This is the bar cookie for those who: Aren’t afraid of sticky fingers. Love girl scout cookies. Need a sugar fix.
Ingredients
Shortbread Crust
1-1/2sticksButter170g
1-1/2cupsFlour190g
1/2cupPowdered sugar60g
Brownie
1stickButter112g
1cupSugar200g
3/4cupCocoa Powder
2Eggs
1/2tspSalt2g
1/3cupFlour43g
Coconut Macaroons
4Egg whites120g
1-1/4cupsSugar250g
1/2tspSalt2g
1tbspHoney30g
2-1/2cupsUnsweetened coconut
1/4cupFlour30g
1/2tspVanilla extract2g
Instructions
Shortbread Crust
Cream the butter, sugar and flour until the dough just starts to form a ball.
Line a 10x10" square pan with parchment paper. We like to cut two pieces and cross them so that there's a bit of an overhang; this will make getting the brownies out of the pan much easier.
Press the crust into the bottom of the pan- starting with the corners and making sure everything is covered. It is very thin! Bake at 350 until golden all over. Set aside.
Brownie
Melt the butter in a pan. Remove from heat and stir in the sugar and cocoa powder.
Pour into a medium sized bowl and whisk in the eggs, vanilla and salt.
Fold in the flour. Pour over the shortbread crust and bake at 325 for 20 minutes. Set aside and make the coconut mixture.
Coconut Macaroons
In a large sauté pan over low heat, stir with a wooden spoon your egg whites, vanilla bean, sugar, salt, honey, coconut and flour.
As soon as the mixture begins to caramelize, turn the heat off. Immediately add the extract. Spread over the brownie and bake at 350 until golden on top. Remove from oven and pour caramel over, if desired. The caramel recipe lives in the Caramel Shortbread Brownie recipe.
Notes
There are quite a few steps to make these dream bars come true. Take your time; each element is a technique worth learning to make on its own.