I've been craving something with coconut for a few weeks now and have planned on and off to bake something with it but never got around to it. Probably due to a combination of laziness and extreme laziness. However, with last weekend having an extra day, I was determined to find something to bake, something simple, something easy, and something coconutty.

After some searching I found an older post over on Cookie Madness that referenced a recipe from some former Google Chef; it had some pretty rave reviews. With coconut, oatmeal and chocolate chips, you really can't go wrong, but can you make it better? The answer is yes. Taking some inspiration from the cookies that won Christmas, I swapped the chocolate chips for white chocolate, upped the coconut and downed the oats.

So I suppose it's quite presumptuous of me to say these are better than the original seeing as I have never tried the original, but I have to believe they are, they're just that good. And even if they're not better, then they're still really really really good. They're buttery, soft and chewy like an oatmeal cookie with a perfect balance of flavours all complimenting each other, none overpowering. If you like coconut or oatmeal cookies, these are a must. And there are just enough white chocolate chips to add a creamy sweetness that works so well with coconut and that you can only really get from white chocolate.

Other than the changes I mentioned, my only other alteration was to increase the salt and reduce the butter. The salt with hopes of being able to taste it a bit, and the butter because, why not?

Super easy, fantastic, five stars.

Also, a moment of silence for those that were lost during the making of this recipe...

~Adam

Coconut Oatmeal White Chocolate Chip Bars

Adapted from here via Cookie Madness

1/2 cup all-purpose flour (65g)
1/2 cup packed golden yellow/light brown sugar (110g)
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/3 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1/4 tsp vanilla
3/4 cup old fashioned oats, not quick cooking
3/4 cup medium shredded unsweetened coconut
1/2 cup white chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350F and line an 8 inch square baking ban with foil and lightly grease.

In a medium bowl add flour, baking powder, salt and whisk to combine. Add sugar, oats, coconut and stir until completely combined. Stir in white chocolate chips.

In a large bowl whisk together butter, egg and vanilla.

Add the dry ingredients to wet and mix until completely combined.

Add batter to prepared pan and bake for 25 minutes or until the edges darken (24 minutes for me).

Allow to cool in pan on rack before serving.