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coconut cookie bars
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5 from 2 votes

Coconut Cookie Bars

Coconut cookie bars are the perfect way to satisfy your sweet tooth! These coconut dessert treats start with a layer of chocolate lovers chocolate chip cookie dough, a layer of homemade custard and are finished with coconut and meringue. Perfect all year round, but they make adorable Easter desserts!
Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time35 minutes
Total Time40 minutes
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: coconut cookie bars
Servings: 12
Calories: 344kcal

Ingredients

For the custard:

  • 4 cups milk
  • 3 egg yolks yolks & whites separated
  • 2 tablespoon cornstarch
  • ½ cup sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla

For the topping:

  • 1 cup coconut, shredded & sweetened divided.
  • 3 tablespoon sugar
  • 3 egg whites

Instructions

To make the cookie layer:

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray a baking pan (9x13) with non-stick cooking spray.
  • Remove Nestlé® Toll House® Ultimates Chocolate Chip Lovers cookie dough bars from package, and smush down to cover the bottom of the baking pan. 
  • Place in oven and bake for 10-12 minutes, until the edges just begin to brown. Keep in mind, You'll bake these more later, so it's okay if they are still a bit gooey. Keep on a cooling rack while you are making the custard.
  • In anticipation of the meringue stage, turn oven up to 400 degrees

To make the custard:

  • In a medium saucepan, combine the sugar, vanilla and milk. Place over a medium heat, and stir. 
  • While the milk mixture is coming to temperature (keep stirring, don't neglect it!), lightly beat the egg yolks with the cornstarch making a nice creamy mixture. When the milk is just begining to warm, add about ½ cup very slowly to the egg mixture. Mix well, and quickly so that the eggs don't scramble. Transfer a bit more milk mixture, and then once well mixed, transfer the egg mixture to the saucepan. 
  • Continue cooking. You'll be stirring and stirring and stirring. It will bubble up and you will think it's taking forever. It is. But really it should only take 10-15 minutes. Eventually you'll reach that magic moment where it suddenly thickens up. You'll know it when you see it. 
  • To test and make sure, coat the back of your spoon with the mixture and run your finger through it to make a line. Move the spoon around. If the line stays, it's done!
  • Set the custard aside for a moment, and sprinkle ½ cup of coconut over the cookie crust. Then pour the custard on top of that. Sprinkle the remaining coconut on top of the custard.

To make the meringue:

  • In a large bowl, begin whipping the egg whites with a hand mixer. You'll want to incorporate as much air in as you can. Very slowly, add in the 3 tbsps on sugar, one at a time. Keep beating the eggs until peaks begin to form. The mixture should be glossy and shiny.
  • You can drop blobs of the meringue mixture on top of the custard, or you can pipe the meringue to give yourself a bit more control. I used Wilton tip #195. There are enough egg whites to cover the whole dish, I just left the edges raw for the photos.
  • Make sure you changed the oven over to 400 degrees.
  • Place the baking pan in the oven on the middle rack and bake for about 15 minutes. Keep an eye on your meringues, so that they do not over brown.
  • Place on a cooling rack and cool for about a half hour. Then transfer to a refrigerator.
  • Serve very cold. ENJOY!

TO MAKE THE BUNNY EASTER CUPS!

  • Bake each cookie in a single ramekin. I baked for 12-14 minutes because I wanted the cookies to be cooked all the way through since I was skipping the meringue stage.
  • Make the custard exactly the same. I didn't put a layer of coconut in between the cookie crust and custard because I needed a lot of "grass" on the top level.
  • Place about ⅓ cup of the custard in each of the 12 ramekins
  • Top with a portion of colored coconut, place a few jelly bean eggs on top, and finish with a bunny rabbit party pick

Nutrition

Calories: 344kcal | Carbohydrates: 42g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 61mg | Sodium: 202mg | Potassium: 162mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 16g | Vitamin A: 195IU | Vitamin C: 0.1mg | Calcium: 100mg | Iron: 0.4mg