Magic Cookie Bars

Magic Cookie Bars – These bars come together in one pan and are so easy to make.  Layers of graham crackers, chocolate, butterscotch, coconut, nuts and sweetened condensed milk.

When I was growing up these bars were a staple at my grandma’s house.  They go by a few different names; in my family they were called One Pan Bars, but Magic Bars or Seven Layer Bars are all common names for them.  If you grew up in the Mid-West there is a good chance you have had these many times before! 

What’s In Magic Cookie Bars

• Butter
• Graham Crackers
• Shredded Coconut
• Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips
• Butterscotch Chips
• Walnuts
• Sweetened Condensed Milk

This Magic Bar recipe is so simple to make, you literally need 7 ingredients (hence the name seven layer bars) that you just layer into a pan and bake.  My grandma mixed the butter and graham cracker crumbs together in the bottom of the pan and then topped with the rest.

I have seen other people who literally just pour in the melted butter and sprinkle the graham cracker crumbs over the top, not actually mixing them together.  I am sure that works just fine, but I like to stick with how I grew up with them.  

How to Make Magic Cookie Bars

1. In the base of a 13×9 inch baking dish mix together the melted butter and graham cracker crumbs.  Press into the base of the pan. It will be a very thin layer, that is perfectly fine.
2. Then just start layering.  Sprinkle over the coconut, chocolate chips, butterscotch chips, and chopped walnuts.
3. To finish evenly pour the can of sweetened condensed milk over the bars. 
4. Bake for about 30 minutes until they are set and then let them cool completely before serving.  

Can I Use Other Nuts

Absolutely! In my family 7 layer magic cookie bars was made with chopped walnuts. It may have been because that is what my grandma liked the most, or how her mom taught her to make them.  I don’t know why walnuts was the only nut used.

I have seen plenty of recipes that use pecans instead.  So really, you can use whatever nuts you have and enjoy the flavor of.  The important part is to have the salty nuts with everything else that is sweet to balance the flavor in the bars.  

I love a simple dessert that doesn’t take any time to make.  These magic cookie bars really are that. Five minutes of work and you can have them in the oven, with just a couple of measuring cups to wash, no extra bowls or anything. 

If you didn’t grow up having these, you are going to want to make sure you have all the ingredients to try them soon!  And if you did have them as a kid, you remember just how good they are.  These definitely bring me back to grandma’s house as a kid playing with my cousins and sneaking treats!

More Great Dessert Recipes to Try

• Cosmic Brownies
• Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies
• Kool Aid Pie
• Peanut Butter Cream Pie
• M&M Chocolate Oat Bars
• Coconut Macarons
• No Bake Oreo Cheesecake
• Reese’s Fudge
• Gooey Brownie Pie

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Yield: 24

Magic Cookie Bars

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Magic Cookie Bars - These bars come together in one pan and are so easy to make.  Layers of graham crackers, chocolate, butterscotch, coconut, nuts and sweetened condensed milk.

Prep Time 5 minutes

Cook Time 25 minutes

Total Time 30 minutes

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup butter, melted
• 1 1/4 cup graham cracker crumbs
• 1 cup shredded coconut
• 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 1 cup butterscotch chips
• 1 cup chopped walnuts
• 14 oz can sweetened condensed milk

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. In a 13x9 inch baking dish mix together butter and graham cracker crumbs. Press into the base of the pan, it will be a thin layer.
3. Sprinkle coconut evenly over the graham crackers.
4. Sprinkle over chocolate chips, then butterscotch chips, then chopped walnuts.
5. Evenly drizzle the sweetened condensed milk over the bars.
6. Bake for 25-30 minutes until golden and set.
7. Remove and let cool completely before slicing.

Nutrition Information

Yield

24

Serving Size

1
Amount Per Serving Calories 246Total Fat 15gSaturated Fat 8gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 6gCholesterol 18mgSodium 96mgCarbohydrates 27gFiber 1gSugar 23gProtein 3g

Nutrition Disclaimer: All information presented on this site is intended for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and any nutritional information shared on dinnersdishesanddesserts.com should only be used as a general guideline.

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Erin S

Welcome to Dinners, Dishes, & Desserts where my love of food meets my busy life. My name is Erin and I’m a casual home cook who loves to feed people. On this blog, you’ll find hundreds of quick and easy recipes made mostly from scratch. My days are spent in the kitchen, creating new recipes to share with family and friends.

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