Matcha and Coconut Breakfast Bars

Name: Matcha and Coconut Breakfast Bars
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 40 min
Yield: 12 servings
Cuisine: Asian
Ingredients: 5 oz (140 g) unsalted butter, cut into small cubes; ½ cup (170 ml) raw or regular honey; ¼ cup (55 g) packed light brown sugar; 2 tbsp (6 g) matcha powder, sifted to remove lumps; 1¾ cup (165 g) old-fashioned rolled oats; 1 cup (85 g) unsweetened shredded coconut; ¾ cup (100 g) raw almonds, roughly chopped; ¼ tsp (1½ g) fine sea salt; 1 tsp (5 ml) pure vanilla extract

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

Chewy, nutty breakfast bars with earthy matcha and toasted coconut, bound together with honey and butter. These bars are naturally sweet, packed with whole grains and almonds, and stay fresh for days. Perfect with coffee or tea, or packed into a lunch box.

Prep: 15 min
Cook: 25 min
Wait: 30 min
Total: 1 hr 10 min
Makes: 12 bars

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Steps

Before you start

Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C)
Line an 8×8-inch (20×20 cm) baking pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on two sides for easy removal
Have all ingredients measured and ready
Sift the matcha powder ahead of time to remove lumps

1
Melt butter and honey
- In a medium saucepan over medium-low heat, combine the cubed butter and honey.
- Stir gently with a wooden spoon until the butter is completely melted and the mixture is warm (about 2–3 minutes).
- Do not let it bubble vigorously.
- Remove from heat and stir in the brown sugar until dissolved.
- Let cool for 1 minute.
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Ready when: Butter is fully melted and brown sugar is dissolved
Tip: Do not boil the honey; high heat can damage its nutrients and change the flavor.
2
Sift and whisk matcha
- While the butter-honey mixture cools, sift the matcha powder into a small bowl using a fine-mesh sieve.
- Add 2 tablespoons of room-temperature water and whisk vigorously with a small whisk until the matcha is fully dissolved and there are no lumps.
- The mixture should be smooth and pale green.
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Ready when: Matcha is completely dissolved with no visible lumps
Tip: Whisking matcha with water first prevents clumping when mixed into the wet ingredients. Cold water can leave grainy bits.
3
Combine wet ingredients
- Pour the matcha slurry into the cooled butter-honey mixture and whisk until fully combined.
- Stir in the vanilla extract.
- The batter should be smooth, pale green, and uniform in color.
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Ready when: All green matcha streaks are blended into a uniform pale green color
Tip: Mix thoroughly so you don't bite into unmixed matcha clumps in the finished bars.
4
Mix dry ingredients
- In a large bowl, combine the rolled oats, shredded coconut, chopped almonds, and sea salt.
- Stir with a wooden spoon until evenly distributed.
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Ready when: All dry ingredients are evenly mixed with no lumps of coconut
Tip: Breaking up any clumped coconut now prevents hard, chewy spots in the baked bars.
5
Combine wet and dry
- Pour the warm matcha-butter mixture into the bowl of dry ingredients.
- Stir vigorously with the wooden spoon until all oats, coconut, and almonds are coated and no dry streaks remain.
- The mixture should be wet and cohesive, like thick cookie dough.
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Ready when: No dry oat bits visible; the mixture holds together when squeezed
Tip: Stir until fully combined or the baked bars will fall apart. The batter should be thick and wet, not crumbly.
6
Press into pan
- Transfer the mixture to the prepared 8×8-inch baking pan.
- Using damp fingertips or the back of an oiled spoon, press the mixture firmly and evenly into the pan, working from the edges toward the center.
- The top should be relatively level and compact.
- If using fingertips, dampen them with water to prevent sticking.
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Ready when: Mixture is level, compact, and fills the entire pan with no gaps
Tip: Press firmly so the bars hold together when sliced. Loose packing leads to crumbly bars that fall apart.
7
Bake barsOven 350°F / 175°C
- Place the pan in the preheated 350°F (175°C) oven.
- Bake for 22–25 minutes, until the top is light golden brown and feels firm to the touch but still slightly yielding (not hard).
- The edges may brown faster than the center; that is normal.
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Ready when: Top is light golden brown, feels firm but not rock-hard when pressed gently, and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with no wet batter
Tip: Overbaking makes the bars hard and dry. Underbaking makes them crumbly when cool. Aim for a light golden top.
8
Cool in pan
- Remove the pan from the oven and place it on a wire rack or trivet.
- Let the bars cool in the pan for 15 minutes.
- They will continue to firm up as they cool.
- Do not cut them while they are still very hot, as they will crumble.
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Ready when: Bars are cool enough to touch without burning your fingers and have pulled away slightly from the edges of the pan
Tip: This cooling step is crucial. Cutting too early breaks the bars apart; cooling in the pan keeps them intact.
9
Cut and transfer
- Once cooled, run a thin knife around the inside edges of the pan to loosen the bars.
- Lift out the entire block using the parchment overhang.
- Place on a cutting board and cut into 12 equal bars (3 rows × 4 columns works well).
- Use a sharp knife and a gentle sawing motion, wiping the blade between cuts if needed.
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Ready when: Bars are cut cleanly with minimal crumbling
Tip: Let the bars finish cooling on the cutting board before storing. A serrated knife or a very sharp chef's knife works best.

Good to know

Tips

Matcha can be pricey. Buy from Japanese or specialty suppliers for better quality and lower cost than mainstream grocery stores. Store matcha in an airtight container in a cool, dark place or the freezer to preserve its vibrant color and flavor.
These bars are chewy in the center and slightly crispy at the edges. If you prefer a crispier bar throughout, extend the baking time to 28–30 minutes, watching for darkening at the edges.
Toast the coconut and almonds in a dry skillet over medium heat for 2–3 minutes before adding them to the dry ingredients to deepen the nutty, toasted flavor.
For a moister bar with a fudgy center, reduce the baking time to 20 minutes and allow extra cooling time before cutting. For a firmer, more cake-like bar, bake the full 25 minutes.

Make ahead

You can prepare the batter up to 2 hours ahead and keep it in the pan, covered with plastic wrap at room temperature. This may slightly reduce the bake time (start checking at 20 minutes). You can also bake the bars up to 3 days ahead and store them in an airtight container.

Storage & reheating

Room temperature: Store in an airtight container or zip-top bag for up to 4 days. Refrigerator: Up to 1 week in an airtight container. Freezer: Up to 3 months in a freezer bag or container. Thaw at room temperature for 1–2 hours before serving, or eat straight from the freezer for a firmer texture.

Substitutions

unsweetened shredded coconut → unsweetened coconut flakes or sweetened shredded coconut. Sweetened coconut will make the bars slightly sweeter overall. Use the same amount by weight. Avoid coconut oil as it changes the texture.
raw almonds → walnuts, pecans, or pumpkin seeds. Any roasted or raw nut works. Chop to the same size. Walnuts will add an earthy flavor that complements matcha well.
raw or regular honey → maple syrup or brown rice syrup. Use the same amount. Maple syrup adds its own distinct flavor, while brown rice syrup is more neutral. Both create a slightly softer bar.
matcha powder → ceremonial-grade matcha or culinary matcha from a different producer. Ceremonial matcha is milder and more grassy; culinary matcha is more robust. Both work. Do not substitute powdered green tea—it's more bitter and grainy.