Coconut Lemon Bars

Afternoon tea may be a thing of the past at Captain Mey’s Inn, but we have some great recipes to share. Our coconut lemon bars are the perfect spring or summer treat. Make them for your next family picnic!

The Ingredients

1 cup of unsalted butter

½ cup + 2 tablespoons of white sugar

2 tablespoons of lemon zest

2 juiced lemons (roughly ⅓ cup)

1 can (14 oz.) of sweetened condensed milk

2 large eggs

2 cups of all-purpose flour

¼ teaspoon of salt

¾ cup of shredded coconut (sweetened)

Gather your ingredients. Be sure to use sifted flour, softened butter, and room-temperature eggs. This recipe calls for unsalted butter. Salted butter contains roughly a 1/4 teaspoon of salt, so adjust the recipe accordingly if you need to substitute.

The Crust

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and grease a 13×9-inch brownie pan. Combine flour, salt, and ½ cup of sugar in a large mixing bowl. Use two butter knives, a pastry cutter, or even your (clean!) hands to cut the butter into the flour mixture. The butter should be throughly blended, and your mixture will look crumbly.

Set aside ½ cup of your crust mixture. Press the remainder evenly into the bottom of your pan. Bake for 20 minutes or until the edges of the crust are golden brown. While the crust is baking, make the filling and streusel topping.

The Filling and Topping

Mix the milk, lemon zest, lemon juice, and 2 tablespoons of sugar in a large bowl. Add the eggs one at time. In a separate bowl, combine your remaining crust mixture with the shredded coconut.

Once your crust comes out of the oven, spread the lemon filling evenly across the top using a spatula. Sprinkle the lemon bars with the coconut streusel topping.

Baking the Lemon Bars

Bake the lemon bars in your 350-degree oven for 25-30 minutes or until the tops are golden. Cool for 15 minutes on a wire rack.

Cover and chill for at least two hours before cutting into squares. This recipe yields 24-36 bars depending on how large your cut them. Cut as pictured, you’ll get two dozen.