Chocolate Chip Coconut Shortbread Bars
You remember that time that my dog somehow managed to hit my laptop just right and post? Sorry about that.
Today was a sweet gorge fest if you were following on Instagram: a poppy seed bagel with bacon and scallion cream cheese, a mushroom swiss burger + tots + beer, and donuts. The epitome of health to be sure. Everything in moderation. The bagel shop [cart] is a new find. Rescue Bagels. It’s in the parking lot near the office, so I can have bagels all the time now. Hello weakness. Thankfully [I think], they start selling out by the time I’m thinking of lunch. They are some of the best bagels I’ve ever had, though. They’re not too chewy, but have a nice dense quality. Being freshly made helps.
These shortbread bars are a weakness, too. Similar to the brownies, I pretty much ate these all to myself. They have pretty much everything I could ever want in a cookie—shortbread and coconut. I threw the chocolate in because I could. The original recipe had walnuts, which I didn’t have on hand and I honestly don’t really care about in my baked goods. I’ll eat them, sure, but that’s just the equal opportunity eater in me talking.
I’m a sucker for a good shortbread. They’re easily one of my favorite cookies. Plain. Boring. Buttery. Dumping a bunch of coconut, butter, and brown sugar on it, wasn’t a bad idea either. It’s sweet, chewy, and coconutty. The chocolate just studded various bites, but wasn’t the dominating flavor. It’s all shortbread and coconut.
In moderation. Which includes the whole pan.
Inspiration: Honey & Jam
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup of butter, room temperature
- 1 + 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1 cup tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 2 eggs
- 1 teaspoons vanilla
- 1/2 cup dark chocolate chips
- 1/2 cup shredded unsweetened coconut
- pinch of salt
Preparation
Preheat the oven to 375° and grease an 8×8 baking pan.
Beat together the butter and 1/2 cup of brown sugar until light and fluffy. Add one cup of flour and mix until incorporated. I found the batter to be pretty course and pebbly. Pour the dough into the prepared pan, and press evenly to the bottom. Bake for 20 minutes.
In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs and remaining cup of brown sugar together. Once it’s thoroughly mixed, add the coconut, chocolate chips, vanilla, and a pinch of salt.
When the cookie base has been baked, remove from the oven and pour the coconut mixture on top. Spread it on evenly and bake for another 20 minutes. Allow to cool completely before cutting and serving.
BAGELS BAGELS BAGELS! Ahem. Yes.
I totally hear you on the walnuts in baked goods. Why?? I’d much rather go the butter and chocolate route. 🙂 That said, I don’t think I’ve ever made my own actual shortbread. Must get on that soon.
It took all my willpower not to go there again today. I had falafel instead.
You’ll just have to fit shortbread in between more Indian food and German food. I’m sure you can manage!
Moderation is a relative term, isn’t it? And I saw that bagel on instagram… it looked so good, like amazing. That followed by a burger followed by these shortbread bars sounds like a successful day to me.
I like the way you think. Success all the way!
ps one of my favorite quotes from oscar wilde: “moderation is a fatal thing; nothing succeeds like excess.”
That’s definitely a favorite!
“Which includes the whole pan.”
Hey, it’s only an 8×8 😉
These look so amazing; I’d definitely eat the entire pan, too.
I try not to make things that are bigger than an 8×8 for just that reason! 😉
These are amazing! I did them in two loaf pans then cut them into squares; each square has at least one edge now. I like that the top makes almost like a caramel.
So glad someone else liked them as much as me!
Yum!! These look delicious
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Beer and tots. That sounds magnificent. And bagels are a weakness of mine–that’s even after working at a bagel shop and having one for every breakfast and lunch (since I was there, they were free, and they were bagels). Didn’t even get tired of ’em after that. And “moderation” and “single serving” always means the whole pan. Or the entire batch (if we’re talking cookies.)
Bagels are a TOTAL weakness. I can’t even imagine working at a bagel shop and not being 839028329032lbs. I love my carbs. How long did you work there?
Over a year! Mmm, bagels. You just can’t get tired of ’em!