The Best Piña Colada Bars Recipe — Be Greedy Eats

A modern tropical twist on a traditional lemon bar! These Piña Colada Bars are simple to make and even easier to eat. A simple buttery shortbread crust topped with a pineapple and coconut cream filling is what makes these bars amazing! They are sure to please!

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A Taste of the Tropics!

If you have ever had a lemon bar before, you know how delicious they can be. But, I have something even better for you! If you love tropical flavors then these Piña Colada Bars are the dessert for you! They have become one of the best desserts I have made in a while.

The mixture of pineapple puree and coconut cream made me feel like I was on an island vacation relaxing on a beach! I’m telling you now that these are the perfect dessert for your next cookout, party, or picnic! Make sure to make enough for everyone. Trust me, they will go fast!

TIPS & TRICKS

Here a just a few baking tips and tricks that will make your Piña Colada Bars even better!

Keep all of the ingredients at room temperature. This will make the filling easier to mix resulting in no lumps. Plus, the filling will set a lot better in the oven.
GET QUALITY INGREDIENTS. Cooking is one thing, but baking is another. You can get away with a lot more when you cook. Baking requires a lot more attention to detail.
PREP THE BARS AHEAD OF TIME. Make the filling and crust separately the day or night before you need the bars. This will save you so much time when baking. The crust can be left cooled at room temperature. Leave the filling in the refrigerator overnight and then allow it to come to room temperature the next day before baking.

Piña Colada Bars’ Ingredients

The ingredients are pretty simple in this recipe; but, let’s still walk through them to understand them. They are also so easy to find in any grocery store. They are all relatively cheap which makes this dessert even better!

Salted Butter: To make the shortbread crust, you’re going to need some type of fat. I decided to use melted salted butter. It will create a delicious and buttery crust! You can use unsalted butter as well, but make sure to add a ¼ or ½ of a tsp of salt to the dough.
All-Purpose Flour: The all-purpose flour acts as the binder for the dough. I used 2 cups total for the dough and ½ cup for the filling. The flour helps to thicken the filling.
Sugar: Granulated sugar is added to both the dough and filling to add some additional sweetness to both.
Pineapple Chunks: You can’t have Pina Colada flavor without pineapples! Either fresh or frozen pineapple chunks will work for this recipe. Make sure that they are fully pureed before adding them to the egg, flour, and sugar mixture.

Fresh Lime Juice: I love adding in a little lime juice whenever I am working with something pina colada flavored. The acidity from the limes works really well with the sweet pineapple and coconut flavors.
Coconut Cream: You need some form of coconut in anything pina colada flavored! I used simple canned coconut cream for this recipe. I mixed it with pineapples before I pureed them. You only need ¼ of a cup.
White Rum: The white rum was an additional add-in to enhance the pina colada experience. It is an optional ingredient. But, it makes a difference! The additional flavor from the rum made the taste of the bars so much brighter.
Eggs: The eggs act as a binder as well for the filling. I used 5 eggs total for this recipe. Make sure that they are at room temperature before mixing them into the filling.
Toppings: Adding a few toppings to these bars makes them even better! Here are some of my favorites: Confectioner’s Sugar, Toasted Coconut Flakes, Maraschino Cherries, and Whipped Cream.

How to make The Best Piña Colada Bars

When I tell y’all that these bars came out better than I expected, I seriously mean that! They had just the right amount of sweetness! I could’ve eaten two or three, but I didn’t want to be too greedy.

Now that we have our ingredients, let’s make these delicious cupcakes! These bars are simple to make. But, you have to make sure that the filling is fully set. You do not want a runny mess on your hands.

The full written recipe is below, but here’s an overview.

Step 1: Always Preheat the Oven First. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a 8 x 8 in. baking pan with parchment paper letting it hang over the sides of the pan.
Step 2: Make the Shortbread Dough. In a medium-sized bowl, mix the ingredients for the crust until fully combined. Press the dough evenly into the bottom of the lined pan.
Step 3: Bake the Crust. Bake the crust for 15 - 20 minutes or until the crust is golden brown. Remove from the oven and allow the crust to rest for 5 minutes.

Step 4: Make the Fruit Puree. While the crust is baking, begin making the filling. In a blender or food processor, add the pineapple chunks, fresh lime juice, coconut cream, and rum. Blend the ingredients until smooth.
Step 5: Finish the Filling. In a medium-sized bowl whisk together the flour and sugar. Whisk in the eggs until smooth. A hand or standing mixer will make this process a lot easier. Add the pineapple puree and mix until smooth.
Step 6: Bake the Bars. Add the filling on top of the crust and bake for 25 - 30 minutes or until the center is set and not jiggly or loose.
Step 7: Allow the Bars to Cool. Remove the bars from the oven and allow them to cool at room temperature for 2 - 3 hours.
Step 8: Slice the Bars. Once the bars are cooled, you can remove them from the pan and slice them; or, you can cover the bars with plastic wrap and chill overnight in the refrigerator.
Step 9: Garnish & Serve the Bars. Top the bars with your choice of confectioner's sugar, toasted coconut flakes, maraschino cherries, or whipped cream. Serve and enjoy!

How to StorE Piña Colada Bars

Store the bars in an air-tight container under refrigeration for up to 5 - 7 days. Make sure to not keep them at room temperature!
The bars can be frozen for up to 3 - 4 months. The bars can be cut or frozen whole. Make sure to cover with aluminum foil or plastic wrap. To thaw, let the bars sit in the refrigerator until fully thawed. Cut, if necessary, and garnish as you see fit.

I’d love to hear your feedback about these Easy Piña Colada Bars! Leave me a message in the comments section below. Remember to share and enjoy! Follow Be Greedy Eats on Pinterest and Instagram as well!

The Best Piña Colada Bars

A Taste of the Tropics!

TIPS & TRICKS

Piña Colada Bars’ Ingredients

How to make The Best Piña Colada Bars

How to StorE Piña Colada Bars