Apricot Coconut Meringue Bars

Apricot Coconut Meringue Squares. A soft cookie base, covered with sweet apricot jam and a layer of coconut meringue. Delicious with practically any favourite jam of your choice.

Apricot Coconut Meringue Bars

This is my new favourite version of one of the oldest cookie bar recipes in my family. It’s no secret that apricot is my favourite type of jam and a quick homemade version is what I used in this recipe.

Dried apricots for Apricot Jam.

I’ve also made them on different occasions with raspberry, strawberry and cranberry jams or with a local favourite, partridgeberry jam.

I’ve updated the recipe recently to partially pre-bake the base. Depending on the water content of the jam you are using the bottom layer could potentially get soggy.

This step worked really well in preventing that from happening.

I like to make homemade apricot jam for this recipe from dried apricots. So, I’ve included instructions for enough jam to make this recipe.

But, if you like, double the recipe and save a jar for your morning toast or to serve on fresh baked biscuits at a weekend brunch. Yum!

Best Buttermilk Biscuits, fresh from the oven.

I use aluminum bakeware for all cookie squares, bars and tray bakes. They bake more evenly and the heat doesn’t carry through so quickly, which prevents over baking the bottoms.

Fine or medium cut, desiccated (dried) coconut is best in this recipe. 

You might also like to try some of our very popular recipes in our Best Newfoundland Christmas Cookies Collection. They are definitely worth making at any time of year!

Newfoundland Christmas Cookie Recipes

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Yield: 24 cookie bars or squares

Apricot Coconut Meringue Bars

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 45 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour

Apricot Coconut Meringue Squares – a soft cookie base, covered with sweet apricot jam and a layer of coconut meringue. Delicious with practically any favourite jam of your choice.

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Ingredients

FOR THE BASE

• 1/2 cup butter
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 2 egg yolks, reserve the whites for the meringue top
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cups flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 2 cups homemade or good quality apricot jam

FOR THE TOP LAYER

• 2 egg whites
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1 cup fine unsweetened dried, dessicated coconut

TO MAKE APRICOT JAM

• 2 cups chopped dried apricots
• 1 1/2 cups boiling water
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 2 tbsp lemon juice

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9×9 inch square baking pan and line with parchment paper.

FOR THE BASE

1. Cream together the brown sugar and butter until light and fluffy.
2. Beat in the egg yolks and vanilla extract.
3. Sift together the flour and baking powder. Fold into the creamed mixture.
4. Spread evenly into the bottom of the prepared pan and bake for 25 -30 minutes. Remove from oven and cool for 10 minutes.
5. Spread the jam over the surface of the base.
6. Whip the egg whites to soft peaks.
7. Gradually beat in the brown sugar.
8. Fold in the dried coconut.
9. Spread carefully over the surface of the jam layer. Return to the oven for about 20-25 minutes.
10. Cool completely in the pan before cutting into squares or bars. Store in airtight
11. containers. Freezes well.

To make the Apricot Jam

1. You can use a good quality jarred jam but if you want to make your own, cover the chopped apricots with the boiling water and add the sugar and lemon juice.
2. Bring to a slow simmer for about 15-20 minutes.
3. Using a potato masher mash the apricots and continue to simmer into a jam consistency where the jam is quite thick and all the visible liquid has boiled off. Cool to at least warm before using in the cookie square recipe.

Recommended Products

Rock Recipes a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. Our product recommendations are almost exclusively for those we currently use or have used in the past.

• Cuisinart Nonstick Bakeware 9x9 Inch Square Cake Pan
• 
  KitchenAid KHM512ER 5-Speed Hand Mixer, Empire Red
• 
  Rock Recipes: The Best Food From My Newfoundland Kitchen

Nutrition Information

Yield

24

Serving Size

24 cookie bars or squares
Amount Per Serving Calories 235Saturated Fat 5gCholesterol 26mgSodium 47mgCarbohydrates 47gFiber 2gSugar 37gProtein 2g

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