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Learn how to make my family’s favorite coconut bars using my no-bake recipe! They’re thick, soft, chewy, and full of addictive coconut flavor.
If your family is as obsessed with coconut as mine is, make my chocolate coconut cookies, chocolate coconut balls, and coconut brownies next.
Table of Contents
Bounty bars and Almond Joys are all fine and good, but sometimes I want a bar that just tastes like coconut. No chocolate, no nuts, nada.
Que, my coconut dessert bars. Two of the three ingredients are made with actual coconut, so you only taste that refreshing, tropical flavor. Plus, the bars are soft, chewy, and gooey. They’re addictive, and I dare you to stop with one!
Why I love this recipe
- Easy. All you need are 3 ingredients and about 5 minutes of prep time.
- Wholesome ingredients. They’re naturally gluten-free and vegan and can easily be made sugar-free.
- No fake coconut flavoring. I made sure these bars actually tasted like they have real coconut inside. No sunscreen flavor here!
- Great for sharing. I frequently bring these bars to parties and potlucks because they’re easy to make ahead of time, and they’re always the first dessert to go.
Key ingredients
- Shredded unsweetened coconut flakes. I suggest unsweetened coconut since the other ingredients are plenty sweet. Also, the more finely shredded the coconut, the smoother the bars will be!
- Coconut condensed milk. Holds the ingredients together and gives the bars a chewy texture. If you’re not strictly dairy-free, you can use regular sweetened condensed milk.
- Confectioners sugar. To sweeten the bars and give them a softer bite.
How to make coconut bars
I’ve included step-by-step photos below to make this recipe easy to follow at home. For the full printable recipe instructions and ingredient quantities, scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Step 1- Prep. Line a square baking dish with parchment paper.
Step 2- Mix. Stir together all ingredients in a large bowl until you get a thick dough.
Step 3- Chill. Pour the dough mixture into the prepared pan, press into place, and chill until firm.
Step 4- Slice. Once the dough is firm, remove it from the baking pan and use a sharp knife to slice it into bars.
Arman’s recipe tips
- Before slicing, let the bars come to room temperature for a few minutes. This will make them easier to slice without cracking.
- Use a slightly wet knife to slice the bars. I like to run a sharp knife under hot water, then carefully dry it, slice, and repeat.
- If you really must have chocolate, make my chocolate coconut bars instead.
Frequently asked questions
I wouldn’t recommend using coconut cream instead of coconut condensed milk, as the texture isn’t the same, and coconut cream isn’t sweet enough.
Yes, both kinds of coconut will work. Just be sure to use unsweetened versions of the two, as there is already plenty of added sugar.
Coconut Bars
Ingredients
- 3 cups unsweetened shredded coconut
- 2/3 cup coconut condensed milk
- 1/2 cup confectioners sugar
Instructions
- Line an 8 x 8-inch pan with parchment paper and set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, add the shredded coconut, coconut condensed milk, and confectioners sugar and mix until a thick dough remains.
- Transfer the mixture into the lined pan. Using lightly wet hands, press down on top to smooth it out.
- Refrigerate the coconut bars for at least an hour to firm up. Once firm, use a sharp knife to slice into bars.
Notes
Nutrition
More no-bake bar recipes
Originally updated July 2023, updated and republished January 2025
I just made this and I am just hoping that the mixture wasn’t too crumbly! Added extra maple syrup, a bit of water and some lemon juice for tang! Can not wait to try them!!
😀 YUM!
Hello, could you use dessicated coconut instead of shredded? As well as honey for sweetener?
Where do you find the monk fruit maple syrup?
Do normal grocery stores carry it
Hi there! I order it online 🙂
I think next time I’ll try to find the sweetener you suggest! I used liquid stevia and it stung my mouth. It was a very odd taste ? I Iove coconut so I’m sure your recipe tastes a million times better!
I may die as a result of it, but this is the only thing I ever want to eat again. 🙂 Wow they’re good.
Thanks for the recipe!! I added some lemon zest and lemon juice and they are so tasty!
?
Do you process your coconut more than it’s shredded form? I don’t understand how your bars look fluffy like a cake and not a macaroon.
I noticed several people asked about the number of bars it makes. I’m aware you can make about as many bars as you please. But if you are going to provide nutritional and calorie information…that calculation should provide the exaxact number of bars. Many health minded people also still count calories.
Deb, with all due respect, the recipe card states it makes 20 bars per the nutritional information.
Enjoy.
Thank you…cant wait to try them;)
I noticed that as well, however, my thought was a bit different:
The recipe states 20 servings, and that a serving is one bar, thus it is written for 20 bars.
As far as varying nutritional values if choosing to portion into more or less than 20 bars:
Multiply the individual serving values by 20 to calculate values for the entire recipe, then just divide those by however many bars you choose to cut and, voila, you have the adjusted values for each portion of your individualized batch ?