The best Coconut Crack Bars, an easy homemade coconut candy bar recipe that is a twist on “Christmas Crack” graham crackers. If you want an easy dessert with shredded coconut, this is for you!
(For your shopping convenience, this post contains affiliate links.)
This Coconut Crack Bars recipe is a follow up to my super popular Crack Bars (Chocolate Peanut Butter Toffee Crackers) and Butterscotch Apple Toffee Bars recipes from last year. These chocolate covered coconut bars come together quickly with only 5 ingredients including shredded coconut, chocolate, butter, sugar, and crackers! These bars taste a lot like the popular Samoa Girl Scout Cookies! So good!
Have you ever wondered what to make with shredded coconut that is quick and easy? Sure Coconut Cream Pie and Coconut Cake are fabulous but they take a lot of time. Not to mention they don’t generally have chocolate, haha!
My daughter is a Girl Scout and every year we buy and sell so many Samoa cookies! We just finished off our last box of Samoas. They are my favorite!
I must have had Samoas on my mind when the idea for these Coconut Crack Bars came into my head. These bars are like little coconut candy bars and so easy to make! The best!
I love coconut but as crazy as this sounds, I’m always thinking what can I make with shredded coconut that is quick and easy! I always seem to have a bag in the house, but I’m always trying to think of another homemade and easy dessert with coconut.
These crack bars are a lot like my previous “crack bars” recipes and just like those, they do NOT have crack or other drugs in them. They are just highly addictive and hard to have just one.
Just want to put that out there before people email me wondering where the crack is…
You may know “crack bars” by another name like Graham Cracker Crack, Christmas Crack, Christmas Crack Graham Crackers, Cracker Crack, and I’m probably forgetting a few. The basic recipe is graham crackers or other crackers (like Ritz Crackers or Saltines) topped with a caramel type mixture and then chocolate chips.
These Coconut Crack Bars aren’t healthy by any means, but to make them a bit healthier you could use a different kind of cracker instead of a graham cracker. Although I have only tried this recipe with graham crackers so can’t tell you what the results will be like for each and every kind of cracker.
You could also try substituting unsweetened shredded coconut for the sweetened shredded coconut. Again, haven’t tried it but don’t see why it wouldn’t work.
For the chocolate chips, I used mini semi sweet chocolate chips but you could use dark chocolate or regular sized semi sweet chocolate chips.
I strongly recommend getting a small offset spatula if you don’t have one. It comes in hand for so many recipes and makes it easy to spread the chocolate and coconut mixture in this recipe.
Warning you again, these are addictive!
Here’s a quick video of all the steps to make the candy so you can see how fast they come together…
Hope you enjoy these fun Coconut Crack Bars!
Coconut Crack Bars Recipe
Ingredients
- 6-8 graham crackers
- ½ cup light brown sugar
- ½ cup unsalted butter
- 2 cups sweetened shredded coconut
- 1½ cups semi sweet chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
- Line a 9x9-inch square baking pan with aluminum foil and lightly spray with nonstick spray.
- Place crackers in single layer of pan to cover the whole bottom. Break the crackers as necessary to fit.
- Spread brown sugar on the bottom of a small saucepan. Cut butter into about 8 slices and place on top of sugar. Place pan on top of medium-high heat and bring to a boil. Let boil about 2-4 minutes or until smooth and brown in color. Stir in coconut.
- Pour mixture over graham crackers and spread evenly with an offset spatula. Bake for about 5 minutes at 425 degrees F to set.
- Sprinkle chocolate chips evenly over crackers and place back in oven for about 2 minutes or until chips start to melt. Remove from oven and spread chips evenly over crackers. Cool.
- Place in refrigerator (or freezer) for about an hour or until chocolate sets. Break or cut into pieces.
Recipe Notes
SNAPPY TIPS: If bars aren't completely cool before placing in the refrigerator place on a trivet. To expedite cooling you could also place bars in freezer. Candy cuts better when cold and set.
SNAPPY SUBSTITUTIONS: I have only used real unsalted butter in this recipe. Substituting margarine or anything else may have different results. Instead of semi sweet chocolate chips you could use dark chocolate. Instead of sweetened coconut you could try unsweetened.
Other easy desserts with coconut I thought you’d enjoy:
- White Chocolate Coconut Brownies – Sweetest Menu
- Chocolate Coconut Squares – Delicious Romania
- Coconut Lime Cupcakes – What Charlotte Baked
Leave a Comment