Make magic in the kitchen with this famous magic cookie bar recipe!

These 7 layers bars are a cinch to make and they’re the perfect make-ahead treat! Make a batch and store them in the freezer, they thaw in just a few minutes making them perfect for treats and lunches.

close up of Magic Cookie Bars in a pile

What are Magic Cookie Bars?

Everyone loves magic cookie bars. They’re a sweet, chewy, and crunchy combination and require just a few minutes of prep.

They start with a graham cracker base. The base is topped with sweetened condensed milk and then sprinkled with coconut, nuts, and chocolate chips. It’s all baked together and then cut into cookie bars.

So good!

ingredients to make Magic Cookie Bars

Ingredients

Also called 7 Layer Bars, these have 7 ingredients:

CRUST Butter and graham crumbs are pressed to the bottom of a pan.

SWEETENED CONDENSED MILK  This holds the ingredients together in these bars.

TOPPINGS Coconut, nuts, chocolate chips, and butterscotch chips are the traditional toppings.

Variations

  • Swap out the graham crumbs for chocolate wafer crumbs or even crushed Ritz crackers.
  • Add any combination of nuts, dried fruits, or baking chips.
  • Trade the chocolate chips for M&Ms or other favorite chopped candy bars.

steps for layering magic bars

How to Make Magic Cookie Bars

Super easy to make and fun to layer up, these magic bars are fun to make with kids!

  1. Mix butter and graham crumbs (per recipe below) and press in the pan.
  2. Pour sweetened condensed milk over top.
  3. Sprinkle with the remaining ingredients and bake.

top view of cooked Magic Cookie Bars in a dish

Kitchen Tips

  • Melt the butter in the pan you’ll be baking in (add it to the pan and place in the oven while it preheats). One less dish to wash!
  • Option: line the pan with parchment or foil. This makes the bars extra easy to lift out and cut after baking (plus quick cleanup).
  • To save time, purchase chopped pecans.
  • This can be made with any combination of chocolate chips. Semi-sweet balances out the sweetness.
  • Ensure the bars are chilled before cutting.

How to Store

Store magic cookie bars in an airtight container at room temperature and they’ll stay fresh for up to 7 days.

To freeze them, wrap each cookie bar in plastic wrap and store them in a zippered bag with the date labeled on it. They’ll keep fresh for up to a month.

More Bars We Love

Did you love these Magic Cookie Bars? Be sure to leave a rating and a comment below! 

close up of cooked Magic Cookie Bars
5 from 15 votes↑ Click stars to rate now!
Or to leave a comment, click here!

Magic Cookie Bars

These 7 layer dessert bars are rich and decadent, loaded with chocolate chips & coconut!
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings 24 bars

Ingredients  

  • 2 cups graham cracker crumbs
  • ¾ cup butter melted
  • 14 oz sweetened condensed milk
  • 1 ⅓ cups flaked coconut
  • 1 ⅓ cups pecans chopped
  • 1 cup butterscotch chips
  • 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Instructions 

  • Preheat oven to 350°F.
  • Line a 9x13 pan with parchment paper.
  • Combine graham crumbs and butter in a small bowl. Press into the 9x13 pan.
  • Pour sweetened condensed milk over the graham crumbs.
  • Sprinkle with coconut, pecans, butterscotch chips, and chocolate chips. Press gently.
  • Bake 25-30 minutes or until lightly browned.
  • Cool completely. Cut into 24 bars.

Notes

  • Melt the butter in the pan you'll be baking in by placing it in the oven while it preheats. Stir the crumbs and butter right in the pan. This makes fewer dishes to wash.
  • Option: line the pan with parchment or foil. This makes the bars extra easy to lift out and cut after baking (plus quick cleanup).
  • To save time, purchase chopped pecans.
  • This can be made with any combination of chocolate chips. Semi-sweet balances out the sweetness.
  • Ensure the bars are chilled before cutting.
5 from 15 votes

Nutrition Information

Serving: 1bar | Calories: 274 | Carbohydrates: 27g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 22mg | Sodium: 148mg | Potassium: 166mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 20g | Vitamin A: 235IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 64mg | Iron: 1mg

Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.

Course Cookies, Dessert, Snack
Cuisine American

Like our recipes?
Follow us on Pinterest!

Follow us on Pinterest

stack of Magic Cookie Bars with writing
cooked Magic Cookie Bars in a dish with writing
pile of Magic Cookie Bars with a title
Magic Cookie Bars in a dish and plated with a title

Categories:

, , ,

Recipes you'll love

About the author

Holly is a wine and cheese lover, recipe creator, shopping enthusiast and self appointed foodie. Her greatest passion is creating in the kitchen and making deliciously comforting recipes for the everyday home cook!
See more posts by Holly

Follow Holly on social media:

pinterest facebook twitter instagram

Free eBook!

Subscribe to receive weekly recipes and get a FREE Bonus e-book: Quick & Easy Weeknight Meals!

You can unsubscribe anytime by clicking the “unsubscribe” link at the bottom of emails you receive.

latest & greatest

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




Comments

    1. I haven’t tried it so I can’t say for sure Shirley. If you try it I would love to hear how it turns out!

  1. My husband makes these for us all the time. THEY ARE OUTSTANDING!!! The only thing slightly better is the Death by Chocolate cookie bars. We keep them in the fridge and they are soooooo good.5 stars

  2. My husband made these yesterday and they were delicious! He was a little disappointed because the graham cracker crumbs didn’t stick together as much as he would have liked. I thought the bottom could have been a little firmer but it was still yummy. Any suggestions?5 stars

    1. Make sure that you press the crust firmly before adding the other ingredients, and refrigerate before cutting. So happy you love these cookie bars!

  3. Hi,
    Can I make these with unsweetened shredded coconut or unsweetened flaked coconut? It’s what I have in the pantry currently. If not I’ll go buy the sweetened variety.
    Thanks!

  4. My mom used to make these cookies and they are SO good! I haven’t made them in years myself, but I will now. I bet they’d also be good if you swapped out the butterscotch chips for peanut butter chips.