Coconut Key Lime Magic Bars

I am having an amazing time with all the new fruits and vegetables that I am finding in South Florida.  I still find it a bit crazy that I walk out my front door and see coconuts hanging in the trees all around me.  Coconut has become my new passion in coming up with recipes.  I am trying to come up with as many new recipes as I can utilizing local flavors.   Considering I am only a short drive from the “Keys” I decided to add a bit of Key Lime to todays recipe.

I’m sure you all have made those wonderful magic cookie bars.  Usually with coconut and chocolate chips.  Well today I changed the latter to white chocolate and added key lime juice to the sweetened condensed milk.  I did go a bit out of Florida for the pecans but hey, Georgia is only right next door…LOL.

Well I think these turned out great.  I might add a bit more butter to the crust and pack it better.  Seemed a bit to crumbly for what I was looking for.  Other than that.  Amazing taste with a wonderful touch of key lime.  Welcome to South Florida Y’all.

 

Ingredients

• 1 stick unsalted butter
• 1 sleeve graham crackers
• 1/2 cup pecans
• 1 1/2 cup sweetened flaked coconut
• 1  15-ounce can sweetened condensed milk
• 1/2 cup key lime juice (you can use regular lime juice if you can’t find key lime)
• 1 cup white chocolate chips
• 1 cup crushed pecans

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

Place the butter in the bottom of a 9×13 baking dish and place it in the oven while it’s preheating to melt the butter.

Combine the graham crackers and 1/2 cup of pecans in food processor and process.  Then pour over the melted butter and combine well, then press into the baking dish to create the base layer crust.

Sprinkle the 1 cup coconut over the crust evenly.

In a medium bowl, combine the sweetened condensed milk and key lime juice until well blended and pour about 1/3 of it over the coconut.

Spread the white chocolate chips and then the crushed pecans over the condensed milk mixture. Press down to spread evenly. (I use a spatula so to keep all the stickiness off my hands)

Evenly drizzle the rest of the sweetened condensed milk mixture over the white chocolate chip layer.  Then finish with remaining coconut.  Pressing these layers down as well.

Bake for 25-30 minutes.

Cool completely before cutting.