I saw this recipe that Gonna Want Seconds had posted to Tastespotting recently and I knew that I needed to make them soon. My mom used to make lemon bars for us growing up and they have been one of my favorites ever since. The addition of coconut is just like icing on top of the already-there-icing on the cake! I never made lemon bars before because I had this crazy idea that they were time consuming and complex to make. Wow, I was really really wrong. These bars came together in a matter of minutes (minus the baking time) and only used a few ingredients. The only problem with these lemon coconut bars is that I keep eating them… even though my stomach says to stop!
I made one change from the Gonna Want Seconds version, I only used 1/2 cup of butter rather than 3/4 cup. They still turned out perfect so I guess I’m glad I was too lazy to open up another stick of butter!
Lemon Coconut Bars
Lemon Coconut Bars
Servings 15Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour ($0.12)
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar ($0.09)
- 1/2 cup butter ($0.40)
- 4 large eggs ($0.67)
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar ($0.27)
- 1/2 cup lemon juice ($0.43)
- 1 tsp baking powder ($0.02)
- 3/4 cup shredded coconut ($0.38)
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. In a medium bowl, combine the flour and powdered sugar. Mix until evenly combined. Using a food processor, blend in the butter until the mixture has small granules the size of peas. If you do not have a processor (I don’t), let the butter come to room temperature and then just work it into the flour mixture with your hands. I like to call this technique “smearing it in” (yes, I made that up). See the photos below for what it should look like when thoroughly mixed.
- Lightly spray a 9×13 inch glass casserole dish with non-stick spray. Pour the flour/butter/sugar mixture evenly into the dish and press it down with your hands until it is compacted. Bake for 15 minutes.
- While the crust is baking, combine the eggs, granulated sugar, lemon juice and baking powder in a bowl (I used the same bowl). Mix it well until the sugar is dissolved. The baking powder will react with the acidic lemon juice and begin to foam, don’t worry.
- When the crust is finished baking, quickly re-whisk the filling then pour it over the crust. Sprinkle the shredded coconut on top and bake the whole thing for 20 more minutes or until it is golden brown on top. Let cool for 10 minutes before slicing.
See how we calculate recipe costs here.
Nutrition
Have you tried this recipe?Mention @budgetbytes or tag #budgetbytes on Instagram!
Step By Step Photos
This is what your crust mix should look like after you have worked the butter into the flour and sugar. Kinda sandy looking with small clumps.
Pour the crust mixture evenly over the bottom of your glass dish and then press it down with your fingers until it is very compact. Bake the crust for 15 minutes at 350 degrees.
While the crust is baking, whisk together the eggs, lemon juice, granulated sugar and baking powder.
It will be this nice lemony, frothy liquid when you’re done mixing. Pour this over the crust when it finishes baking, sprinkle the shredded coconut on top then bake for about 20 minutes.
Take it out of the oven when it is nice and golden brown on top. Let cool before slicing or else it will stick all over your knife and you won’t be able to get nice clean squares.
So I either paid way too much for flour last time I bought it or I seriously miscalculated because today, I bought a 5 lb. bag for $1.50 which comes to only $0.12 for the 1.5 cups used in this recipe. When I made my Lemon Ricotta Cookies, I calculated $1.08 for 2 cups of flour. I don’t remember where I bought that other bag of flour but it must have been a serious rip off!
I do like these lemon bars, but they seem very dry and crumbly (not bad, but not my preference).
The only modifications I made were cutting the 1 1/2 cup sugar down to 1 1/8cup, and adding in the zest from 2 lemons. I’d cut it down to just 1 cup next time, and maybe a little more zest, but I like a semi sweet more tangy lemon flavour.
They are more on the ‘flaky shortbread’ side vs a gooey lemon bar. I’m definitely enjoying them, but the next time I make them I’m going to try doubling the egg/sugar/lemon juice filling part. Supper easy to toss together though, love that part!
I’m using this for my consumers prac ill update you on the outcome and my mark ;)
Okay so I was in the mood for sweet, not sour, so I made these with orange juice. AH-MAZING! I will be remaking them and adding a little orange zest, because the orange is not as strong (duh) and got a little lost.
Lovely, EASY recipe!
Will be making this again and again.
Thank you so much,
Sky
Perfect the very first time I made it. It is a very quick no fuss recipe and my guests all loved it.
Will this recipe still cook correctly without the coconut?
I haven’t tried that, so I’m not sure how much it will affect the outcome.
So delish! Would recommend baking longer to get a more crispy top :) Cant wait to make again! Super easy peasy ‘lemon’ squeezy!
Delicious! I think I over baked at the crust stage because mine was very brown, but I think it made it nice and crunchy.
In my opinion the crust should be more crisp, this was more soft and slightly doughier and did not have a nice crisp/melt-in-your-mouth feel that a good crust should.
I would make this again, but replace the crust portion of the recipe.
Phenomenal and so easy to make
This recipe is a slam dunk. While these bars may not be as “thick” as some you might find in bakeries, I felt like I got all the flavor and texture you want out of a classic lemon bar. While I’m sure that fresh lemon juice would be better, I made these with bottled lemon juice and didn’t feel like I was missing anything at all.
SIde note – if anyone is looking to make a half batch, you could use a pie plate (64 inches of surface area) for thinner bars or a 6 x 8 glass dish (48 inches of surface area). Since a 9 x 13 dish is 117 inches of surface area, the pie plate will yield thinner bars than the regular recipe and a 6 x 8 will be slightly thicker.
Gorgeous, delicious squares! Followed recipe exactly and added 1 scant T of lemon zest to crust to get pop of flavor. It was really unnecessary. Tasted like spring!
My family totally digs these. However, in a quest to keep them from getting bored with the “same old same old”, I tried 2 other lemon bar recipes (one was a keto/healthy/gluten free recipe. bleh. the other was a very famous red headed Food Network show recipe. meh.)
Yeah no. The hubby and kids DEMANDED to know if I lost “the yummy coconut lemon one”. So I had to promise to make ONLY this one from now on.
thank you! I have tried several of your recipes and have been a good 80%-90% successful. I think MAYBE 2 have been vetoed out.
Welp, that was exceptional. Unfortunately… it only lasts about two hours in our house. But the upside is that it’s quick and easy to make again- and again- and again. We use half Splenda/half sugar. Thank you for yet another delicious, no-fuss, repeatable recipe.
Would this work with limes too?
I’ve used a similar recipe that says you can use limes or oranges – please let us know if it works.
Has anyone tried making them without the coconut?
I know this recipe is old, but did you know it says flower instead of flour in step one? (Under the instructions, not the step by step. ) I was making these tonight and it made me giggle because I used to work as a baker and our containers would be mislabeled that way every so often. Graveyard shift will do that to you! Thanks for the delicious recipe, my husband had seconds and he’s not big into sweets!
Oh my goodness! Thank you! To think that it’s been that way for YEARS. Yikes. :P
I have just recently found your site and love it – have some new favourites already.
With this one do you think it could be frozen? I found something similar on myrecipes.com (Luscious Lemon Bars) which said it could be frozen for a month.
If you are currently updating your site (think I read that somewhere) it would fantastic if freezable was one of the recipe menu options in addition to those already there.
Yep, I think most solid desserts (bars, cakes, etc.) freeze pretty well. I haven’t tried freezing this one, but my guess is that it would work just fine.
Made this for a memorial day cook-out – super easy and tasty! Hardest part was juicing lemons, which wasn’t hard at all!
Lemon Bars are always beckon me at cafes, but the can cost $4-5 a square! I now have a a whole tray of them for about $3! Not to mention the lemons were free off someone’s tree (with permission). Yay!
These are in the oven right now can’t wait to try them! Love your recipe’s tried several of them already. Big hit here!
YUM!! I just made it, but replaced the eggs with flaxseed because I promised to make chiles rellenos. They turned out perfectly!! I love that I can make “healthy” lemon bars with this recipe! Oh, and I only used 1/4 C powdered sugar and 1 C granulated sugar. Still perfectly lemony, not too sour!
I’m going to try with flax next time! Thanks for posting. They probably gain fiber and omega-3!
I am so addicted to this blog! I started on it 2 weeks ago when having a very lean grocery week and a friend pointed it out. I tried a number or recipes and most were fantastic! Now, I am making up my grocery list for next week and on here again. I cook and shop for 2 weeks at a time and many of these dishes freeze and reheat so nicely! Thanks!
Hello!
Made this for New Year. TWICE! My family loved them :) Thank you very much!
Beth,
I made these awhile back and my roomate said they were the best lemon bars she’s ever had! Please keep up your great work, I absolutely love your blog and trying out your recipes :)
Hey Tara,
These are actually fine without refrigeration. The egg has been cooked and items like this that have a high sugar and acid content don’t need to be refrigerated (like cakes, cupcakes, pies etc.).
Hey Beth, I would love to take these to my family reunion tomorrow, but I have a question. If it’s an outdoor reunion and it’s going to be super hot, how do you suggest I store these? Should I put them in the fridge or freezer the night before? I’m always bad at knowing how to do that kind of stuff and it’s a 2 hour car ride to the reunion.
Oh, wow, thanks for pointing that out, Katie! Baking “soda” was a typo… it should be baking powder. It won’t work at all with baking soda… it will just be really bitter. I’ll change it right away!
Made these tonight. I switched out the white flour for whole wheat pastry flour. OMG they are SO good. I had to tear myself away from the pan because I would have eaten the whole thing. I’m sharing with my neighbor because they are just TO good. I’m going to use less sugar next time just for giggles!
Hi! Trying this recipe out right now and I put the baking powder in that was listed in the ingredient list and then noticed that in the steps and in the pictures you say baking soda. Hopefully the switch will not be noticeable upon tasting but wanted to give you a heads up.
Thanks!