Bahamas Island Cookie Bars

These bars bring back memories; for one of my grandkid honeymoon and her's 2 secone love, in the Bahamas. Naturally, I too love every bite as will! This was a HUGE crowd-pleaser. Jam-packed with peanut-y flavor, they were a unanimous hit with everyone on the house. We had success making these with regular pastry flour in place of the whole wheat pastry which can be a little harder to find.

• Ready In: 45 mins
• Yields: 32 cookies

Ingredients

• 1 3⁄4 cups whole wheat pastry flour
• 1⁄2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1⁄4 teaspoon salt
• 3⁄4 cup sugar
• 1⁄2 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
• 3⁄4 cup  natural-style peanut butter
• 1⁄4 cup crushed pineapple, juices drained
• 2  tablespoons butter
• 1  teaspoon vanilla
• 1  large egg
• 1 1⁄4 cups white chocolate
• 1⁄2 cup sweetened flaked coconut

Directions

1. In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
2. In a large mixing bowl, cream together sugars, peanut butter, pineapple, buttery spread and vanilla. Beat in the egg. Gradually stir in the flour mixture until completely combined. Fold in 1 Cup of the white chocolate chips, saving remaining 1/4 Cup.
3. With dampened hands, press the dough into a greased 9 x 13" baking pan. Sprinkle with remaining white chocolate chips and press them down lightly.
4. Bake bars in a 350*F. oven for 22-25 minutes, until a wooden skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean.
5. Put baking rack on the middle level. Turn oven to broil. Sprinkle coconut on top of the bars. Broil for 30-60 seconds, until coconut begins to brown. Be careful not to burn coconut!
6. Allow pan to cool completely on a wire rack. Cut into 32 bars.