Magic Cookie Bars - w/ Sweetened Condensed Milk, but No Nuts! (2024)

These 5 ingredientMagic Cookie Barsare a classic ooey gooey treat loaded with chocolate and coconut. They are mouth watering delicious and couldn’t be easier to make!

I have to say, these magic cookie barsreallydo live up to their name. They are MAGICAL!

Trust me, you’re going to want to make these.

What are magic cookie bars?

Magic cookie bars is a classic dessert bar layered with a graham cracker crust, sweetened condensed milk, sweetened coconut, and melty chocolate chips.

Sometimes known as seven layer bars, some recipes will also include nuts and butterscotch chips!

Ingredients

Who knew 5 simple ingredients could be quite so decadent and delicious?!

• Butter – binds graham cracker crumbs together to create a crust. It also adds a wonderful rich flavor.
• Graham Cracker Crumbs – you could make your own from graham cracker sheets, but for ease, I prefer using the pre-made crumbs.
• Chocolate chips – use semi-sweet for the perfect, sweet but not too sweet flavor.
• Flaked, Sweetened Coconut – adds a great chewy texture and an amazing coconut flavor.
• Sweetened Condensed Milk – binds the bars together and is SO ooey gooey.

How to make graham cracker crumbs

I’d recommend using the boxed store-bought crumbs to save on time, but if you don’t have any, feel free to make your own crumbs from graham crackers. You can make them with or without a food processor.

• Making with a food processor: place graham cracker sheets into a food processor and process until crumbly.
• Making without a food processor.: place graham cracker sheet into a gallon sized ziplock baggie, seal, and crush by banging the crackers with a rolling pin or something heavy like a sauce pan!

How to make magic cookie bars

These cookie bars could not be quicker or easier to make. Make them in advance or make them last minute. The choice is yours!

1. Mix butter and graham cracker crumbs together in a medium sized bowl.
2. Pour into prepared pan. Grease your hands with cooking spray and gently press down.
3. Sprinkle chocolate chips, then coconut over the crumbs.
4. Pour sweetened condensed milk evenly over the coconut.
5. Bake for 25 minutes in preheated oven. Cool completely before removing from pan and cutting into bars.

How to cut magic cookie bars

1. Cool the cookie bars for at least 10 minutes in the pan.
2. Run a butter knife along the edges of the pan to make sure nothing stuck to the side of the baking dish.
3. Use the parchment paper sling to gently lift the bars out of the pan.
4. Transfer them to a cutting board, then gently slide the parchment paper out from under the bars.
5. Use a sharp knife to cut them into even squares.

Tips

• Use pre-crushed graham crackers. Fewer steps? Heck yeah.
• Line your baking dish AND spray with cooking spray. Don’t forget to line the baking dish with a parchment paper sling before layering in your ingredients. This will make itmucheasier to remove the bars when they’re done.
• Get creative.Play around with variations (see below). These magic bars have quite a bit of wiggle room.

Variations

• Add nuts.Try layering the cookie bars with some chopped pecans or walnuts before baking for some extra crunch.
• Peanut butter or butterscotch chips. Replace half of the chocolate chips with peanut butter or butterscotch chips!
• Use different chocolate chips. Try dark, milk, or white chocolate. You can even mix and match!
• Different crust.Try making your crust with crushed Oreos or chocolate chip cookies for some different flavors.
• Add marshmallows.Try adding on a layer of mini marshmallows for even more ooey-gooey goodness.

Do you have to refrigerate magic cookie bars?

You do not need to refrigerate these magic cookie bars, but you CAN if you prefer. See below on how to store magic bars.

How do you store magic bars?

Magic bars can be stored at room temperature, in the fridge, or in the freezer. Magic bars do not need to be refrigerated, but if you prefer a cold magic bar, feel free to place them in the fridge.

Room temperature: place completely cooled magic bars into a sealed tupperware containerfor up to a week.

Fridge: place completely cooled magic bars into a sealed airtight container for up to 2 weeks.

Freezer: place completely cooled and cut magic bars onto a silicone mat lined baking sheet. Freeze for 30 minutes to an hour until hard. Wrap each bar in saran wrap, then place the magic bars into a sealed ziplock baggie and keep in the freezer for up to 3 months. Serve directly from the freezer, thawed in the fridge, or warmed in the microwave.

My preference? Keep the magic bars at room temperature, then heat in the microwave until the chocolate chips are warm and melty!

If you loved these cookie bars, you’ll also love these granola cookie bars, these whole wheat oatmeal chocolate chip cookie bars, and these vegan raspberry oatmeal bars!

– Jennifer

This post has been updated to provide more detailed content.