Julie Clark
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Blueberry Coconut Bars
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Flakes of coconut and bursts of tart berries are in every bite of these Blueberry Coconut Bars. The batter is the crust and the topping to keep it easy…and don’t forget the glaze!
If there’s one dessert I can’t resist, it is a homemade bar cookie with fruit filling. Cherry pie bars and almond raspberry bars are two that immediately get devoured when I make them.
I decided we need to take that recipe and switch it up a bit with something new. And the result?? Blueberry coconut bars. I’m 100% sure you’ll LOVE them.
What you’ll love about this blueberry coconut bars recipe:
- The batter comes together easily, it’s a dream to work with, and best of all…it lends itself to so many possibilities.
- coconut flakes and cream of coconut in the bars
- sweet blueberries, macerated to bring out flavor
- sweet glaze
The first bite is heaven. And so is the fifth. The consistency is that of a soft moist cake with bites of sweetened coconut flakes and bursts of tart blueberries. Seriously. You’re going to love these blueberry coconut bars!
Is coconut good with blueberries?
The natural sweetness and tropical flavor of coconut complement the tart, juicy blueberries nicely. You could combine them in various recipes, like muffins, cakes, smoothies, or even in a crumble topping.
Ingredients for Blueberry Coconut Bars
- Blueberries. I recommend fresh blueberries for this blueberry filling. If you only have frozen, thaw them completely and drain off any liquid.
- Butter. Always use real butter over margarine for the best results.
- Coconut cream. This adds to the coconut flavor. If you don’t have coconut cream, use coconut milk or heavy cream.
✨ See the recipe card below for full ingredients and amounts. ✨
How to Make Blueberry Coconut Bars
- Macerate the blueberries. What is macerating? It is a process where natural fruit juices are expelled quickly with the aid of sugar. This enhances the flavor of the blueberries. Sprinkle sugar over the cleaned berries in a medium bowl. Stir gently to coat and set aside uncovered for about an hour or so.
- Mix wet ingredients. In a bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment over medium/high speed. Cream the butter, sugar, and salt until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes or so.
- Add eggs. Add eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Stop and scrape the mixer to incorporate. Make sure you scrape the bottom of the mixer. Reduce the speed to low. Add the vanilla extract and sweetened cream of coconut. Mix briefly to combine.
- Add the dry ingredients. Add the flour in two parts, mixing until just combined. Stop and remove bowl from mixer. Fold in the sweetened coconut flakes but do not over mix. A couple folds is all you need. You will end up with a nice stiff batter.
- Prepare the bottom batter. Lightly spray a 9×13 dish and line with parchment paper leaving a slight overhang. Measure 3 ½ cups of batter and drop into prepared pan. Smooth and even out as best you can with a small offset spatula. It doesn’t have to be perfect.
- Assemble the bars. Drop spoonfuls of macerated blueberries, along with any syrup, onto the batter and spread them as even as you can. With a cookie scoop, drop random spoonfuls of remaining batter over the blueberry mixture. No need to smooth it out. It will spread as it bakes.
- Bake the bars. It will take about 30-35 minutes for the bars to bake. Allow the bars to cool before removing them from the pan. They will be soft and cake like!
- Make the glaze. In a small bowl, combine the confectioners’ sugar, vanilla extract, and cream of coconut. Add the milk 1 tablespoon at a time and mix with either a small whisk or a fork until you get the desired consistency. Pour the glaze over the cooled blueberry coconut bars.
Storage Instructions
Store the blueberry coconut bars in an airtight container at room temperature. You can keep them at room temperature for up to 48 hours. If you have them after that, store them in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. These freeze well too!
Blueberry Coconut Bars
Flakes of coconut and bursts of tart berries are in every bite of these Blueberry Coconut Bars. Spring isn’t quite here, but these bars bring us closer!
Servings 20 servings
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 55 minutes
Ingredients
For the macerated blueberries:
- 2 pints blueberries
- 4 tablespoons granulated sugar
For the bars:
- 1 cup unsalted butter (at room temperature)
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 4 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon sweetened cream of coconut (I used Coco Lopez)
- 3 cups all-purpose flour (scooped then leveled)
- 1 cup sweetened coconut flakes
For the glaze:
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 teaspoons sweetened cream of coconut (I used Coco Lopez)
- 2-3 tablespoons milk
Instructions
Macerate the blueberries:
- Rinse the blueberries and place them in a large bowl. Sprinkle sugar over the berries. Mix briefly with a spatula and set aside uncovered for about an hour or so. 2 pints blueberries, 4 tablespoons granulated sugar
Bake the batter:
- Preheat the oven to 350º Fahrenheit. Lightly spray a 9×13" baking dish and line with parchment leaving a slight overhang. Set aside.
- In a bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment over medium/high speed. Cream the butter, sugar, and salt until light and fluffy. This should take about 2-3 minutes or so. 1 cup unsalted butter, 2 cups granulated sugar, 1 teaspoon salt
- Add eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Stop and scrape the mixer to incorporate. Make sure you scrape the bottom of the mixer. Reduce the speed to low. Add the vanilla extract and sweetened cream of coconut*. Mix briefly to combine. 4 large eggs, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 1 tablespoon sweetened cream of coconut
- Add the flour in two parts, mixing until just combined. Stop and remove bowl from mixer. Fold in the sweetened coconut flakes. Fold the batter a couple of times to incorporate any dry bits that remain on the bottom of the bowl, but do not over mix. A couple folds is all you need. You will end up with a nice stiff batter. 3 cups all-purpose flour, 1 cup sweetened coconut flakes
- Measure about 3 ½ cups of batter and drop into prepared pan. Smooth and even out as best you can with a small offset spatula. It doesn’t have to be perfect.
- Drop spoonfuls of macerated blueberries onto the batter and spread them as even as you can. Drizzle evenly any blueberry syrup that has accumulated at the bottom of the bowl.
- With a cookie scoop, drop random spoonfuls of remaining batter over the macerated blueberries. No need to smooth it out. It will melt and come together as it bakes.
- Place pan in the oven and bake for 30 – 35 minutes until the top is a golden brown and the blueberries are bubbling a bit. Remove dish (or pan) from the oven and allow it to cool completely before removing from the dish and glazing.
Make the glaze:
- In a small bowl, combine the confectioners' sugar, vanilla extract, and cream of coconut. Add the milk 1 tablespoon at a time and mix with either a small whisk or a fork until you get the desired consistency. 1 cup powdered sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 1 ½ teaspoons sweetened cream of coconut, 2-3 tablespoons milk
- Lifting the parchment overhang, remove bars from the dish. Cut the bars into squares and drizzle glaze over the bars. Top with blueberries if desired. You know, to make this situation look purty and whatnot.
Notes
The calories shown are based on the bars being cut into 20 pieces, with 1 serving being 1 bar. Since different brands of ingredients have different nutritional information, the calories shown are just an estimate. **We are not dietitians and recommend you seek a nutritionist for exact nutritional information.**
Nutrition
Calories: 326kcal | Carbohydrates: 52g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Cholesterol: 61mg | Sodium: 225mg | Potassium: 92mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 34g | Vitamin A: 365IU | Vitamin C: 4.6mg | Calcium: 16mg | Iron: 1.3mg
I made these today with apples. They came out well. Thank you for the recipe !
my husband is a diabetic can i use splenda to macerate the Blueberries
In your recipe details you state about adding the vanilla extract but in your written instructions you say vanilla bean paste…which to use?
Another yum. Thank you. You have the best recipes.