Coconut Cream Shortbread Bars
The delicious, creamy taste of Coconut Creme Pie, with the sweet, dense, buttery texture of shortbread. Coconut Cream Shortbread Bars are a MUST TRY recipe!
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Servings: 8
Ingredients
Shortbread Crust
- 1 cup Salted Butter melted
- ½ cup Sugar
- 1 tsp. Vanilla Extract
- 2 cups All Purpose Flour
Coconut Cream Layer
- 1 ¼ cup Unsweetened Flaked Coconut
- 3 cups Half and Half
- 2 large Eggs beaten
- ¾ cup Sugar
- ½ cup All Purpose Flour
- ¼ tsp. Salt
- 1 tsp. Vanilla Extract
Topping
- 1 container Frozen Whipped Topping thawed
Instructions
Shortbread Crust
- Preheat the oven to 325 and grease a 9X13 glass dish. Line it with trimmed parchment paper, both lengthwise and width wise.
- Add the melted butter to a medium bowl. Add the sugar and vanilla. Whisk well. Add the flour and mix well.
- Press the mixture in an even layer into the prepared baking dish. Use a fork to poke holes evenly over the dough.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes, or until just lightly browned on the edges.
- Remove from the oven and cool approximately 1 hour before proceeding to the next layer.
Coconut Cream Layer
- Preheat the oven to 350F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone liner.
- Spread the unsweetened flaked coconut on the prepared baking baking sheet.
- Bake the coconut, stirring occasionally, until golden brown. About 5-10 minutes.
- Remove from the oven to cool. Reserve 2 tbsp. of coconut for the topping.
- In a medium heavy bottomed saucepan, combine the half and half, eggs, sugar, flour and salt. Whisk well.
- Bring to a simmer over low-medium heat, whisking very frequently until thickened considerably (a whisk should be able to stand up in it). This takes 15-25 minutes. As the mixture gets thicker, be sure to whisk more frequently, whisking nearly constantly towards the end of cooking time.
- Remove from the heat and whisk in the vanilla.
- Add the toasted coconut and mix well.
- Spread this coconut cream mixture over the cooled shortbread layer, smoothing it out so it forms an even layer.
- Let cool completely before covering with plastic wrap and placing in the fridge to cool for an additional 4-8 hours to set the filling.
Topping
- Spread the coconut cream layer with the thawed whipped topping or the homemade whipped cream.
- Sprinkle with the reserved toasted coconut and cut into bars.
- Serve and enjoy!
Notes
You can use 3 cups of homemade real whipped cream in place of the frozen whipping topping if you like. Add the whipped cream just before serving.