Magic Cookie Bars

By Samantha Seneviratne

Magic Cookie Bars
Craig Lee for The New York Times
Total Time
1 hour
Rating
4(2,155)
Comments
Read comments

Coconut dream bars. Magic cookie bars. Hello Dolly bars. You’ve seen these classic treats at bake sales, holiday parties and potlucks over the years. But they tend to crumble when cut, thanks to a thin graham cracker crust. And, topped with gobs of super-sweet shredded coconut, sweetened condensed milk and semisweet chocolate, they have a cloying bite that may be too much for even the sweetest tooth. This version starts with a thicker graham cracker cookie base. It's baked with an egg, a bit of brown sugar and some leavener, which makes it pleasantly dense and chewy and means that it cuts nicely and stands up well to the decadent toppings. Next, unsweetened flaked coconut and dark chocolate are layered with plenty of chopped pecans and condensed milk. The slightly bitter chocolate and toasty coconut tame the sweetness of the condensed milk, which caramelizes as it cooks, making the whole package well-balanced and full of flavor.

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Ingredients

Yield:15 bars

    For the Crust

    • 6tablespoons/85 grams unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly, more for greasing the pan
    • 20graham crackers (about 310 grams)
    • ¼cup/50 grams packed light or dark brown sugar
    • 1½teaspoons baking powder
    • ½teaspoon kosher salt
    • 1large egg

    For the Topping

    • 114-ounce/397 gram can sweetened condensed milk 
    • 8ounces/227 grams chopped bittersweet chocolate (1½ cups)
    • 1cup/110 grams chopped pecans
    • 2cups/114 grams unsweetened flaked coconut
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (15 servings)

393 calories; 22 grams fat; 11 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 7 grams monounsaturated fat; 3 grams polyunsaturated fat; 47 grams carbohydrates; 3 grams dietary fiber; 33 grams sugars; 6 grams protein; 214 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Heat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 13- by 9-inch baking pan. Line it with parchment, leaving a 2-inch overhang on two sides.

  2. Step 2

    In a food processor, process the graham crackers until finely ground. (You should have about 2¾ cups.) Add brown sugar, baking powder and salt and pulse to combine. While machine is running, add butter and egg and process until the crumbs are completely moistened and large clumps have formed.

  3. Step 3

    Tip the graham cracker mixture out into the prepared pan. Crumble the mixture to divide it evenly across the bottom of the pan, then use your fingers to spread it out into an even layer, lightly pressing it into the pan. Bake the crust until it is set and dry, about 15 minutes.

  4. Step 4

    Pour the sweetened condensed milk evenly over the crust and spread it out into an even layer. Sprinkle half the chocolate and half the pecans evenly over the surface. Sprinkle the coconut on in an even layer. Then sprinkle the remaining chocolate and nuts evenly over the top.

  5. Step 5

    Bake until toppings are evenly golden brown, about 25 to 30 minutes. Let cool in the pan on a wire rack. To serve, lift the bar out of the pan using the parchment overhang, transfer it to a cutting board and cut into 15 bars.

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Ratings

4 out of 5
2,155 user ratings
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Comments

Erin

I use gluten-free pretzels (in place of Graham crackers) and almond butter (in place of regular butter) for the base, and then use sweetened condensed coconut milk (in place of regular sweetened condensed milk) to make them gluten free and vegan.

Lisa S.

I have, and I don't like them at all. If you have a Trader Joe's nearby, try their Graham Crackers. So good. what graham crackers used to taste like.

Trixie

Has anyone else noticed a change in graham crackers in recent years (Honeymaid brand)? They seem to be less flavorful, lighter in color, and when crushed less granular and more powdery. A homemade graham cracker crust used to be a thing of wonder and now it resembles (both in flavor and texture) the pre-made kind.

ChristineCheesehead2026

NAILED IT! I used Guittard 70% cacao chocolate chips, which helped offset the sweetness of the butterscotch chips. I forgot the nut layer, so I sprinkled the nuts over the coconut and then sprinkled more coconut for the top. Perfect in every way. I'll be making these again and again, since my husband said he was in heaven every time he ate them.

CD

I bought generic sugar cookies in tins for the tins and had to get rid of the sugar cookies. So I made these. Substituting sugar cookies for the graham crackers. They were a sweetfeat and everyone loved them. I love the granola suggestion because I’m gluten free. I may try that next year!

ATP

These need butterscotch chips.

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