My neighbor handed me a stained index card with this in 1982. Just three ingredients, but her pan is completely scraped clean at every late summer potluck.

 This oven baked 3-ingredient coconut donahue is the kind of old-fashioned potluck dessert that earns a permanent spot in the recipe box because it turns a few pantry staples into something rich, chewy, and wonderfully toasty. It has that cozy church-supper feel so many Midwestern desserts do, with a crisp golden top and a soft, sweet center that tastes like summer gatherings, hand-me-down recipes, and well-loved glass casserole dishes.

Serve this warm or at room temperature with coffee, iced tea, or a scoop of vanilla ice cream if you want to dress it up a little. For potlucks, I like to cut it into small squares since it is quite sweet, and it fits right in alongside fresh fruit, lemonade, and other simple picnic favorites.

Oven Baked 3-Ingredient Coconut Donahue

Servings: 12

Toasted coconut dessert in a glass casserole dish

Ingredients

1 box yellow cake mix

1 can sweetened condensed milk, about 14 ounces

1 bag sweetened shredded coconut, about 14 ounces

Cake mix, condensed milk, and shredded coconut

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F and lightly grease a 9x13-inch glass casserole dish.

Greased glass casserole dish ready for baking

2. In a large mixing bowl, stir together the yellow cake mix, sweetened condensed milk, and shredded coconut until everything is fully combined into a thick, sticky batter.

Thick coconut batter being mixed in a bowl

3. Spread the mixture evenly into the prepared casserole dish, smoothing the top so it bakes up evenly.

Coconut batter spread into glass baking dish

4. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the top is deep golden brown and the center looks set but still soft.

Freshly baked coconut dessert with golden top

5. Let the dessert cool for at least 15 minutes before scooping or cutting into squares, then serve warm or at room temperature.

Plated coconut dessert with a neat square and serving spoon

Variations & Tips

For extra coconut flavor: Sprinkle a small handful of additional shredded coconut over the top before baking so you get even more toasted texture on the surface.

Coconut dessert with extra toasted coconut topping

For picky eaters: If your family is unsure about lots of texture, stir the batter very well so the coconut is evenly distributed and the finished bars feel softer and more uniform in each bite.

For easy potluck serving: Let it cool completely before cutting into smaller squares. It will hold together better, and those smaller portions are just right on a dessert table with lots of choices.

Pan and baking tip: Glass baking dishes brown nicely, but ovens can vary. Start checking at the 25-minute mark so the edges do not get too dark before the center is set.