My mom has the magic touch. No, she’s not a magician, but sometimes I wonder. 😉 Whenever I worry about something (which is a daily ritual for me) she always knows what to say to put my mind at ease. She gives me great advice no matter what the topic is. I could go on and on. I love and admire her so much that words don’t seem to do her justice. What better way to honor her (and all moms) with these magic cookie bars.
These gooey cookie bars are loaded with chocolate, coconut, and nuts.
Magic Cookie Bars Recipe
(Makes about 16 bars)
Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup butter (equivalent to 1 stick)
- 1 and 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs (equivalent to 1 sleeve of graham crackers)
- 1 can (14 ounce) sweetened condensed milk
- 2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 1 cup coconut flakes
- 1 cup pecans, chopped
Directions:
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- Grease an 8 x 8 baking pan and set it aside.
- Melt the butter.
- In a food processor, process the graham crackers until they are a fine crumb.
- Add in the melted butter and process until it’s all combined.
- Press the buttered cracker crumbs into the bottom of the prepared baking pan. Make sure to pack it down as much as possible. I used the bottom of a measuring cup to help me out.
- Pour the sweetened condensed milk evenly on top of the crust.
- Layer the chocolate chips, coconut flakes, and pecans evenly on top.
- Bake it in the preheated oven for 30 minutes.
- Let it cool completely before cutting into it.
The crust is almost always my favorite part and this one is no exception. It’s a simple graham cracker crust, but honestly I could eat the stuff by itself and be a happy gal.
I know this part looks gross, but the sweetened condensed milk will turn all of the goodies into luscious layers of caramelized goodness.
Have you heard of magic bars? It’s an oldie but goodie. You can really go to town and pile on lots of shiz (yup, that’s a technical term), like all sorts of chocolate, nuts, dried fruit, marshmallows, or pretty much anything you would find in the candy aisle of a store. My husband notes the similarities of these to Seven Layer Bars his mom used to make for him as a kid. I don’t think there are any real rules about how many layers you use but keep in mind you may want to limit it just for the sake of your teeth.
Warning, warning, these cookie bars are so sweet! If you love a sugar high, these were made for you. 😉
When I was younger, my mom and I used to do our Christmas shopping in one day. We’d hit three malls and shop for 14 hours straight. I don’t know how we did it. Today, I’d need a few of these sugary treats to get me through a shopping marathon like that!
These bars are super duper easy to make. Really the only tricky step is getting the butter into the graham cracker bits and that’s not even remotely hard to do thanks to the food processor. Stacking ingredients all over each other is a perfect task for your kitchen helper kids. They’re also super sticky, which is of course exactly what kids would want them to be.
Oh yea, these bad boys are deeeelicious! It’s hard to go wrong with chocolate, nuts, coconut, and buttery graham cracker crust.
Love you, mom! Happy Mother’s Day!
Adapted from: All Recipes
Here are some other delicious cookie bars.
Coffee Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars
Peanut Butter Chocolate Dipped Blondies
This sounds delicious Tina! I love bars with a sweetened condensed milk layer. I love when it gets crunchy on the edges. I’m a total “edge” girl, love the extra crunch.
I usually prefer the center bars, but I love the edge ones on this one. 🙂
Oh my gosh, I am drooling all over my keyboard. These bars look sooo dense and decadent! I’m pretty sure I could eat that entire panful of these gorgeous bars. I’m sure I’d gain like 10 pounds but I don’t care. — It would so be worth it. 😀 Magic cookie bars have been on my must-make list and um, these are so happening here soon. My little siblings will love them! (they, like most kids basically love anything that’s super-sweet) Pinned!
Wow these bars look delicious! Love all that chocolatey goodness, and I’m sure your mom will too!
Thanks so much! I appreciate you stopping by. 🙂
Magic cookie bars were hands down my favorite treat that my mom made. These look SO good, Tina, and it’s been too long since I had them. They’re so nostalgic for me. 🙂
Love trips down memory lane. 🙂
I used to work at a restaurant that made these magic bars. I loved them so much that sometimes I would pretend that they were too old to sell to the customers so I could take them home with me 🙂
That’s hysterical! I might have done the same. 😉
Happy Mother’s Day to you too! My mom used to make something very similar to this and it was just amazing. Chewy and delicious and if you are a mounds or almond joy fan this this cookie bar is right up your alley. Pinning this recipe so I can make them later this week. Take Care, BAM
Now that you mention it, these do remind me of a mounds or almond joy! I hope you love them as much as we do. 🙂 Thanks so much Bam. Have a lovely week, my friend!
Oohhh … yummy! I had a super sweet little bar thing in Starbucks yesterday for a little energy hit while travelling and do you know what they did to make them ‘OK’? Just made them really small. I love the sound of these ‘naughty’ treats, especially the gooey caramel condensed milk layer and the fact that they sound sooo easy to make. My kind of snack!!
I cut these magic bars into small squares…but I can always go back for seconds. 😉
I think I would need one of these magic cookie bars to go on a shopping marathon like that!! Woah!! All your Christmas shopping in one day?!? Awesome!! And these bars look fabulous – I know my mom would like them too 😀 Pinned!!
Thank you so much!! 🙂
I always wondered that too! Mom’s do have a magic touch, but they have help from things like sweetened condensed milk 🙂 These are some of my favorite bars ever! You can’t beat classics!
You are so right! 🙂
I think magic bars were one of the first baked goods I ever made! I haven’t had them in so long! You’re making me want one for breakfast … which wouldn’t necessarily be the healthiest way to start the day : )
I would not judge you if you wanted these for breakfast. 😉 I’ve got a sweet tooth 24 hours a day. 🙂
These look so good! Love the name- so cool and unique!
Thanks! 🙂
Such a classic! Moms are quite magical 🙂 And graham cracker crust is the best! I have got to make these soon!
I totally agree! 🙂
Tina, your mom sounds like a super hero! Love these bars… reminds me of when I was younger. Now, I’ll have to break them out for the boys! They’d be all over these!
Thanks Gloria! I hope you had a lovely Mother’s Day weekend! 🙂
love these magic cookies!
Awesome! Thanks. 🙂
These do look magical! So delicious! Happy mother’s day to your sweet mom!
Thanks Cate. 🙂
Gotta love mom’s! And magic. Especially in bar form. These look amazing.
Oh yea! 🙂
I’ve never heard of magic bars, but it sounds to me like you and your mom are magicians! These sound delicious!
I need to get some of these magic bars in my life asap. They look delish! Moms are the BEST. 🙂
Oh yea! 🙂
Oh my goodness I love any type of cookie bars… especially magic ones hahaha. Pinning so I remember to make these bad boys! And love that condensed milk trick… it’s amazing how it turns to caramel goodness!
I’m a sucker for cookie bars! Thanks for pinning!! I hope you enjoy them as much as I do. 🙂
I need these, like right now! Yum!! I love anything with coconut! These are a must bake!
My family went crazy over these bars! I just made another coconut recipe this past weekend and can’t wait to share!