Toasted Coconut Cream Cheese Bars

By katielgarcia

Ingredients

• Dough:
• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1/4 cup (or more if desired) shredded coconut (not toasted)
• 1/2 ts sea salt
• 1 large egg
• 1 ts pure vanilla extract
• Cream Cheese Filling:
• 8 ounces cream cheese, room temp
• 1 large egg yolk
• 1/2 cup toasted coconut
• Pinch of salt

Preparation

Step 1

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease an 8 or 9-inch square baking pan with butter.

In a medium bowl mix the cream cheese, egg yolk, toasted coconut and salt until well combined; set aside. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, and salt.

With your hands, cut up butter and mix in with the flour mixture until you have large coarse-like crumbs. No need to over work.

In a small bowl, beat the egg and vanilla extract. Add this into the flour mixture and mix until it all just comes together. Divide dough in half. Take one half and place in pan. Wet your fingers to smooth out the dough and make sure to get all the corners.

Take the cream cheese mixture and place over the dough. Keep the cream cheese mixture at least ½ inch away from the edges; this way nothing will seep out as it bakes.

Take the other half of the dough and crumble on the top, do not pat down. Just crumble as you would a crumb cake. Take the untoasted coconut and sprinkle over top (optional but wonderful).

Bake until topping is deep golden brown; which should be about 30 - 45 minutes. Let cool completely in pan.