These “Sandy’s Bars” are a real treat! These bars feature three layers of sugary goodness. The first layer is a pretty easy-to-make take on a shortbread cookie. That’s followed by a layer made of a caramely mixture of pecans and coconut. Then, it’s all topped off with a citrusy frosting. This vintage recipe makes a full 13″ x 9″ tray so it can feed a ground. And it’s a crowd pleaser for sure—even if your name isn’t Sandy!
These bars seem pretty complex with three layers and all, but they’re surprisingly easy to make. The basics are: preheat oven, mix first layer, bake, mix second layer, bake, mix frosting, bake. Easy! The biggest things to keep in mind to set yourself up for success are:
- Preheat the oven a good 20-30 minutes before you plan on baking
- Set out the butter at least 30 minutes before baking so it can really soften
- Allow each layer to cool before adding the next
- As always, use the freshest ingredients you can
This is also a recipe that you certainly don’t need a stand mixer for and might even better if you do it all by hand. The shortbread layer (layer one) has butter, sugar and flour and you don’t want it super tough – so you’ll want to mix it as little as possible. Basically, mix it until there are no dry spots and all the flour and sugar is incorporated into the butter. Over mixing can cause the end result to become very tough. Layer two is the ooey-gooey layer and is super easy to just mix by hand with a rubber spatular. The frosting can be whisked by hand as well, it might be a workout, but you can do it. Plus, doing it by hand will certainly make sure you don’t start to fast and explode powdered sugar all over your kitchen.
Once the bars are done, allow them to sit for a while before serving so the frosting has time to set up. They will keep on the counter in an airtight container for 5-7 days. They probably won’t last that long, though. If you give these Sandy’s Bars a try, I’d love to hear what you think in the comments below or share a picture with me on Instagram (@bdhbakes).
