Pineapple Coconut Bars
User Reviews
4
Pineapple Coconut Bars
Description
This recipe starts by draining canned crushed pineapple naturally, then reducing the collected juice with cornstarch to a gentle thickening before mixing it back into the fruit. The dough blends room-temperature butter creamed with brown sugar, egg, and extracts, then combines flour and baking powder gradually along with most of the shredded coconut. Reserving a small amount of dough and coconut for topping allows a slightly crunchy accent layer.
Once baked, the bars maintain a shortbread-like crumb with moist pockets of pineapple and chewy coconut. The almond and vanilla extracts give a sweet, aromatic complexity rather than a simple sweetness. This combination evokes tropical flavors without relying on heavy syrup or overly sweet toppings.
The recipe’s notes mention variations with other fruits or flours, showing the bars’ flexibility as a base for various fresh or preserved fillings, making them useful for different occasions and seasonal ingredients.
Ingredients
- 20 ounce crushed pineapple in juice, not heavy syrup, canned
- 2 tsp cornstarch
- 1 cup unsalted butter at room temperature
- 2 cups brown sugar packed
- 1 egg large
- 1 tsp almond extract
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 7 ounce shredded coconut sweetened, divided
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F
- Lightly spray a 9x13 pan and line with parchment paper (optional) so you can lift the squares out for easy cutting later.
- Drain the canned pineapple in a mesh sieve over a bowl, and collect the liquid. Don't squeeze the fruit, just let it drain naturally. Remove the liquid to a small saucepan, whisk in the cornstarch, and heat over medium high heat until it comes to a boil and thickens, stirring constantly. Add the thickened juice back into the pineapple and set aside.
- Cream the butter and sugar in a stand mixer or with electric beaters until light and fluffy, at least 3 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary. Beat in the egg and then the extracts.
- Whisk together the flour and baking powder and with the mixer on low, beat in the flour mixture, one cup at a time, and then add 2 cups of the shredded coconut. Finish the mixing by hand, a silicone 'spoonula' works great for this..
- Remove 2/3 cup of the dough and set aside for the topping. Then press the rest into the bottom of your baking pan. I like to crumble it all over the bottom first to distribute it, and then gently press with my fingers. Make sure to get the whole bottom surface covered. If the dough is sticky, flour your fingers as needed.
- Spread the pineapple over the bottom crust, and sprinkle with the remaining coconut. Take the remaining dough and crumble it over the whole surface. I like to press it down VERY lightly with my hands.
- Bake for about 35 minutes, or until starting to turn golden. Let the squares cool on a rack before cutting.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 24Serving
Amount Per Serving
Calories 236 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 236kcal | 12% |
| Carbohydrates | 34g | 11% |
| Protein | 2g | 4% |
| Fat | 11g | 17% |
| Saturated Fat | 8g | 40% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 1g | 6% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 2g | 10% |
| Trans Fat | 1g | 50% |
| Cholesterol | 27mg | 9% |
| Sodium | 31mg | 1% |
| Potassium | 132mg | 3% |
| Fiber | 1g | 4% |
| Sugar | 25g | 50% |
| Vitamin A | 258IU | 5% |
| Vitamin C | 2mg | 2% |
| Calcium | 40mg | 4% |
| Iron | 1mg | 6% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
4
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