I’m not sure what it is, but I am obsessed with coconut right now.
Maybe all this winter weather is simply too much for me, and, in response, I’m making things that remind me of the light and airy days of summer.
Whatever the reason, I’m okay with it.
First there was the Banana Pina Colada Muffins. Then German Chocolate Cupcakes.
And now…something I’m calling German Chocolate Cookie Bars.
But I guess they could also be called “I made too much German Chocolate icing and need something else to use it in” bars. Or “those cupcakes disappeared too quickly and we need a new sweet treat in the house” bars.
Even if you don’t have a good reason to make these, do it anyway. You won’t regret it.
German Chocolate Cookie Bars
Crust:
- 1/2 cup Earth Balance
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1 cup whole wheat flour
- 1.5 tsp vanilla
- 1/4 tsp salt
Icing (see this post for icing directions):
- 3/4 cup almond milk
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 1 Tbsp Earth Balance
- 1/2 tsp vanilla
- 3 Tbsp cornstarch mixed with 2 Tbsp water
- 1 cup coconut
- 1/2 –1 cup pecans
Chocolate Topping:
- 1/2 cup dark chocolate
- 1 tsp coconut oil
Cream Earth Balance/butter and sugar.
Beat in flour, vanilla, and salt.
The crust will be ready when the mixture is combined but still crumbly and when it clumps up when you press it together (like above).
Dump crust into 8×8 baking dish and press into an even layer.
Bake crust at 350 for 25-30 minutes or until set and golden around the edges. Let the crust cool completely.
Once the crust is cool to the touch, spread on your cooled icing into an even layer on the crust.
To make the chocolate topping, put your dark chocolate and coconut oil in a microwave safe bowl and heat for 1 minute, stirring every 20-30 seconds or until chocolate is melted and smooth.
Dump chocolate on top of icing and smooth out, covering the entire dish.
Let sit at room temperature until chocolate layer is set.
I cut these into 16 pieces (from an 8×8 dish), and I’m glad I didn’t cut them any bigger!
These bars are delicious, but very rich, thanks to the coconut icing.
But the richness didn’t stop me from having two of them right away.
