These oven baked 5-ingredient vanilla wafer caramel bars are the kind of easy dessert I love keeping in my back pocket for busy weeks, potlucks, and last-minute family dinners. Using whole vanilla wafer cookies as the base keeps prep simple, while a buttery caramel-like topping bakes right into the layers for a sweet, soft-crisp bar that tastes like you spent a lot more time on it than you really did. It has that classic pantry-dessert charm that feels a little retro in the best way.
Serve these bars slightly warm or fully cooled, depending on whether you want a gooier or firmer texture. They pair really well with coffee, cold milk, or a scoop of vanilla ice cream, and if you're setting out a dessert tray, fresh strawberries or sliced bananas on the side balance the richness nicely.
Oven Baked 5-Ingredient Vanilla Wafer Caramel Bars
Servings: 12 bars
Ingredients
1 box vanilla wafer cookies, about 11 ounces
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
1 large egg
1 cup sweetened shredded coconut
Directions
1. Preheat the oven to 350°F and lightly grease a clear glass 9x13 baking dish.
2. Arrange the whole vanilla wafer cookies in an even layer across the bottom of the dish, keeping them unbroken and fitting them snugly together.
3. In a medium bowl, stir together the melted butter, brown sugar, egg, and shredded coconut until fully combined into a thick, spoonable mixture.
4. Spoon the mixture evenly over the cookies and gently spread it out so the wafers are covered from edge to edge.
5. Bake for 22 to 28 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and bubbling around the edges.
6. Let the bars cool in the dish until set, then slice into squares or rectangles and serve.
Variations & Tips
Chocolate Drizzle: Once the bars are fully cooled, drizzle melted chocolate over the top for a bakery-style finish. This is a great option if you're bringing them to a party and want them to look a little extra special without adding much work.
Nutty Crunch: If you want a little texture contrast, sprinkle chopped pecans or walnuts over the topping before baking. It adds a toasty crunch that works really well with the buttery brown sugar flavor.
Make-Ahead Tip: These bars slice more cleanly after they have cooled completely, so they're ideal for baking earlier in the day or even the night before. Store them covered at room temperature for a day or two, or refrigerate for a slightly firmer bite.
Pan Tip: Because the topping is rich and sticky, greasing the glass baking dish well makes serving much easier. You can also line the dish with parchment if you want to lift the whole slab out before slicing.