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These peanut butter coconut bars hit all the right notes: chewy, gooey, and loaded with peanut butter, coconut, and chocolate chips. They bake up thick with golden edges, a soft center, and a crunchy peanut finish. No mixer, no weird steps. Just 10 minutes of prep and you’re on your way.
With intense peanut butter and chocolate flavor, they taste similar to our Chocolate Glazed Peanut Butter Cookies and our Coconut Chocolate Chunk Tahini Cookies, but in cookie bar form.
Here’s Why This Peanut Butter Coconut Bar Recipe Works
Soft and chewy (not cakey): Brown sugar and peanut butter keep these bars rich and tender.
Peanut butter + coconut just make sense: Peanut butter brings the roasted, salty depth, and coconut adds a mellow sweetness (and extra chew) that keeps the bars from tasting heavy or one-note.
Sweet + salty + crunchy: Coconut and chocolate chips bring the sweet, chopped peanuts bring the crunch (and a little salt).
Low-effort recipe: One bowl, no mixer. Stir, spread, bake.
For another peanut butter focused dessert, my peanut butter pie is the next thing you should make.
Recipe Tips
Soften the butter: Cold butter won’t cream properly. If you forgot to set it out, grate it and let it sit for a few minutes.
Use room-temp eggs: They mix in smoother, so the batter stays cohesive instead of looking a little curdled.
Stick with classic peanut butter: Use regular commercial peanut butter (creamy or crunchy, Jif/Skippy-style). Natural peanut butter can separate and make the bars oily or uneven.
Line the pan: Leave parchment overhang so you can lift the whole slab out and slice clean squares.
Don’t overbake: Pull them when the edges look set and the center is just barely firm. A toothpick may come out streaked because of melted chocolate.
Toast the coconut (optional, but worth it): 5–7 minutes in a 325°F oven until lightly golden adds a deeper, nuttier flavor. Cool before mixing in.
Save some chips for the top: Sprinkle a handful of chocolate chips over the batter before baking.
Cool before cutting: Warm bars fall apart and smear chocolate. Let them cool fully, or chill 30 minutes for clean slices.
Use the right pan size: An 8×8 will give thicker bars; a 9×9 or 9×13 will bake thinner/faster.
If peanut butter desserts are your thing, don’t miss my peanut butter tart. It’s richer, a little more grown-up, and just as easy to love.
Peanut Butter and Coconut Bars
These peanut butter coconut bars are exactly what a cookie bar should be: thick, chewy, and loaded with peanut butter, coconut, and chocolate chips, plus that salty peanut crunch on top.
Let them cool so they slice clean, then try not to “just taste one” every time you walk through the kitchen.
If you love thick, chewy bars, you’ll also want to check out my blondie brownie recipe.
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Peanut Butter Coconut Bars
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Ingredients
- 1½ cups all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ cup butter, softened, 8 tablespoons
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1 cup creamy peanut butter
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1½ cups sweetened coconut flakes
- 1 cup chocolate chips
- ½ cup salted dry-roasted peanuts, chopped
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a 13 x 9-inch baking pan with parchment paper or spray it with non-stick baking spray.
- Combine the flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda in a bowl. Whisk until well combined. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the peanut butter, eggs, and vanilla.
- Stir in the flour mixture until just combined. Fold in the coconut and chocolate chips. Spread in pan (the batter will be thick)
- Sprinkle peanuts over the top and press them down gently.
- Bake 28 to 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- When finished baking, place on a cooling rack and let it cool completely in the pan. Slice into 24 bars. (6 rows by 4 rows)
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Like this recipe? Rate & comment below!
I’m confused 😕 I followed the instructions to a T. when I was done I had 2 ingredients left over : brown sugar & baking soda. I couldn’t find where to put this in. Now I’m waiting for it to cook to see how it came out. 🤔
Thanks so much for your comment. I really appreciate you taking the time to share what happened. You’re absolutely right that the baking soda was missing from the instructions! That was my mistake, and I’ve fixed it now. Thanks for catching that!
As for the brown sugar, it’s actually included in Step 3 where it says to beat the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Since the sugar was left out, that’s unfortunately going to affect the texture and flavor. I wish I had a way to salvage them after baking, but without the sugar, they won’t turn out the way they’re supposed to.
If it helps, you can definitely crumble them up and try using them as a base for a parfait or mix them into ice cream, kind of like a cookie crumble topping.
They look sinfully decadent and so tempting with the combo of peanut butter and coconut.