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Velvet Sheets Bars: A comforting fusion of chocolate and coconut; ideal for new-parent snack time.
These Velvet Sheets Bars have their roots in my first meal with a newborn in the house. Sleep-deprived and adjusting to a life of endless diaper changes, I stumbled into the kitchen craving some magical combination of chocolate and nostalgia. My pantry was an organized chaos, but I could always count on having a can of sweetened condensed milk tucked away for emergencies—culinary or otherwise. As the baby finally napped, I set out to create something that could be both a sugar rush and a comforting nibble.
Combining shredded coconut with semisweet and white chocolate chips turned out to be a brilliant, albeit slightly dazed, decision. The moment I poured the vibrant liquid red food coloring into the batter, I knew this was no ordinary treat. Always beat the butter and sugar until they’re wonderfully fluffy to ensure the best texture for these bars. After sprinkling pecans generously on top, I slid the pan into the oven and crossed my fingers.
As they baked, a rich aroma filled the house, blending seamlessly with the sounds of quiet coos from the next room. When the bars finally cooled, lifting them from the pan using parchment overhang was as satisfying as the newfound sense of accomplishment. Letting them cool fully before cutting is key. I took my first bite while my sleeping bundle of joy continued to dream, and in that moment, life felt perfectly delicious.
Ingredients
- 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour spooned and leveled
- 1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter room temperature
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon liquid red food coloring
- 1 1/3 cups sweetened shredded coconut
- 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
- 1/2 cup white chocolate chips
- 1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
- 1 cup pecans chopped
Directions
- Position an oven rack to the center position.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- Line the bottom and the sides of a 9x13-inch or a 7x11-inch baking pan with parchment paper, making sure to leave an overhang on all sides.
- In a large bowl, add the flour, the cocoa powder, the baking powder, and the salt and whisk until combined.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, add the butter and beat on medium speed until smooth and creamy, about 1 minute.
- Add the granulated sugar to the butter and beat on medium-high speed until fluffy and light in color.
- Add the egg and the vanilla and beat on high speed until combined. Make sure to scrape down the sides and the bottom of the bowl, as needed.
- Add the food coloring to the butter mixture and beat until combined.
- With the mixer running on low speed, slowly add the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and beat until just combined. Make sure not to overmix and to scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl, as needed. The dough should be thick and sticky.
- Add the dough to the prepared baking pan and spread it out evenly with a silicone spatula.
- Bake on the center rack for 8 minutes.
- Transfer the baking pan from the oven but leave the oven on.
- Sprinkle the coconut over the cookie layer.
- Layer the semisweet chocolate chips and the white chocolate chips, in that order, over the coconut layer in the baking pan.
- Pour the condensed milk evenly over the top of the layers in the pan.
- Sprinkle the pecans on top of the condensed milk layer in the pan.
- Bake on the center rack until set, about 25 minutes.
- Allow the bars to cool on a wire rack for at least 2 hours.
- Using the overhang of parchment paper, carefully lift the bars out of the baking pan.
- Cut the bars into squares and serve.
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