Chewy Coconut Chocolate Chip Bars

I have made this bar in homage to  the classic church basement treat, the seven-layer bar.

1-1/2 cups unsweetened coconut shreds or flakes
2 tablespoons powdered sugar
1 tablespoon sunflower oil, or oil of choice
1 tablespoon water
1/4 cup millet flour or sorghum flour or GF oat flour or buckwheat flour
1/4 cup brown rice flour, or white rice flour, or millet flour
1/4 cup GF oat flour, or pure rice bran, or GF quick-cooking oats (Bob's Red Mill)
1/4 cup tapioca starch, or cornstarch, or potato starch, or arrowroot starch
2 teaspoons egg replacer powder
1 teaspoon xanthan gum
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1-1/4 cups packed light brown sugar, or evaporated cane juice, or granulated sweetener of choice
1/2 cup (4 ounces) unsweetened applesauce
1/4 cup pure olive oil or oil of choice
2 tablespoons rice milk, or milk of choice, or water
1-1/2 cups GF granola of choice
1 cup soy-free vegan chocolate chips (Enjoy Life)

1. Place oven baking rack into middle of oven and preheat oven to 350 degrees F; lightly coat a 9x13" rimmed baking sheet with pure olive oil then dust with GF oat flour or GF flour of choice.
2. In a bowl, whisk together coconut, powdered sugar, oil and water; set aside for at least 10 minutes to rehydrate coconut.
3. In an airtight container, combine millet flour, brown rice flour, GF oat flour, tapioca starch, egg replacer powder, xanthan gum, baking powder and sea salt; place on lid and shake vigorously to combine.
4. In mixing bowl, beat together light brown sugar, applesauce and rice milk; beat with electric mixer set on high for 1 minute.
5. Add dry mixture to bowl and beat to combine; add granola and chocolate chips; beat just to combine.
6. Spread dough into prepared rimmed baking sheet, sprinkle on prepared coconut and place on middle rack in a preheated 350 degree oven; bake for 27 - 30 minutes, or until coconut is nicely browned.

Remove pan to wire cooling rack, allow bars to cool in pan for at least 30 minutes. Cut into bars and serve immediately, or place cut bars on wire cooling rack to cool completely prior to storage in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. Can also refrigerate up to 10 days, and store frozen up to 3 months.
Servings: 20 bars
Prep time: 15 minutes
Preheat: 350 degrees F
Baking time: 27 to 30 minutes