These 7 Layer Bars are the are the original recipe for magic cookie bars of my childhood. This one dish easy recipe makes the best bar cookies and is perfect for the Christmas season or as a portable cookie for picnics or potluck!
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❤️ Why you'll love it
- These gooey bars are made with sweetened condensed milk making them chewy, gooey, and delicious!
- They are great make ahead dessert bars to prepare for holiday cookie trays.
- The buttery graham cracker crust has 7 layers of deliciousness sprinkled over top and is an easy dessert recipe.
- This family favorite is perfect for bake sales!
🥘 Ingredients
Graham crackers, crushed into crumbs or buy a box of graham cracker crumbs.
Unsalted butter, this is melted right in the baking dish!
Sweetened condensed milk, my preference is eagle brand.
Semi-sweet chocolate chips
Butterscotch chips
Shredded coconut flakes
Walnuts
🔪 Instructions
- Pre heat oven to 350 degrees (325 degrees for glass dish).
- In a 13 x 9 inch baking pan melt butter in oven.
- Sprinkle graham cracker crumbs over top of the melted butter. Mix together and press into pan to cover the bottom of the pan.
- Pour sweetened condensed milk evenly over top of the graham cracker crust.
- Top evenly with remaining ingredients. Press down firmly. Bake 25-30 minutes or until golden brown. Cool completely before cutting.
🥄 Equipment
9 x 13 baking dish
Sharp knife
🥫Storage
Store these cookie bars in an airtight container on the counter up to 1 week, in the fridge up to 1 month, or freezer up to 3 months.
📖 Variations
- Make different layers of flavors using dark chocolate chips, white chocolate chips, caramel bits, and peanut butter chips to measure 4 cups total.
- Sprinkle some chocolate covered toffee chips over top of the final layer for extra sweet crunch.
- Substitute chopped pecans for the walnuts.
💭 Tips
- Use a piece of parchment paper to lie over top of the assembled bars and press down with hands to firmly pack the ingredients into the dish.
- If crushing your own graham crackers, place them in a ziploc bag and crush into fine crumbs using a rolling pin.
📚 Related Recipes
These Chewy Peanut Butter Layer Bars will be another family favorite!
Peanut Butter No Bakes are a delicious no bake cookie that is a take on the traditional chocolate version.
Peanut Butter Granola Bars are a lunchbox favorite!
Rhubarb Custard Bars are a bar recipe that is perfect for spring or year round (freeze that rhubarb!).
Butterscotch fans will love these Butterscotch Chocolate Chip Cookies!
🍽 Serve with...
The best way to enjoy these bar cookies is with a tall cold glass of milk. They are also a highly approved treat to leave out on Christmas eve for Santa!
🏫 The last word
This is a classic dessert recipe that I remember my mom making when I was young. It is a cookie bar with several different names. Mom always called them 7 Layer magic bars. They are also called magic cookie bars, or hello dolly bars. No matter what the name, the end result is a sweet cookie bar with crispy edges and chewy inside!
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📖 Recipe
7 Layer Bars
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Ingredients
- 1½ cups graham cracker crumbs
- ½ cup unsalted butter
- 14 ounce sweetened condensed milk
- 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 1 cup butterscotch chips
- 1½ cups coconut
- 1 cup chopped walnuts
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350° (325 degrees if using a glass dish).
- In a 13 x 9 inch baking pan melt the butter in oven. Evenly sprinkle the graham cracker crumbs over top of the butter.
- Using a fork, mix together the butter and graham cracker crumbs and press into pan to form a crust.
- Pour the sweetened condensed milk evenly over the crust.
- Top evenly with chocolate chips, butterscotch chips, coconut, and walnuts..
- Press down firmly on top of the layers. Bake 30 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool completely before cutting.
AnickH says
THose look awesome i love 7 layer bars yours look especially good
Creative One says
Yummy, these look amazing!
CookiePie says
I love these -- they look fabulous! My mom always called them "hello dollies" 🙂
Elle says
I've always loved these cookies...easy to make and great for the lunchbox or with a cup of coffee.
JyLnC says
They look fabulous....and decadent.
Bobby says
These cookie bars look amazing!
Danielle says
I make this same recipe but without the butterscotch chips and I call them Magic Squares because whenever I have had a crush on a guy I have made these for him and magically we end up together! Thanks Magic Squares!!
Kevin says
Those look so decadently good!
Coleen's Recipes says
Here is my three letter comment: YUM!
shellyfish says
How do you make this stuff and not eat it all in one sitting? I don't think I could resist!
Linda says
I have made these before, Shelby, and they are so rich and delicious! We call them Hello Dollies. No one knows why, unfortunately!!
Bellini Valli says
Do decadent Shelby. Grumpy is a lucky guy:D