Ripe bananas replace refined sugar entirely here, a trick Pacific Island bakers used for centuries before processed sweeteners existed.
Banana Coconut Bars
Get ready to indulge in these delightful Banana Coconut Bars, a fun twist on my popular cookie recipe! Packed with ripe bananas, shredded coconut, and a hint of vanilla, these chewy treats are easy to whip up and perfect for snacking or dessert. Slice them up and enjoy the tropical flavors in every bite!
Prep
15
min
Cook
30
min
Serves
4
people
Level
beginner
The Story
This bar is basically the Philippines' bibingka and a 1980s American granola bar having an illicit affair—Filipino cooks have pressed coconut and banana together since Spanish colonial times, while Californian health-food hippies popularized the chocolate-topped pressed bar format, and somewhere in that unlikely marriage a genuinely lazy dessert became a legitimate tropical dessert with proper pedigree.
Regional Twist
In Zamboanga's coastal markets, cooks stir in freshly grated mature coconut instead of the dried shredded stuff, then drizzle muscovado syrup over the bananas before pressing, giving these bars a darker, more molasses-forward backbone than your average parchment-lined pan job.
📝 Ingredients
Serves 4🥬Fresh Produce(1)
- 2 ripe bananas
🫙Pantry Staples(2)
- 2 ounces chocolate bar (56.7 g)
- 2 cups unsweetened shredded coconut (480 ml)
📦Other(1)
- Cooking spray
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories
266
Protein
3g
Carbs
26g
Fat
18g
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line an 8x8-inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving some overhang on the sides, then lightly coat with cooking spray.
- 2
In a large bowl, mash the bananas until mostly smooth. Add the shredded coconut and use a fork to mix until the coconut is fully coated and the mixture holds together.
- 3
Transfer the banana coconut mixture to the prepared pan. Use a spatula or your hands to press it firmly and evenly into the bottom of the pan.
- 4
Bake for 18 to 22 minutes, until the edges are golden brown and the top looks set.
- 5
Immediately break the chocolate bar on top when it’s done baking, allow it to melt for 5 minutes. Then spread evenly over the bars.
- 6
Refrigerate for 30 minutes, then lift out of the pan and cut into bars.
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Mash bananas to 80% smooth with visible 1/4-inch chunks remaining, as completely puréed bananas release excess moisture that prevents the coconut base from binding and creates a dense, gummy texture instead of a chewy bar.technique80% smooth with visible chunks
- ✓Press the mixture into the pan with firm, even pressure for 2-3 minutes to achieve 0.5-inch density, because coconut's high fiber content requires compression to create structural integrity that holds together when cut rather than crumbling.technique0.5-inch density, 2-3 minutes compression
- ✓Bake at 350°F for exactly 18-20 minutes—not 22—because coconut's oil content (65% by weight) continues browning via carryover heat for 2-3 minutes after removal, risking bitter burnt flavors if the edges are already dark when pulled from the oven.timing18-20 minutes at 350°F
- ✓Place chocolate on the bars while the pan's residual heat is 160-170°F (measured with an instant thermometer at the base) rather than immediately at 350°F, because this allows gentle tempering that creates a smooth, glossy finish without oil bloom instead of grainy crystallization.technique160-170°F base temperature
- ✓Refrigerate for exactly 30 minutes at 40°F because chocolate reaches its full hardness (Tg phase transition) in this window, allowing clean cuts; refrigerating longer than 45 minutes causes the coconut base's moisture to redistribute and the bars become difficult to separate cleanly.timing30 minutes at 40°F
Share this recipe
Prep
15
min
Cook
30
min
Serves
4
people
Level
beginner
Share this recipe
Ripe bananas replace refined sugar entirely here, a trick Pacific Island bakers used for centuries before processed sweeteners existed.
Banana Coconut Bars
Get ready to indulge in these delightful Banana Coconut Bars, a fun twist on my popular cookie recipe! Packed with ripe bananas, shredded coconut, and a hint of vanilla, these chewy treats are easy to whip up and perfect for snacking or dessert. Slice them up and enjoy the tropical flavors in every bite!
The Story
This bar is basically the Philippines' bibingka and a 1980s American granola bar having an illicit affair—Filipino cooks have pressed coconut and banana together since Spanish colonial times, while Californian health-food hippies popularized the chocolate-topped pressed bar format, and somewhere in that unlikely marriage a genuinely lazy dessert became a legitimate tropical dessert with proper pedigree.
Regional Twist
In Zamboanga's coastal markets, cooks stir in freshly grated mature coconut instead of the dried shredded stuff, then drizzle muscovado syrup over the bananas before pressing, giving these bars a darker, more molasses-forward backbone than your average parchment-lined pan job.
📝 Ingredients
Serves 4🥬Fresh Produce(1)
- 2 ripe bananas
🫙Pantry Staples(2)
- 2 ounces chocolate bar (56.7 g)
- 2 cups unsweetened shredded coconut (480 ml)
📦Other(1)
- Cooking spray
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories
266
Protein
3g
Carbs
26g
Fat
18g
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line an 8x8-inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving some overhang on the sides, then lightly coat with cooking spray.
- 2
In a large bowl, mash the bananas until mostly smooth. Add the shredded coconut and use a fork to mix until the coconut is fully coated and the mixture holds together.
- 3
Transfer the banana coconut mixture to the prepared pan. Use a spatula or your hands to press it firmly and evenly into the bottom of the pan.
- 4
Bake for 18 to 22 minutes, until the edges are golden brown and the top looks set.
- 5
Immediately break the chocolate bar on top when it’s done baking, allow it to melt for 5 minutes. Then spread evenly over the bars.
- 6
Refrigerate for 30 minutes, then lift out of the pan and cut into bars.
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Mash bananas to 80% smooth with visible 1/4-inch chunks remaining, as completely puréed bananas release excess moisture that prevents the coconut base from binding and creates a dense, gummy texture instead of a chewy bar.technique80% smooth with visible chunks
- ✓Press the mixture into the pan with firm, even pressure for 2-3 minutes to achieve 0.5-inch density, because coconut's high fiber content requires compression to create structural integrity that holds together when cut rather than crumbling.technique0.5-inch density, 2-3 minutes compression
- ✓Bake at 350°F for exactly 18-20 minutes—not 22—because coconut's oil content (65% by weight) continues browning via carryover heat for 2-3 minutes after removal, risking bitter burnt flavors if the edges are already dark when pulled from the oven.timing18-20 minutes at 350°F
- ✓Place chocolate on the bars while the pan's residual heat is 160-170°F (measured with an instant thermometer at the base) rather than immediately at 350°F, because this allows gentle tempering that creates a smooth, glossy finish without oil bloom instead of grainy crystallization.technique160-170°F base temperature
- ✓Refrigerate for exactly 30 minutes at 40°F because chocolate reaches its full hardness (Tg phase transition) in this window, allowing clean cuts; refrigerating longer than 45 minutes causes the coconut base's moisture to redistribute and the bars become difficult to separate cleanly.timing30 minutes at 40°F