Our kids come running any time we make these Magic Cookie Bars. If you’re looking for an easy-to-make sweet treat that doesn’t require much time in the kitchen, this is it! Buttery graham cracker crust, rich butterscotch morsels, and a luscious layer of caramelized sweetened condensed milk makes these out of this world.
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Sometimes called Hello Dolly bars or seven layer bars, these luxurious dessert bars are a fun family-friendly recipe to make when you’re tired of regular chocolate chip cookies and want something a little different. Their soft, thick, chewy layers are so yummy and satisfying.
If you like layered bar desserts, you'll also love our Pecan Bars, O'Henry Bars, and Chocolate Chip Cookie Cheesecake Bars.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Amazing Texture: Every layer in magic coconut bars is delicious! The soft, crumbly graham cracker crust, gooey sweetened condensed milk that caramelizes after you bake it, crunchy coconut and nuts, and little chewy bites of chocolate and butterscotch.
- Easy to Customize: Not a coconut fan? No problem. Want extra butterscotch chips? Do it! You can easily change up the layers and ingredients to make these your own.
- Simple to Make: Layer and bake, that’s it! These magic bars come together fast and you don't need any fancy baking equipment or tools. This magic cookie bars recipe is great for beginners.
Ingredients
- Graham Cracker Crumbs: You can buy pre-made graham cracker crumbs or make your own by pulsing them in a food processor. Make sure they're finely crushed for the best texture in this magic bars recipe.
- Butter: The butter needs to be completely melted to help bind the crust together. Heat it up to be warm but not too hot.
- Chocolate Chips (Semi-Sweet, Butterscotch, and White): This trio of chips is one of the signature aspects of these bars. They have a mix of classic chocolate, creamy white chocolate, and caramel notes from the butterscotch. We recommend splurging on high-quality brands so they'll melt well.
- Sweetened Condensed Milk: This ooey, gooey, syrupy ingredient is the "magic" that holds these bars together. Use the full can as it helps bind everything together and adds the perfect creamy sweetness in these Eagle brand magic cookie bars.
- Shredded Coconut: Look for moist, sweetened shredded coconut in the baking aisle.
- Pecans: These are optional and they add wonderful crunch and nutty flavor. Toast them slightly before chopping if you want even better flavor. Walnuts or almonds would also work.
See the recipe card below for exact ingredient amounts, nutritional information, and detailed instructions.
Variations
- Vary the Graham Crackers: You can use regular honey flavor, chocolate flavor, or the cinnamon flavor for all slightly different bars.
- Gluten-Free Graham Crackers: Use gluten-free graham crackers if you have an allergy or sensitivity.
- Vanilla Wafer Base: Crushed vanilla wafers (either regular or gluten-free) would also make a delectable base instead of graham crackers.
- Add Candies: Peanut butter cups or peanut butter M&Ms would go well in these magic layer bars!
- Crushed Up Pretzels: Crushed up pretzel pieces or even chocolate or white chocolate covered pretzels would add a fun crunch!
- Not So Sweet: If you’re looking to cut down the sweetness a bit, you could use unsweetened coconut and half the amount of sweetened condensed milk in the magic bars with coconut.
How To Make Magic Cookie Bars
Before you start, preheat the oven to 350°F and line a 9x13 pan with parchment paper. The easiest way to do this is to cut 2 strips of parchment paper, one the same width as the pan and one the same length as the pan.
- Step 1: Make the Graham Cracker Layer. Mix the graham cracker crumbs and butter together in a bowl, using a fork to mix them. Press the crumb mixture firmly into the bottom of the lined pan.
- Step 2: Add the Chips, Coconut, and Pecan. Layer the white chocolate chips, semi-sweet chocolate chips, butterscotch chips, half the coconut, and the chopped pecans over the graham cracker crust.
- Step 3: Pour on the Sweetened Condensed Milk. Pour the whole can of sweetened condensed milk on top and sprinkle the remaining coconut over the top.
- Step 4: Bake. Bake for 20-25 minutes. Let the bars cool completely before serving.
Hint: Serving the Bars
It will be tempting to cut into these coconut magic bars as soon as they come out of the oven, but be patient and let them cool down first. You can throw them in the fridge to help speed up the process. If you cut them while they’re hot, they become a gooey mess!
Expert Tips
- Storing and Freezing: Keep leftovers in the fridge stored in an airtight container for up to 7 days. You can freeze these for up to 3 months. Thaw them in the fridge the night before you want to serve them.
- Change the Ratios: These bars are very forgiving, so feel free to try different amounts of the ingredients. Leave the nuts out if you don’t like them, add more chips, and try other mix-ins.
- Graham Cracker Crust: The graham crackers need to be finely ground (preferably in a food processor), not crumbled by hand or they won’t hold together.
- Avoid Runny Bars: Make sure you don't underbake and give them enough time to cool completely to prevent runny bars.
Serving Suggestions
Magic bars are a hit any time of day, with any meal. They’re also a showstopper on a dessert platter if you’re making holiday treats or really want to impress guests at your next dinner party.
- Pair these with an ice cold glass of milk or a scoop of homemade ice cream.
- Make this recipe for magic bars for a summer barbecue or luau and serve them along with ham Hawaiian roll sliders, Hawaiian macaroni salad, and white chocolate cookies with macadamia nuts.
- If you’re a coconut fan, make a platter of coconut magic bars and have them with coconut cake mix cookies. The ultimate coconut lover’s dream dessert pairing!
More Dessert Bar Recipes
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Easy 7 Layer Magic Bars
Ingredients
- 2 cups Graham cracker Crumbs
- ½ cup butter melted
- ¾ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
- ½ cup butterscotch chips
- ½ cup white chocolate chips
- 14 oz Sweetened Condensed Milk
- 1 cup sweetened shredded coconut
- ¾ cup pecans (optional) chopped
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350℉. Line a 9x13 pan with parchment paper. The easiest way to do this is to cut 2 strips of parchment paper. Make one the same width as the pan and one the same length as the pan.
- In a bowl, mix the graham cracker crumbs and butter together using a fork to stir. Press the crumb mixture firmly into the bottom of the pan.
- Layer the white chocolate chips, semi-sweet chocolate chips, butterscotch chips, half of the coconut, and the chopped pecans over the graham cracker crust.
- Pour sweetened condensed milk on top and sprinkle the remaining coconut over the sweetened condensed milk.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes. Let the bars cool completely before serving.
- Serve and Enjoy!
Notes
- Toast your pecans for 5 minutes in a dry skillet if you want even more flavor in the magic cookies bars.
- Line your pan with parchment paper that overhangs the sides, creating handles that make removing the entire batch effortless once it's cooled off.
- Create defined layers by sprinkling each ingredient rather than dumping them on. This will ensure every bite has the perfect balance of flavors.
- When adding the final coconut layer on top, sprinkle it evenly but don't press it down. This will allow the coconut to toast perfectly while it bakes.
- For clean, precise cuts, chill the bars completely in the refrigerator before slicing.
Nutrition
*All nutrition information provided is automatically calculated and is an estimate and will vary based on ingredients, brands, and changes in cooking methods listed in the recipe. If you need exact numbers on your ingredients, I would recommend calculating them with your prefered nutrition calculator.
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