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    Home ยป Desserts ยป Bars & Brownies

    7 Layer Bars

    March 14, 2018 By Sam 18 Comments

    This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Please read my disclosure policy.
    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe
    Seven Layer Bars

    Just 7 ingredients โ€” graham cracker crumbs, butter, chocolate chips, butterscotch chips, walnuts, condensed milk, and shredded coconut โ€” stand between you and these popular classic 7 layer bars (no mystery about how they got their name, huh?).  The prep-work is almost non-existent โ€” just layer your ingredients into a 9ร—13 pan and bake!

    7 Layer Bars

    Iโ€™ve been putting off publishing these 7 Layer Bars for much too long because I was worried that they were โ€œtoo easyโ€.

    Too easy. Like thatโ€™s some sort of bad thing. Who am I?

    If youโ€™re here, Iโ€™m guessing you enjoy the same kind of recipes that I do.  The simple (easy!), but still from-scratch ones.  The ones that blow your friends/family/fellow potluck attendees away with how absolutely amazing they taste and you get to say โ€œoh theyโ€™re really so easy to make!โ€ and actually mean it before sending out the recipe to everyone on your contacts list because they all want itโ€ฆ because everyone loves an easy recipe.

    I donโ€™t need to convince you of that, so I donโ€™t know why I was so worried that too many of you would be so unimpressed by a recipe thatโ€™s โ€œtoo simpleโ€.  

    Sorry guys, letโ€™s get on with these so easy 7 Layer Bars, shall we?

    Showing how to make a graham cracker crust for Magic Cookie Bars

    The first thing youโ€™ll need to do is combine your melted butter and your graham cracker crumbs together in a separate bowl.  Use a fork to work the two ingredients together until theyโ€™re well-combined, and then tamp them tightly into the bottom of your prepared baking dish for a firm graham cracker crust.

    Honestly, this is the most โ€œcomplicatedโ€ part of the whole process because it involves combining two ingredients (and I use salted butter here specifically so we donโ€™t have to add salt and make these 7 Layer Bars 8 ingredientsโ€ฆ that would just be awkward ๐Ÿ˜‰).  Once youโ€™ve done this part, youโ€™ll just spread/sprinkle/drizzle the rest of your ingredients evenly over the base and bake for about 25 minutes.

    Layering your ingredients for 7 Layer Bars

    Most traditional 7 layer bar recipes will bury the coconut layer beneath the sweetened condensed milk but I prefer to top my bars off with it instead.  The coconut will become lightly toasted in the oven, giving you a slight sweet crunch in every bite.

    If you prefer the original method, just layer the shredded coconut beneath your chopped walnuts (or pecans, either nut will work) and the sweetened condensed milk will be the last ingredient that you add on top before baking your 7 Layer Bars.

    Magic Cookie Bars in a pan

    I prefer to enjoy these cookie bars when theyโ€™re still warm, but the hotter they are the messier they will be.  For neater cookie bars, wait at least an hour or two before slicing and baking (you can speed up the process even more by putting your 7 layer bars in the refrigerator, but I personally donโ€™t like them cold and think that it makes the chocolate too hard to bite through).

    Enjoy!

    How to Make 7 Layer Bars

    Seven layer bar

    7 Layer Bars

    Classic cookie bars made with just 7 ingredients. The prep-work for these cookie bars is so easy -- just layer your ingredients into a pan and bake!
    5 from 6 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Cookies, Dessert
    Cuisine: American
    Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 25 minutes minutes
    Total Time: 35 minutes minutes
    Servings: 24 squares
    Calories: 240kcal
    Author: Sam Merritt

    Ingredients

    • 1 ยฝ cups graham cracker crumbs
    • ยฝ cup (113 g) salted butter melted
    • 1 cup (170 g) semisweet chocolate chips
    • 1 cup (170 g) butterscotch chips
    • 1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans
    • 14 oz (395 g) sweetened condensed milk
    • 1 ยฝ cups sweetened shredded coconut
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Instructions

    • Preheat your oven to 350F (175C) and lightly butter the sides and bottom or a 9x13 baking dish.  Set aside.
    • Combine graham cracker crumbs and melted butter butter in a bowl and use a fork to stir until well-combined.  Pour into the bottom of your prepared pan and use the clean bottom of a measuring cup to tamp into the bottom of pan
      1 ยฝ cups graham cracker crumbs, ยฝ cup (113 g) salted butter
    • Pour chocolate chips, then butterscotch chips, then chopped nuts, evenly over the graham cracker crust layer.
      1 cup (170 g) semisweet chocolate chips, 1 cup (170 g) butterscotch chips, 1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans
    • Drizzle ingredients in pan evenly with sweetened condensed milk.  
      14 oz (395 g) sweetened condensed milk
    • Evenly sprinkle coconut over the condensed milk.  
      1 ยฝ cups sweetened shredded coconut
    • Transfer to oven and bake 350F for 25 minutes or until coconut is turning lightly golden brown.
    • Allow bars to cool several hours before cutting -- this will allow the chocolate to firm up and make them easier to cut.  If you cut them sooner they'll be quite messy (but still delicious!)

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1bar | Calories: 240kcal | Carbohydrates: 27g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 17mg | Sodium: 133mg | Potassium: 155mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 21g | Vitamin A: 174IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 63mg | Iron: 1mg

    Nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered an estimate only. Actual nutritional content will vary based upon brands used, measuring methods, cooking method, portion sizes, and more.

    Tried this recipe? Show me on Instagram!Mention @SugarSpun_Sam or tag #sugarspunrun!

    Seven layer bars

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      Reader Interactions

      Comments

      1. Miriam Rose Blanar

        September 18, 2023 at 4:50 pm

        Hi, is this the same as magic bars? Someone requested me to make Magic bars, and I wanted to check your site first.

        Reply
        • Sam

          September 18, 2023 at 9:47 pm

          Hi Miriam! They are the same thing. Enjoy! ๐Ÿ™‚

          Reply
          • Miriam Rose Blanar

            December 14, 2023 at 5:23 pm

            5 stars
            I just made these, and my husband snuck one and he just kept saying, โ€œWOW!โ€ over and over. I think these are a keeper. Thank you!

          • Sam

            December 14, 2023 at 8:46 pm

            Thatโ€™s awesome! Iโ€™m so glad they were a hit! ๐Ÿ™‚

      2. Correne

        June 28, 2023 at 8:36 pm

        5 stars
        My husband loves these! Especially the browned coconut on top. I must not have tampered my graham cracker crust enough because there was a lot of crumbs left in my pan. They also hardened to the sides of my pans โ€“ I did butter the sides. I probably will loosen the sides early next time. Thanks for the recipe Sam!

        Reply
        • Sam

          June 28, 2023 at 9:05 pm

          Iโ€™m so glad everyone enjoyed them so much, Correne! ๐Ÿ™‚

          Reply
      3. Caryl

        June 01, 2022 at 7:20 pm

        5 stars
        these are greatโ€ฆbut if you want a less sweet taste use peanut butter flavored chips and get a great new combination.

        Reply
      4. Somer

        June 27, 2020 at 10:27 pm

        Are these the same as Hello Dollies? I used to make those as a kid, but havenโ€™t in forever. I suppose I could search for that recipe, but just checking to see if anyone knows? They look delicious! Definitely going to try sometime soon!

        Reply
        • Sam

          June 29, 2020 at 11:39 am

          Hi Somer! Yes these are similar to hello dollies. ๐Ÿ™‚

          Reply
      5. Latoya

        May 08, 2019 at 5:03 pm

        I made these a few weeks back, my daughter loved them. She took a few to school and one of her teacher loved it. So I am making another batch to send in for teachers appreciation day.
        Thanks for that easy recipe..

        Reply
        • Sam

          May 08, 2019 at 10:03 pm

          I am so glad everyone enjoyed them so much, Latoya! Thank you for supporting our teachers. ๐Ÿ™‚

          Reply
      6. Jan

        May 25, 2018 at 10:49 am

        Could you substitute chocolate graham crackers for the crust?

        Reply
        • Sam

          May 25, 2018 at 9:46 pm

          That should work just fine! ๐Ÿ™‚

          Reply
      7. Zarinah

        March 19, 2018 at 4:18 am

        Hi Sam โ€“ can I leave out the coconut?
        Also, just want to let you know that I have tried your โ€œthinโ€ mint over the weekendโ€ฆ.was EXCELLENT!!

        Reply
      8. Glenda D Harding

        March 14, 2018 at 5:28 pm

        5 stars
        Love these bars and the easy recipe! Thank you! All of your recipes are so very good. I also made your lace cookies at christmas time, they turned out to be great!

        Reply
        • Sam

          March 14, 2018 at 9:45 pm

          Iโ€™m so glad you like them and appreciate a good easy recipe, too! Arenโ€™t those lace cookies awesome! My family was skeptical but ultimately they were such a hit! Thanks Glenda!!

          Reply
      9. Linda

        March 14, 2018 at 11:17 am

        What is the full nutritional value of these bars? Need the sugar and carb counts.

        Reply
        • Sam

          March 14, 2018 at 9:48 pm

          Hi Linda, Iโ€™m not sure as I donโ€™t calculate full nutrition and it will vary based off of the ingredients that you use. I recommend using MyFitnessPal(.com) and entering your ingredients to get all the information that you need. I hope that helps!

          Reply

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      The author (Sam) in blue shirt holding donut Hi, I'm Sam! I'm dedicated to bringing you sweet, simple, and from-scratch dessert recipes. My life may or may not be controlled by my sweet tooth. Send help (or chocolate). Read more about me.

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