Coconut Strawberry Oat Bars

Preheat oven to 350°F and place oven rack in the middle position. Evenly spread 3/4 cup of coconut onto a baking sheet and place in preheated oven for 5-8 minutes until golden brown. Keep a close eye here, I nearly burnt mine to a crisp—once you smell it, it is most likely ready. When toasted, remove from oven and let cool. Keep oven at 350ºF.

Meanwhile, in a food processor, combine all purpose flour, whole wheat flour, brown sugar, salt, coconut oil, and butter (cut into pats). Pulse until dough forms; it will be crumbly, but will stick together when pressed between your fingers. Transfer to a larger bowl and mix in toasted coconut and old fashioned oats. Reserve 3/4 cup of mixture (for topping). Press the remaining mixture into a buttered (or parchment paper-lined) 9 x 13 pan.

Evenly spread strawberry jam over crust and then evenly spread sliced strawberries atop the jam. Sprinkle the reserved crust over the top of the strawberries and top with the remaining 3/4 cup of coconut (untoasted). Place in preheated oven for about 20-30 minutes until the coconut turns golden brown. Remove from oven and let cool completely before cutting.

I love them straight from the fridge. They are extra chewy! If you are using homemade jam, it may be a bit more runny than store bought and therefore it may make the crust soggy sooner—so definitely store in the fridge!

Hope you enjoy!

(Recipe adapted from Gourmet Cookbook.)