Also known as "mounds bars," these Chocolate Coconut Bars are rich, buttery and super simple to make!
Article Summary:
In this post we will be making chocolate coconut bars with sweetened condensed milk. A layered bar that's as perfect for the holidays as it is for a weekend get together, these bars are easy to make and only call for a few easy-to-find ingredients. Read on to learn how to make this recipe, recipe pro-tips, storage directions, and more.
Table of contents
You are going to love these coconut chocolate bars, friends!
How do I know? Because this is a recipe I've been loving since I was a little girl. Every Christmas my grandma, we called her "Beama", would go to town baking Christmas cookies. Peanut blossoms, m&m cookies, fudgy bonbons, and these ooey gooey layered coconut bars.
She referred to them as "mounds bars," but they are that and a bit more. With a buttery-sweet graham cracker crust and a rich peanut butter-chocolate layer on top, these chocolate coconut bars are always a treat.
They're perfect for the holidays and bake sales but are also delicious as part of a wedding cookie spread, at potlucks, or for a weekend get together with friends.
These treats are simple to make and are made with just a handful of easy-to-find baking ingredients like graham crackers, sweetened coconut, chocolate chips, and sweetened condensed milk.
Make these bars your own by using dark chocolate chips, cinnamon sugar graham crackers, or toasted sweetened coconut. You can even stir ¾ cup butterscotch or peanut butter chips or pecans in with the coconut for a magic bar or 7 layer bar-type experience.
These bars are...
- Rich
- Buttery
- Nutty
- Chewy
- Chocolaty
This recipe is proof that decadent desserts don't need to be hard to make!
Ingredients:
- Graham cracker crumbs - see my notes below on how to make graham cracker crumbs from whole graham crackers
- Sweetened shredded coconut
- Sweetened condensed milk - please note: not evaporated milk
- Unsalted butter
- Granulated sugar
- Semisweet chocolate chips
- Peanut butter - a classic peanut butter, like traditional Skippy or Jif, is best. Natural peanut butter does not work well in this recipe
Substitutions:
- Chocolate - dark chocolate chips can substitute for the semisweet chips
- Nut butter - sunflower seed butter can work in place of the peanut butter. You can also substitute 1 tablespoon virgin coconut oil for the peanut butter.
- Coconut - make this recipe nuttier by replacing the traditional sweetened dried coconut with toasted sweetened dried coconut
How to make coconut chocolate bars...
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the graham crackers, sugar, and melted butter until combined.
- Pour the graham cracker mixture into a 9 x 13 baking pan. Spread the graham crackers out evenly and then press them down gently but firmly. Bake for 10 minutes.
- While the crust bakes, mix the sweetened condensed milk and coconut together until combined.
- Scoop the coconut mixture onto the warm graham cracker crust and gently spread out. Bake for 10 minutes.
- While the coconut mixture bakes, melt the chocolate and peanut butter together until smooth.
- Pour the melted chocolate over the coconut and carefully spread out.
- Chill the bars, uncovered, in the refrigerator for 2- 4 hours, or until the chocolate has completely hardened.
Recipe pro-tips:
- Melting the chocolate - it doesn't take a lot to burn chocolate, so you'll want to be careful about how you melt it. I recommend melting the chocolate and peanut butter in a double boiler or in the microwave on 30% heat for 30-45 second intervals, stirring between each interval until the chocolate is smooth.
- Ingredients - you will need sweetened shredded coconut and sweetened condensed milk for this recipe. Unsweetened shredded coconut or evaporated milk will not work for it, as the recipe needs the sweetness that the sweetened coconut and sweetened condense milk provide.
- Chill the bars completely before serving - or, until the chocolate has hardened on the top of the bars. It should take 2 - 4 hours for the bars to completely cool in the refrigerator. For this reason, I recommend planning ahead when you make these cookies.
Recipe FAQs:
Yes, you most certainly can make this recipe ahead of time. In fact, I recommend it as this recipe needs ample time to chill. Make this recipe anywhere from 3-24 hours before serving. After the chocolate is totally cooled, cover the bars with plastic wrap or beeswax wrap until serving.
These bars are technically not the same as 7 layers bars or Hello Dollies, but they are very close! Both bars have very similar ingredients but different methods of making the bars. Furthermore, Hello Dollies usually have pecans mixed in and 7 layer bars usually have butterscotch chips along with the chocolate chips. As shared above, you can mix in either ingredient with the coconut for a similar end result!
You make graham cracker crumbs by blending them in a food processor or blender until fine. If you don't have either of these appliances, you can also place graham crackers in a large freezer bag and crush with a rolling pin until the graham cracker crumbs are the size of fine pieces of sand.
Storage directions:
- Refrigeration - leftover bars last covered in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
- Freezing - remaining bars can be frozen in a freezer safe container for up to 3 months. For best results, slice up the bars before freezing and place parchment paper or wax paper between the pieces to keep them from sticking.
Tools needed to make this recipe:
- Large mixing bowls
- Measuring cups & spoons
- Silicone spatulas
- 9 x 13 baking pan
- Food processor (optional)
More baking recipes:
- Double Chocolate Andes Mint Cookies
- Chocolate Rice Crispy Treats
- Lemon Sugar Cookies
- Chocolate Coconut Cookies
- Cream Cheese Spritz Cookies
- Funfetti Cake Mix Cookies
- Peanut Butter M&M Cookies
- Peanut Butter Brookies
- Chewy Whole Wheat Chocolate Chip Cookies
- High Altitude Chocolate Chip Cookies
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Chocolate Coconut Bars
Ingredients
- 2 cups graham cracker crumbs (or about 1 ½ sleeves graham crackers, blended into crumbs)
- ½ cup unsalted butter, melted
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1, 14 oz. bag sweetened dried coconut
- 1, 14 oz. can sweetened condensed milk
- 1, 12 oz. bag semisweet chocolate chips
- 2 tablespoons creamy peanut butter
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the graham crackers, sugar, and melted butter until combined.
- Pour the graham cracker mixture into a 9 x 13 baking pan. Spread the graham crackers out evenly then press them down gently but firmly to form a crust. Bake for 10 minutes.
- While the crust bakes, mix the sweetened condensed milk and coconut together until combined.
- Scoop the coconut mixture onto the warm graham cracker crust and gently spread out. Bake for 10 minutes.
- While the coconut mixture bakes, melt the chocolate and peanut butter together until smooth by cooking at 30% heat in 30-45 second intervals, stirring between intervals, or until the chocolate is melted and smooth. You can also melt the chocolate in a double boiler (directions below in the notes).
- Pour the melted chocolate over the coconut. Carefully spread the chocolate out to cover the coconut.
- Chill the bars, uncovered, in the refrigerator for 2 - 4 hours, or until the chocolate has completely hardened. Cut into bars and serve!
Notes
- How to melt chocolate in a double boiler: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GVsBLZxZUGQ
- How to melt butter: cut the butter into small cubes and heat in a saucepan over low heat or covered in the microwave on 30% heat for 20-30 second intervals until melted.
- For best results, use traditional creamy peanut butter like Jif or Skippy. I do not recommend natural peanut butter.
- Storage directions: leftover bars last covered in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. They can also be frozen in a freezer safe container for up to 3 months. For best results, slice up the bars before freezing and place parchment paper or wax paper between the pieces to keep them from sticking.
Nutrition Information
Yield
20Serving Size
1Amount Per Serving Calories 349Total Fat 19gSaturated Fat 13gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 6gCholesterol 21mgSodium 139mgCarbohydrates 44gFiber 3gSugar 35gProtein 4g
This nutrition breakdown is just an estimate of the nutritional value of this recipe and cannot be taken as facts. The owners of Mae's Menu are not nutritionists or dietitians and therefore cannot be held accountable for this nutrition estimate. Please contact your nutritionist or medical professional for a nutritional breakdown of this food. Furthermore, this food is not intended to prevent, diagnose, cure, or treat any disease.
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