Coconut Lime Bars (Starbucks Copycat)

Make your favorite coffee shop treat at home with these Coconut Lime Bars, the perfect chewy treat with a coconut oat base and a tangy homemade lime frosting!

It’s really nice to have a sweet bite alongside your coffee or tea. Many coffee shops across the world have added some bakery items for that purpose; to satisfy your sweet tooth with your cup of Joe. There are muffins, scones, cakes, and other decadent delicacies. One favorite are these copycat Coconut Lime Bars, which are tender, chewy, slightly sweet, with a perfectly green lime frosting! Making these at home is as easy as can be, so let’s take a look at how to create them!

What is a Coconut Lime “Bar” Exactly?

A bar is a dessert that is not quite a slice of cake, but not quite a scone either. It is typically baked in a square pan and has a denser, more chewy texture than cake. The dense texture is necessary in order to cut the bars into their signature shape.

Ingredients such as oats and coconut help add that density to these little bars in addition to adding flavor. You want to be able to pick up these bars with your hands without needing a fork. Handheld bars are easy to eat and perfect for a snack or dessert on the go!

The Perfect Flour Combination

You may notice that there are two types of flour in addition to whole rolled oats within this recipe. As mentioned before, Coconut Lime Bars have a dense, chewy texture that is enhanced by using a few types of flour to get the perfect bite. For this particular recipe, whole wheat flour and oat flour are used to create the best end result.

Whole wheat flour has a nuttier flavor and is less milled than traditional flour, meaning it has more texture. Oat flour is simply ground whole oats, which also have more texture than white all-purpose flour. Not only do they both add texture, but they also are healthier and more whole than flour that is highly processed, like AP flour. 

Additionally, whole oats within the dough round out the recipe by adding even more texture and a cookie-like flavor. The addition of oats give that signature coffee house vibe that highlights the rest of the ingredients well. 

What You Need for Coconut Lime Bars

To make the easiest treat to serve with your coffee, you’ll need these ingredients below.

For the Bars:

• 1 stick butter, softened
• ½ cup light brown sugar, packed
• 1 large egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (or coconut extract)
• ½ cup old-fashioned oats
• ¼ cup oat flour
• ¾ cup whole wheat flour (or gluten-free if desired)
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ⅛ teaspoon salt
• ⅔ cup shredded unsweetened coconut, plus more for topping
• ½ cup chopped white chocolate (or white chocolate chips)

For the Lime Frosting:

• 2 oz. cream cheese, at room temperature
• 3 tablespoons butter, at room temperature
• 1 ½ cups powdered sugar, sifted
• Zest and juice of 1 lime
• 1 drop green food coloring, optional

How to Make Coconut Lime Bars

1. Begin by preheating the oven to 350 degrees F. Line an 8×8 square baking pan with parchment paper and spray with cooking spray.

2. In a large bowl, cream the butter and brown sugar together using a hand mixer. Beat until light and fluffy, about 1-2 minutes.

Add the egg and beat until combined. Then, add the vanilla.

3. To the same bowl, add the oats, oat flour, all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt.

4. Using a spatula, fold the dry ingredients into the wet, being sure not to overmix.

5. Once the flour has only a few dry spots within the batter, add the coconut and white chocolate. Fold all together until just combined.

6. Press the mixture into the greased and lined baking pan into an even layer. 

7. Bake for 30 minutes until golden brown and set. Once done, your finger lightly pressed in the center should stay firm and not make a dent.

Allow to cool completely before frosting. 

To Make the Frosting:

8. Using a hand mixer and a medium bowl, beat the cream cheese and butter until fluffy and combined. Slowly incorporate the powdered sugar in batches so that it doesn’t spill out of the bowl.

9. Add the lime zest, juice, and one small drop of green food coloring. Beat until everything is well incorporated.

10. Frost the bars while still whole in the pan. Then, cut into 9 squares.

11. Serve at room temperature. 

Notes/Tips/Troubleshooting: You can use whichever flour you have in the pantry. Feel free to use equal amounts of all-purpose flour or gluten-free flour.

Allow the bars to cool completely before frosting. This will ensure the frosting does not melt off of the bars.

Press the dough well into the pan! You are looking for more of a “bar” texture rather than a “cakey” texture.

Storage: Keep leftovers covered in a lidded container in the fridge for up to 4 days.

Nutritional Facts:

Calories: 292

Total fat: 19.6g

Saturated fat: 12.5g

Cholesterol: 60g

Sodium: 112mg

Total Carbohydrate: 26.2g

Fiber: 1.3g

Sugars: 13.9g

Protein: 3.8g

Vitamin D: 9mcg

Calcium: 66mg

Iron: 2mg

Potassium: 162mg

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Coconut Oil, Lime, and Ginger Salad Dressing

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Coconut Lime Body Scrub

Coconut Macaroon Brownies

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