Magic bars are easy to make and will not last long! Also known as “Hello Dolly” bars, they are made with a buttery graham cracker crust and topped with layers of chocolate chips, nuts, coconut, and sweetened condensed milk.
These Cookie bars go by a few different names like 7 layer bars or hello dolly but I have always known them as Magic bars. They are my family’s favorite and when I ask my husband what treat he wants for Christmas it is always these bars which are a perfect mix of gooey, crunchy, and salty. In my opinion, there is nothing better than that combination.
These bars can definitely be made any time of the year but for me, it’s a Christmas treat that we all love, and if you haven’t had it before you will love them after just one bite.
What are magic bars
Magic bars, or seven-layer bars, are easy cookie bar that is made up of seven ingredients. Make the crust, press it into the bottom of the pan, and then layer the remaining ingredients on top before baking.
Ingredients needed
This recipe is really very simple to make and comes together quickly. Here is the list of ingredients, but feel free to mix up the nuts, chocolate chips, and cookie crumbs to whatever your preference is.
- Butter You will be melting the butter to bind the graham crackers together to make a crust.
- Graham cracker crumbs you can buy graham crackers already made into crumbs or crush your own in a Ziplock bag.
- Coconut I think the shredded coconut really adds to the sweetness and texture of this recipe
- Nuts Pecans are very good since they have their own sweetness, but walnuts or even hazelnuts are good too.
- Chocolate Chips I like to use a mixture of white chocolate, milk chocolate, or semi chocolate but feel free to use one or the other or all of them
- Sweetened Condensed Milk is the key to a sweet, chewy, gooey bar cookie this is a must-have in this cookie bar. I like to use the eagle brand but any brand works here.
How to make magic bars
- Prepare pan to preheat oven to 350F. Spray a 9×13-inch baking pan with cooking spray or with parchment paper.
- Bake Crust melt butter and stir in graham cracker crumbs until combined. Press into the bottom of the 9×13-inch baking pan to form the crust of this cookie bar.
- Add the layers Sprinkle evenly the remaining ingredients, one by one, over the crust to form the layers, starting with chocolate chips, white chocolate chips, and milk chocolate chips, followed by coconut, walnuts, and sweetened condensed milk.
- Bake in preheated oven for 25-30 minutes until edges are golden brown and set in the middle. Allow cooling completely before slicing.
Recipe tips
- Line the baking dish with parchment paper, it makes it easy to pick and remove the entire slab out of the pan and cut it into squares. If you don’t it’s quite hard to remove them.
- Crush Make sure to crush the graham crackers into fine crumbs, you can do this by using a food processor or a rolling pin.
- Cool Allow your magic bars to cool completely before cutting; while I have snuck one before it has cooled, they are much easier to cut and eat once they have cooled and are much less messy.
How to freeze magic bars
Magic bars freeze great, but they do need a little bit of attention because they are ooey and gooey and can stick together if just placed in the freezer.
- Magic bars freeze great, but they do need a little bit of attention because they are ooey and gooey and can stick together if just placed in the freezer.
- Cut the magic bars into the size that you want to freeze them.
- Place the cookie bars onto a parchment-lined baking sheet.
- Freeze them until they are solid.
- Place the bars into a container and layer them between parchment paper to ensure that they don’t stick together.
- Cover the container and freezer for up to 3 months.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you make magic cookie bars without coconut?
Yes, you can make these 7-layer bars without coconut. Just skip it or replace it with peanuts, nuts of your choice, or chocolate chips.
How to make vegan magic cookie bars?
To make vegan magic bars, use honey-free graham crackers, vegan butter, and vegan sweetened condensed milk. Then complete the rest of the recipe as follows.
Do magic bars need to be refrigerated?
Store your magic cookie bars in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week. If you’re making them and the temperature is warm outside, I would suggest placing them in the fridge.
Can you freeze these bars?
Magic cookie bars freeze very well. Make sure to wrap them in something airtight and they will keep for three months. Defrost when ready to enjoy.
Magic Bar Recipe
Ingredients
- 1-1/2 cup graham cracker crumbs
- ½ cup butter
- 1 cup chocolate chips
- 1 cup white chocolate chip
- 1 cup milk chocolate chips
- 1 cup sweetened coconut
- ½ cup walnut chopped
- 1 can sweetened condensed milk
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9×13 inch baking pan with cooking spray or line with parchment paper and set aside.
- Melt butter in a small saucepan. Remove from heat and stir in graham cracker crumbs until throughly combined. Press into the bottom of a 9×13 inch baking pan to form the crust.
- Evenly sprinkle remaining ingredients one by one over the crust to form layers, beginning with the chocolate chips, followed by the white chocolate and milk chocolate chips, coconut, and walnuts. Pour the condensed milk evenly over the top, and spread with a rubber spatula to make sure it's evenly distributed.
- Bake in preheated oven for 25-30 minutes until edges are golden brown and the middle is set.
- Allow to cool completely before slicing. Enjoy!
These look and sound delicious! I’ll definitely have to try out the recipe. Thanks for sharing!
These look delicious and like a great snack to have around! Excited to give them a try!
These sound delicious with the white and milk chocolate. I am not the best baker so I love an easy cookie or bar recipe!
thank you, hope you enjoy them