Magic Cookie Bars (Printable Version)

Buttery graham crust topped with chocolate, coconut, and nuts for a chewy, layered dessert treat.

# What You'll Need:

→ Crust

01 - 1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
02 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted

→ Layers

03 - 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
04 - 1 cup butterscotch chips (optional, can substitute white chocolate chips)
05 - 1 cup sweetened shredded coconut
06 - 1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts
07 - 1 can (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk

# Method:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 9x13-inch pan with parchment paper or lightly grease it.
02 - Combine graham cracker crumbs and melted butter; press evenly onto bottom of prepared pan.
03 - Pour sweetened condensed milk evenly over the crust layer.
04 - Evenly distribute chocolate chips, butterscotch chips, shredded coconut, and chopped nuts over condensed milk.
05 - Gently press layers with the back of a spatula to ensure they are firmly set.
06 - Bake for 25 to 30 minutes until edges are golden and center is set.
07 - Remove from oven and allow to cool completely before slicing into bars.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • They taste like indulgence but require almost no skill, just layering and pressing.
  • No mixer, no creaming butter and sugar, no waiting for dough to chill—you can have dessert in under an hour.
  • The condensed milk does all the heavy lifting, keeping everything moist and binding the layers together naturally.
02 -
  • Don't skip the cooling step—I learned this the hard way by cutting into warm bars that crumbled everywhere.
  • The sweetened coconut can burn on the edges, so if your oven runs hot, cover the pan loosely with foil for the last 5 minutes.
03 -
  • Line your pan with parchment paper that hangs over the edges—you can lift the whole batch out and cut on a cutting board for perfectly even squares.
  • Use an offset spatula or bench scraper dipped in warm water to cut clean lines between bars without dragging toppings.
Go Back