them to cool completely . The lemon filling needs time to set before these bars are ready to be sliced. At room temperature, they’ll take about an hour to cool completely. We know it will be so hard to wait, but it’s so worth it!
When to serve lemon bars with coconut shortbread crust
These lemon bars make the perfect dessert to brighten any occasion. They’re easy to make-ahead and we love to bring them to bridal showers, baby showers, birthday parties, and picnics. It’s also nice to just have them around the house to enjoy with afternoon tea. And they also make a wonderful Easter dessert!
Storage and freezing
- Storage : They will last for about 6 days in an air-tight container in the fridge.
- Freezing : Lemon bars freeze wonderfully. Simply allow them to cool completely and make sure to store them in a tightly sealed container. They will keep for up to 3 months! When you’re ready to eat them, remove them from the freezer and allow them to come to room temperature.
Lemon Coconut Bars Recipe
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Ingredients
Crust
- ▢ 1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
- ▢ ⅓ cup brown sugar
- ▢ ½ teaspoon salt
- ▢ 1 cup sweetened flaked coconut
- ▢ ½ cup cold unsalted butter (cut into 1-inch cubes)
- ▢ ¼ cup coconut oil
Filling
- ▢ 1 ¼ cups granulated sugar
- ▢ 5 large eggs
- ▢ ½ cup + 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- ▢ 4 teaspoons lemon zest (from 2 large lemons)
- ▢ 4 teaspoons all-purpose flour
- ▢ 1 pinch salt
- ▢ Powdered sugar (to serve)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line 9×9-inch metal baking pan with parchment paper, leaving a little overhang. Combine flour, brown sugar, and salt in a food processor and pulse to mix. Add the coconut, butter, and coconut oil and process until the mixture is crumbly and begins to clump together. 1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour, ⅓ cup brown sugar, ½ teaspoon salt, 1 cup sweetened flaked coconut, ½ cup cold unsalted butter, ¼ cup coconut oil
- Spread the crust mixture into the bottom of the prepared pan and press down so it forms a crust. Bake crust until golden at edges, about 20 minutes.
- In a large bowl, whisk the sugar, eggs, lemon juice, lemon zest, flour, and salt. 1 ¼ cups granulated sugar, 5 large eggs, ½ cup + 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, 4 teaspoons lemon zest, 4 teaspoons all-purpose flour, 1 pinch salt
- Pour filling evenly over hot crust then return the pan to oven and bake until filling is just set and springy to touch in the center, about 20 minutes. Transfer pan to rack and let the pan cool completely.
- Using the parchment paper as an aid, transfer the lemon bars to a work surface then cut them into 16 bars. If you’d like, sift a little powdered sugar over the top.
Nutrition
We have thoroughly tested this recipe for accuracy. However, individual results may vary. See our full recipe disclosure here .
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Lemon Coconut Bars Recipe
Ingredients
Crust
- 1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
- ⅓ cup brown sugar
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup sweetened flaked coconut
- ½ cup cold unsalted butter , cut into 1-inch cubes
- ¼ cup coconut oil
Filling
- 1 ¼ cups granulated sugar
- 5 large eggs
- ½ cup + 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 4 teaspoons lemon zest , from 2 large lemons
- 4 teaspoons all-purpose flour
- 1 pinch salt
- Powdered sugar , to serve
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line 9x9-inch metal baking pan with parchment paper, leaving a little overhang. Combine flour, brown sugar, and salt in a food processor and pulse to mix. Add the coconut, butter, and coconut oil and process until the mixture is crumbly and begins to clump together. 1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour, ⅓ cup brown sugar, ½ teaspoon salt, 1 cup sweetened flaked coconut, ½ cup cold unsalted butter, ¼ cup coconut oil
- Spread the crust mixture into the bottom of the prepared pan and press down so it forms a crust. Bake crust until golden at edges, about 20 minutes.
- In a large bowl, whisk the sugar, eggs, lemon juice, lemon zest, flour, and salt. 1 ¼ cups granulated sugar, 5 large eggs, ½ cup + 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, 4 teaspoons lemon zest, 4 teaspoons all-purpose flour, 1 pinch salt
- Pour filling evenly over hot crust then return the pan to oven and bake until filling is just set and springy to touch in the center, about 20 minutes. Transfer pan to rack and let the pan cool completely.
- Using the parchment paper as an aid, transfer the lemon bars to a work surface then cut them into 16 bars. If you’d like, sift a little powdered sugar over the top.
