Lemon bars go tropical in these easy treats, which combines coconut, macadamia nuts, and lime for a bar that satisfies a craving for a dessert and a Caribbean vacation. Well, almost. These are just sweet enough, avoiding the cloying fate of so many bar cookies, thanks to the salty macadamias and toasty coconut. Hot tip: You want the curd to be just set when you pull it out of the oven to ensure a creamy texture. Once you get the hang of the method you can swap in different citruses and nuts to DIY your own bars. Try a grapefruit-almond combo, or a lemon-cashew twist.
How to Make It
Make the crust: Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 9-inch square baking pan with parchment. Combine flour, coconut, nuts, sugar, butter, baking soda, and salt in a food processor. Pulse until crumbly but beginning to clump together, about 15 pulses. Set aside 1½ cups flour mixture for topping. Firmly press remaining flour mixture into bottom of prepared pan. Bake until crust begins to brown, about 20 minutes. Let cool for 10 minutes.
Make the filling: Whisk condensed milk, yolks, lime zest, and lime juice in a medium bowl until smooth. Pour over crust and sprinkle with reserved flour mixture.
Bake at 350°F until filling is just set and topping is light golden brown, 22 to 24 minutes. Let cool completely on a wire rack. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour and up to 3 days. Cut into 12 bars and garnish with lime zest.