Holiday Coconut Apricot Bars
Do you participate in holiday cookie swaps? Maybe you make extra cookies to give to friends and neighbors as gifts. Today, I’m so excited to share my Holiday Coconut Apricot Bars recipe as part of Cookie Week, a blog hop graciously hosted by Maryann of Domestically Speaking. There are links to 18 other fabulous holiday cookie recipes at the bottom of this post!
I must confess, this is not a special family favorite recipe. But I did create it myself by tweaking two similar apricot bar recipes. One recipe had oats, but no coconut. Another one included nuts, but I wanted my bars without nuts. So I adjusted the ingredients and measurements to what made sense…and it worked! These Holiday Coconut Apricot Bars are delicious!
I’ve always been a fan of bar cookies. I find them easy to make with a nice soft and chewy texture. I especially love when they include coconut!
But coconut and oats? Even better!
My daughter helped stir the batter with her mixing spoon that she made when she was in preschool.
I splurged on a good quality jar of apricot preserves. It was well worth it!
I used parchment paper rather than greasing the bottom of a baking pan. If you have parchment paper, I highly recommend using it. I just lifted the bars out of the pan and transferred them to a cutting board. Easy peasy and no pan to scrub!
They turned out better than I expected! If you like nuts, go ahead and add some!
These are great with a cup of coffee. I know because I’ve been having one (or two) with my afternoon cup of Joe for a week now 🙂
Holiday Coconut Apricot Bars
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup butter softened
- 1 cup sugar
- 3/4 cup oats old fashioned
- 3/4 cup coconut sweetened flakes
- 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 egg
- 1 jar apricot preserves 10-12 oz
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees
- Cream butter and sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer until light and fluffy
- Add egg and vanilla and mix well
- In another bowl, whisk together flour and baking powder
- Slowly add flour mixture to the wet mixture
- Fold in the coconut and oats and mix well
- Press 2/3 of the dough onto the bottom of a greased 13x9 inch baking pan
- Spread evenly with the apricot preserves
- Crumble reserved dough over the top of the preserves
- Bake for about 40 minutes or until golden brown
- Cool completely and cut into bars
Now make sure you visit the blogs below for more scrumptious holiday cookie recipes! You’re in for a real treat as the variety of recipes is amazing! There’s definitely something for everyone.
Monday’s Cookies
Christmas M&M Peanut Butter Cookie Bars
Santa’s Whiskers Christmas Cookies
Tuesday’s Cookies
4 Ingredient Peanut Butter Cookie
Wednesday’s Cookies
Easy No Bake Peppermint Gingersnap Cookies
Easy Spritz Cookies (not pictured)
Thursday’s Cookies
Christmas Surprise Cookie Recipe
White Chocolate Cranberry Cookies
Friday’s Cookies
Looks delish! Just found your site on StoneGable. I love apricot anything. What is the brand of the “good” apricot jam? Can’t quite make out the name in the pic. Thank you!
Hi Terry! Thanks for stopping by! The apricot preserves I used are “Bonne Maman” from France. They have a website where you can locate a retailer or order online. The site is: http://www.bonnemaman.us I bought mine at Stop & Shop. I hope you enjoy the apricot bars!
These sound so good! I love bar cookies and apricot anything. Thank you so much for sharing the recipe!
Thanks Angie! It was fun blog hopping with you 🙂
Yum! These look delicious! I bet your little helper enjoyed them too. Pinned!
You would think so, but she’s a very picky eater. She doesn’t like the texture of coconut. She really enjoyed helping me, though. Thanks for the pin, my friend!
Two of my favorite favors, apricot and coconut. They look and sound delicious! Pinned
I love apricots and coconuts too Debbee…especially together! Thanks for the pin 🙂
Thanks for sharing this great recipe. Adding your recipe to our holiday baking list!
So glad you like it! It was fun blog hopping with you both!
I love that you tweaked two recipes and made your own to your taste. I have to admit I do t think I have ever eaten an apricot so I am really curious about these. So glad I got to do the cookie hop with you.
Oh, you have to try these Sonya! Apricots are a little tart, so these have a tangy sweet taste. You can also buy a jar of apricot jam and try it on your toast. I’m glad we got to hop together too, my friend!
My mom used to make apricot cookies every year for Christmas and these remind me of those! They look delicious.
Thanks Mary Beth! I think they’re very good 🙂
Ohhh yummy, can’t wait to try these 🙂
I hope you like them Kristin!
These look wonderful! Love the parchment paper idea…..anything to make life a bit easier works for me:)
I couldn’t agree more Carrie! No pan to scrub makes me happy 🙂
The is my kind of cookie! Easy, tart and sweet. Thank you for sharing.
Can’t wait to share this with my family.
Me too, Meegan! Easy, tart and sweet is the way to go!
They sound scrumptious and good for you, too!! Perfect for breakfast! Lol
I admit it, Julie…I’ve had these for breakfast! I couldn’t wait!