Grandma’s Coconut Chews
Grandma’s Coconut Chews are bar cookies built on two clear layers. A chewy coconut filling sits on top of a buttery shortbread crust, and the contrast between the two is the whole point. The base is firm and lightly sweet.
The topping is soft, moist, and generous with shredded coconut, so a single square goes a long way toward satisfying a coconut craving.
The recipe comes from the author’s grandmother, and the original notes describe it as one of only a few things that grandmother made. That detail says a lot about how good it is. It is also called incredibly simple, which fits. The crust uses three ingredients, the filling uses five, and neither one needs a mixer.
There is a gluten free chapter to the story as well. The author had not made these bars in years, then baked a gluten free version for friends and family. It was an enormous hit and the most talked about dessert at that gathering.
Only the crust flour changes in that version, so the chewy coconut topping stays exactly the same. The author counts these among the best coconut treats they make and plans to bake them again soon.
That kind of recipe earns a permanent spot in a home baker’s rotation. It is quick enough for a weeknight, familiar enough for a potluck, and just different enough that people ask what is in the topping.
If you like coconut in bar form, these sit nicely beside other Chewy Coconut Dessert Bars on the site. Between the two, there is plenty of reason to keep a bag of shredded coconut in the pantry.
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Coconut Chews Recipe
This is a two stage bake, and both stages are short. The oven goes to 350 degrees, and an 8×8 pan gets greased with butter or lined with parchment. Parchment makes lifting the whole slab out easier, while butter gives the edges a slightly crisper finish. Either approach works.
The crust is a three ingredient shortbread. Softened butter, sugar, and all purpose flour go into a medium mixing bowl and get stirred until well combined. You are not creaming anything and you are not pulling out a mixer.
The mixture stays crumbly, and that is exactly what you want when you press it into the bottom of the prepared pan.
The crust bakes for 10 minutes. Take it out, let it cool a few minutes, and use that time to finish the filling. The filling is eggs, vanilla, light brown sugar, all purpose flour, and shredded sweetened coconut stirred together in one bowl.
Pour it over the warm crust, spread it level, and bake another 20 minutes. A doubled recipe needs 25 minutes for that second bake.
What should you expect from the finished bars? A pale golden base with a lightly set, chewy coconut layer on top. The filling firms up as it cools rather than in the oven, so do not wait for it to look fully solid while it is still hot.
The last instruction is the one people rush, and it is also the one that matters most. Let the bars cool completely before slicing. Warm bars smear and the topping slides. Cooled bars cut into clean squares with a firm base and a chewy top. For the full original write up, see this Grandma’s coconut chews recipe.
Ingredients
The list is short and splits cleanly into a crust group and a filling group. Nothing here is hard to find, and the only ingredient worth a second look is the coconut itself.
| Group | Ingredient |
|---|---|
| Crust | 1/2 cup butter, softened |
| Crust | 1/2 cup sugar |
| Crust | 1 cup all purpose flour |
| Filling | 2 eggs |
| Filling | 1 teaspoon vanilla |
| Filling | 1/2 cup light brown sugar |
| Filling | 2 tablespoons all purpose flour, or brown rice flour for the gluten free version |
| Filling | 1 cup shredded sweetened coconut |
A few notes on the ingredients. Use softened butter for the crust, because cold butter will not stir into the flour evenly and you can end up with dry patches.
The filling uses light brown sugar rather than granulated sugar, and that is where much of the moisture and the faint caramel note come from. Sweetened shredded coconut is what the recipe calls for, and it brings both texture and sweetness to the topping.
The two tablespoons of flour in the filling help bind the eggs, sugar, and coconut into something sliceable rather than loose. If you are making the gluten free version, that filling flour becomes brown rice flour, and the crust flour changes as described further down.
For equipment, a medium mixing bowl, a spatula or sturdy spoon, and an 8×8 pan cover almost everything. A piece of parchment is optional but helpful if you want to lift the cooled slab out in one piece for tidy squares.
Instructions
Everything happens in two bowls and one pan, with a short bake in the middle. Read through the steps once before you start so the timing feels easy rather than rushed.
- Heat the oven and prepare the pan. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease an 8×8 pan with butter or line it with parchment. If you use parchment, leave a little overhang on two sides so you can lift the cooled slab out later.
- Make the crust. Combine the softened butter, sugar, and all purpose flour for the crust in a medium mixing bowl. Stir until well combined. The mixture will look crumbly rather than smooth, and that is normal. Press it into the bottom of the prepared pan, working it into the corners and keeping the layer as even as you can.
- Bake the crust for 10 minutes. Remove it from the oven and let it cool a few minutes while you finish the rest of the recipe. It will still look pale, which is fine. This short bake sets the base so the filling has something to sit on.
- Add the filling and bake again. Mix together the filling ingredients and pour them over the crust. Spread the coconut evenly across the surface. Bake 20 minutes more, or 25 minutes for a doubled recipe. Let the bars cool completely before slicing.
Patience at the end matters more than anything else here. A fully cooled pan cuts into clean squares, while a warm one gives you coconut topping that slides off the base.
Once the bars are cool, lift the slab out with the parchment if you used it, or run a thin knife around the edge of the pan. Cut into squares with a sharp knife, wiping the blade between cuts if the coconut starts to drag.
Notes
Two adjustments come straight from the original recipe, and both are worth knowing before you start.
The first is the gluten free crust. Replace the cup of all purpose flour with 2/3 cup brown rice flour plus 1/3 cup potato starch. The filling stays the same, apart from using brown rice flour for its two tablespoons of flour. The finished bars keep the same buttery, slightly sandy base as the standard version.
The second is doubling. A doubled recipe fills a 9×13 pan perfectly, which makes it a good choice for a crowd or a holiday tray.
A doubled batch needs an additional 5 to 10 minutes for the crust bake and an additional 5 to 10 minutes for the filling bake. Watch the edges rather than the clock once you pass the original times, since every oven runs a little different.
Cooling and slicing deserve their own note. The bars need to be completely cool before you cut them, and that applies double to a larger pan. If you are not serving them the same day, follow your usual practice for baked bar cookies, since the recipe card does not include storage guidance.
For another buttery, layered bar to try next, these Brown Butter Apple Shortbread Bars follow a similar press and bake rhythm, so the technique will already feel familiar.
Recipe details
Preparation takes about 5 minutes, and the recipe makes 12 servings.
| Nutrient | Amount per serving |
|---|---|
| Calories | 235 kcal |
| Carbohydrates | 27 g |
| Protein | 3 g |
| Fat | 13 g |
| Saturated fat | 10 g |
| Fiber | 2 g |
| Sugar | 18 g |
| Sodium | 84 mg |
| Cholesterol | 48 mg |
The nutrition information above is calculated automatically, so treat it as an approximation rather than an exact measure.
FAQs
How do you make Grandma’s coconut chews with a shortbread crust?
To make Grandma's coconut chews, start by preheating your oven to 350°F and greasing an 8×8 pan. Combine 1/2 cup softened butter, 1/2 cup sugar, and 1 cup all-purpose flour, then press the crust into the pan and bake for 10 minutes. Mix the filling from 2 eggs, 1 teaspoon vanilla, 1/2 cup light brown sugar, 2 tablespoons flour, and 1 cup shredded sweetened coconut, pour it over the crust, and bake for 20 more minutes. Let the bars cool completely before slicing.
Do you need to prebake the shortbread crust for coconut chews?
Yes, it is essential to prebake the shortbread crust for 10 minutes before adding the filling. This par-baking step ensures the shortbread base is fully cooked and stays crisp, preventing it from becoming soggy from the wet coconut filling. After baking, let the crust cool for a few minutes while preparing the filling.
Can you make Grandma’s coconut chews gluten-free?
Yes, you can easily make gluten-free coconut chews by substituting the flour in the crust and filling. For the crust, replace 1 cup of all-purpose flour with 2/3 cup brown rice flour plus 1/3 cup potato starch, or use a reliable 1-to-1 gluten-free flour blend. The filling's 2 tablespoons of all-purpose flour can be replaced with brown rice flour.
How do you store homemade coconut chew bars and can you freeze them?
Store cooled coconut chew bars in an airtight container at room temperature for up to one week. They also freeze exceptionally well for several months if wrapped tightly in plastic wrap and foil. For the cleanest slices, chill the pan in the refrigerator for 30 minutes after they have cooled completely before cutting.
Grandma’s Coconut Chews
Grandma’s Coconut Chews Grandma’s Coconut Chews are bar cookies built on two clear layers. A chewy coconut filling sits on top of a buttery shortbread crust, and the contrast between the two is the whole point.
- Total Time: 5 minutes
- Yield: 12 servings 1x
Ingredients
Crust Ingredients
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup all-purpose flour
Filling Ingredients
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup light brown sugar
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup shredded sweetened coconut
Instructions
1-Preheat the oven to 350 degrees: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease an 8×8 pan with butter or line with parchment.
2-Combine the butter, sugar, and flour for: Combine the butter, sugar, and flour for the crust in a medium mixing bowl. Stir until well-combined. Press the crust into the bottom of the prepared pan.
3-Bake the crust for 10 minutes: Bake the crust for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool a few minutes while finishing the rest of the recipe.
4-Mix together the filling ingredients and pour: Mix together the filling ingredients and pour over the crust. Bake 20 minutes more (25 minutes for a doubled recipe). Let cool completely before slicing. Enjoy!
Last Step:
Please leave a rating and comment letting us know how you liked this recipe! This helps our business to thrive and continue providing free, high-quality recipes for you.- Prep Time: 5 min
- Method: bake
Nutrition
- Calories: 235 kcal
- Sugar: 18 g
- Sodium: 84 mg
- Fat: 13 g
- Saturated Fat: 10 g
- Carbohydrates: 27 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 3 g
- Cholesterol: 48 mg
