Must Make Magic Cookie Bars

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Magic Cookie Bars are a classic treat that you must have in your recipe box. These seven layer bars are easy to make, and perfect for gifting.

A few years ago, my middle kiddo told me she needed to do a school project on a family tradition around the holidays. It needed to be something she could give a speech on. Something that went back generations. I stood there like a deer in headlights, and then it hit me!

Food! Christmas treats! Her great-grandmother baked hundreds of cookies. There were trays and trays out around the holidays. (Italian grandmas, am I right?)

Her grandmother made tons of Christmas treats and passed down the tradition of giving them to her kids. I vividly remember Christmas baking with my mom (like these amazing cut out sugar cookies ).

Even better, I remember my brothers, five and seven years older than me, as teenagers baking away at the holidays. They would put together box after box for neighbors, friends, and family, filled with goodies. And they always had these Magic Bars in them.

Known by many names, like Hello Dolly Bars and 7 Layer Bars, this magic cookie bars recipe is so easy to make. There is a reason they are a classic; these fantastic cookie bars cannot be beat.

OMG! These turned out so good. I sent the majority with my daughter to her co-workers to try. She said they were gone before her first break.

How to Make Magic Bars

This is a brief overview to show you how easy it is to make this delicious dessert. For the full 7 layer bars recipe with all of the measurements, see the recipe card at the bottom of the post.

Make the Graham Cracker Crust Layer

Combine graham cracker crumbs and melted butter. Press into the bottom of a 9 by 13 inch baking dish, making a crust layer.

overhead of graham cracker sheets in a food processor - 6

Create the Next Layers

Pour sweetened condensed milk in an even layer over the crust layer. Add chocolate chips and butterscotch chips, then pour shredded coconut on top. Sprinkle on the pecan pieces and gently press everything down.

overhead of sweetened condensed milk on a graham cracker crust in a 9 by 13 inch baking dish - 7

Bake the Seven Layer Bars

Once baked, allow them to cool, then cut and enjoy.

overhead of baked magic bars in a 9 by 13 inch baking dish - 8

Baking Tips for Magic Bars

To know when your magic cookie bars are done , watch for the middle of the pan to begin to become golden brown. It should reach this color without the edges burning. (Refer to the photo above).
Do not buy evaporated milk. It has the same packaging/can size as sweetened condensed milk and will ruin the recipe.
Use a good pan. I love using aluminum baking dishes when I’m making cookie bars for the way they conduct heat and bake the bars evenly. This baking pan is perfect.
Line your baking dish with parchment paper. Using two pieces of parchment paper (one cut for the long way and one cut for the wide way) will allow you to just lift the bars out of the pan.
Cut your magic bars at room temperature. They don’t need to be stored in the refrigerator, but if you used that to cool them faster, make sure they are room temperature to cut.
You can substitute the butterscotch chips for more chocolate chips. If you don’t have butterscotch chips, double the chocolate chips. You could also use peanut butter chips.
Use the type of chocolate chips you enjoy. These 7 layer magic bars call for one cup of chocolate chips. You can use milk chocolate chips, dark chocolate, white chocolate chips, or semi-sweet chocolate chips here. You could also use a combination. The important thing is to pick what you love best.
Swap the pecans for chopped walnuts. Both work great in this magic cookie bar recipe and again, you should use your preference. You can also skip the nuts altogether.

Storing Seven Layer Bars

Store these in an airtight container at room temperature for up to one week. They do not need to be refrigerated.

You can also freeze magic cookie bars. After they have cooled, cut them into bars. Freeze in a single layer for an hour. Then transfer to an airtight container and return to the freezer for up to three months.

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For years, I’ve been making spins on the magic cookie bar. These variations are some of my most popular dessert recipes. With such a simple base recipe, the possibilities are endless.

Here they are in order of my most favorite (but they are all delicious):

S’mores Magic Cookie Bars
Milky Way Magic Bars
Chocolate Covered Cherry Magic Bars
Strawberries and Cream Seven Layer Bars

If you make this magic bars recipe or any of my other recipes, I’d love to hear what you think!

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Ingredients

1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs roughly 11 traditional American graham cracker sheets or (160 grams)
1/2 cup unsalted butter melted (113 grams)
14 liquid ounces sweetened condensed milk be careful not to buy evaporated milk
1 cup chocolate chips (175 grams)
1 cup butterscotch chips or replace with another cup of chocolate chips (175 grams)
1 1/3 cups shredded sweetened coconut (113 grams)
1 cup chopped pecans (119 grams)

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
Use a food processor to crush your graham crackers. Alternatively, you can put them in a sealable plastic bag (like Ziplock) and crush them with a rolling pin. Combine the graham cracker crumbs and butter right in your food processor. 1/2 cup unsalted butter, 1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
Press the combined butter and crumbs into a 9 by 13 inch baking pan that is lined with parchment paper. (See the photo in the post.)
Pour the sweetened condensed milk over the crumb crust completely. If you need to spread it, do so carefully. 14 liquid ounces sweetened condensed milk
Sprinkle the chocolate chips and butterscotch chips over the sweetened condensed milk layer. 1 cup chocolate chips, 1 cup butterscotch chips
Add the shredded coconut and then the pecans. Very gently press down. 1 1/3 cups shredded sweetened coconut, 1 cup chopped pecans
Bake for 18 – 23 minutes on the middle shelf of your oven, rotating halfway through, until the middle of the pan just begins to turn golden brown.

Recipe Video

close up of a magic bar with a bite missing - 10

did you make this

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pinterest graphic photo of overhead of cut up magic bars, says: magic bars simplejoy.com - 11

pinterest graphic a stack of magic cookie bars says, super easy seven layer bars simplejoy.com - 12