An extremely rich, yet delicious cookie bar! Walnuts aren't the only nut you can use; try any of your other favorites like pecans, peanuts, or cashews.
These are always the first to go during the holiday period. I usually increase the graham cracker crust so the bar has a more solid base and the chocolate and butterscotch chips to 1 cup vs 3/4 cup. Wonderful recipe!
Read MoreThis recipe is NOT the original. You must mix the butter and crumbs together, then press into the bottom of the pan (which you definitely should grease before doing this!). Also, put in the chocolate, then nuts, then coconut, and finally drizzle with the milk. Otherwise, the bars fall apart because there's no "glue" to hold it together.
Read MoreThese are always the first to go during the holiday period. I usually increase the graham cracker crust so the bar has a more solid base and the chocolate and butterscotch chips to 1 cup vs 3/4 cup. Wonderful recipe!
This recipe is NOT the original. You must mix the butter and crumbs together, then press into the bottom of the pan (which you definitely should grease before doing this!). Also, put in the chocolate, then nuts, then coconut, and finally drizzle with the milk. Otherwise, the bars fall apart because there's no "glue" to hold it together.
My husband loves this one ... and so do I!! One hint - try putting the can of condensed milk in hot water for 5 minutes before pouring over the coconut, etc - it pours so easily and evenly over the rest of the bar. This may not be new to others, but I just thought of it today. Enjoy!
Although I prefer to leave the nuts off, this is the best version of this recipe. The milk MUST be on top of it all, make for a chewy, more gooey type bar. I've tried it with the milk over the crust first and it just wasn't nearly as good (disappointed). Yummy!
A great recipe... It turned out great just like it should when you exactly follow the recipe...
I find it amazing that something so easy to prepare can be so delicious! I don't like butterscotch, so I used peanut butter chips instead. These cookies are really rich so the recipe goes a long way! My family's rating- a definite keeper!
The coconut wasn't browning, so I baked the bars for 25 minutes and then stuck them under the broiler at low for 1-2 minutes. Broiling did just the trick- it gave the coconut a great golden color, just don't over-do it in the broiler because it can get too brown really quickly.
Quick and simple! You get great big results for just a little bit of work. We don't care for butterscotch, so I used cappucino chips and added 1/4t of cinnamon to the sw.cond. milk. I think the cinnamon enhances the chocolate/coffee flavor of the chips.Thanks for a great start,Shawn.
I love this recipe because it is endlessly versatile. I made a variation tonight using an 8x8 pan with just a graham cracker crust (mixed together first then pressed into the pan to combat the crumbliness), Ghirardelli chocolate chips, pecan pieces and coconut with the sweet milk to bind it together. Delicious! For those with issues getting them out of the pan, use 2 strips of parchment paper in a cross pattern with the ends extending just beyond the edge of the pan. Then you can lift the bars out using the paper ends as handles. I cut mine on a cutting board to avoid marring my pan.
Very rich! I found the bottom to be a bit greasy. Next time will increase the amount of graham cracker crumbs by a 1/2 cup or so. Cut these small, they are so sweet they make your teeth ache!
I made about 1-1/2 times the recipe & used 2 cans of condensed milk, put it in a 9X13 pan. I refrigerated overnight, cut into a dozen bars, & took to my daughter's office the next day. Her boss said they were d***ed good!
I wanted to make these for my kids, but my oldest is severely nut-allergic. I solved the problem by crushing pretzels to use in place of the nuts. The salty-crunchy of the pretzels were a nice substitute- didn't miss the nuts a bit!!!
I really loved this recipe. It is very rich so I could only serve small pieces. It lasted almost two weeks in my house and it was as good two weeks old as right out of the oven!
Tip: I started spraying the inside walls (not the bottom) of a glass cake pan with Pam before I spread the graham cracker crumbs on the bottom. It keeps the sticky candy mixture from sticking to the side when cutting into bars. These are amazing. :)
Everyone at my party LOVED these!!!! I had to change it a bit. Only used 1/4 cup butter mixed with the crumbs. Used pecans. And used milk chocolate mini chips in place of the butterscotch chips. Cut into one inch squares. YUMMY!
This is very rich but good. I never rate a recipe unless it is as written. This is excellent. I have tweaked and this is always my last baking of the holiday season as I use all of my partial packages of chips and coconut. This year, I used semi sweet chocolate chips as written and split white chocolate and cherry chips for the remainder. It was a hit. Cut small bars as these are rich and a little go's a long way! I used a pizza cutter when they were still slightly warm and then finished the cutting after they were chilled.
Oh my GOD these are good. Although the recipe should call for 1 1/4 C of sweetened condensed milk, not 1 1/3. One can is 1 1/4. I didn't add more by opening another can. Otherwise this is AWESSSOOMEE. I had to give them all away so I wouldn't eat them.
Delicious recipe. I have made the original recipe from the back of the Eagle Brand can and they were perfect but, the pressing of the crust took time so when I saw this recipe which told me just to spinkle the crumbs over the butter I thought, "Neat easy." Well, it turns out that you loose too much of the gragrham cracker crust in the pan. It is too loose. Next time I will mix the butter with the crumbs and firmly press into the pan and bake for 10minutes before layering on other ingredients on. Otherwise taste great just missed the thick graham cracker crust.
I first made these in my 7th grade Home Ec. class in 1974, and we called them 'Hello Dolly's'. They are great with pecans instead of walnuts, or peanut butter chips w/ salted peanuts. My Mom made them a family tradition that same year, and I cannot imagine a Christmas cookie collection without them. So yummy! One trick I have figured out over the years is to melt the butter in a saucepan and stir the graham cracker crumbs in the melted butter and then press it down in the baking pan. It keeps the crust from falling apart.
While I haven't made this recipe, I make a similar bar cookie at holiday time (shortbread bottom, chocolate chips melted in sw. condensed milk, chopped walnuts and shortbread crumbles). To make them Christmas like, I sprinkle red and green sugar on top before baking (1 color on each half of the pan). They look so pretty when arranged on a platter with other cookies. I'll bet that would work well with these bars too!
AWESOME!! Only problem was I followed the directions on the eagle brand can instead of this by accident. That recipe calls for 1 cup of butter. My magic bars came out greasy so they are in the fridge in hopes that they firm up. I imagine the 1/2 cup of butter this recipe calls for is perfect! I used 1 package of graham cracker crumbs and put them in my mini food proccesor with the butter. It was easy to make the crust that way! After my bars came out of the oven, I cut them into 4x4 squares because yes, like many other reviews say, these babies are rich and very sweet! Perfect with a glass of ice cold milk. I cant wait to bring these to my cook out tomorrow and share with friends.
The first time I made these they fell apart. However, I wanted them to work so I tried again using some of the hints provided by other users. Definitely use more graham cracker crumbs (I used 2 cups but I think 3 cups would be better) and added the same ratio of butter. To firm up the base, I baked it alone for about ten minutes. And instead of putting the sweetened condensed milk on the graham cracker mixture, I drizzled it over the top of the chocolate, nut and coconut mixture. Most importantly, I cooled the baked product and then put it in the fridge for about an hour--that really helps to create a solid block. Good luck!
I use a whole bag of semi-sweet chips, no butterscotch..I think the butterscotch are a little too sweet.. I also use oreo cookies for the base..I just get regular oreo cookies and crush them in the food processor and use them instead of the graham crackers.. I use about a 1/2 stick of butter, maybe just a little more..I put lots of toppings on..don't really measure anything..make sure the pan is covered with the nuts and coconut..and a whole can of sweetened condensed milk..they are really good...
I already have this recipe from a magazine from 1997. It is a nice tasting cookie. Make sure that you mix and pack the graham crackers at the bottom before adding the filling.
This is one of our favorite cookies. However, we substitute the crust from lemon bars for the graham cracker crust. It's a light, flaky, buttery crust that keeps the cookies from being too sweet. You can find the recipe here: http://allrecipes.com/recipe/lemon-square-bars/detail.aspx or just use two sticks of melted butter, two cups of flour, and a cup of confectioner's sugar. Mix this up, press it into the pan and bake for 20-25 minutes before adding the rest of the magic square ingredients.
Too sweet for my taste
Good but VERY rich. Make sure you use brand name sweetened condensed milk. Store name just didn't do the trick.
These taste amazing, but the crust didn't work so well. Instead of pouring your butter/margarin into the pan and then sprinkling the crumbs onto the melted butter, I suggest mixing the two and pressing it into the pan. I did it by the directions and my crust stays on the plate when you pick up the cookie! Kind of funny but not ideal!
these were DELICIOUS. I used 1 cup graham cracker crumbs with 1 cup oats and used milk chocolate and cacao chips instead of semisweet and butterscotch but man they were good! Definitely recommend this
I love these!! Very very sweet so a small piece will do. I usually use 2 c. graham cracker crumbs, omit the coconut and increase the choc. & butterscotch chips to 1 c. each.
No thanks, I couldn't even get the out of the pan. The flavors are tasty but the execution is... not so good and I followed the recipe to the T so I don't know if it was me, or the recipe. Not worth a re-do.
I made these for a bake sale and they sold out quickly. I used a couple of the suggestions previously mentioned. I added a little more graham cracker and mixed it with the butter until it just held together. I used 1 14 oz. can of condensed milk and cut the chips back to 1/2 a cup each. I wanted to cut some of the sweetness. I will make these again.
although a little on the sweet side for me, my teenagers thought they were the best dessert ever.
my only suggestion would be to pour the condensed milk from the center out to the edges of the pan so you are left with a thin pour at the edges and be careful not to get it on the sides of the pan. i didn't do this the first time and had to chisel the hardened milk to get the bars out.
This recipe is quick and easy and turned out to be so delicious! I wish I could get mine to be as pretty as the picture though! I increased the Graham Cracker crumbs to 2cups to give it a more solid base and used 1 14oz can of the sweetened condensed milk (just under 1 1/3cups). Other than that, I followed the recipe and it turned out great! I would suggest waiting an hour or so (until it is completely cooled) before cutting it into the squares. I cut half of it after 25 minutes and it was a little messy. After it was completely cooled They came out nice and neat! I'll definitely be making these more often. My family is in love. Thank you!
Huge success! I used only chocolate chips and no butterscotch as a matter of personal taste, but otherwise, there is no need to change a thing. Huge hit at the office. I don't even normally like coconut that much normally, but everything goes together beautifully in this recipe. Thanks for sharing!
These are excellent, and you can make it with any toppings you like. I'm not a big fan of butterscotch chips, so I use toffee bits instead. I also throw on a couple of handfuls of dried cranberries or other berries to balance out the sweetness with a little tang. For the crust, I've experimented with using refrigerated chocolate chip cookie dough, press it down on the bottom of the pan, bake for 11-13 minutes, add the toppings and bake for another 11-13 minutes until done.
We Love these. Always on my cookie plate at Christmas. This year I made a batch with the Dark chocolate and mint mix from Nestle. Oh My Oh My they are sooooooooo good.
If you don't have graham cracker crumbs, but have graham cracker. Just melt the butter in the pan, { you only need 1/4 cup of butter} and lay the graham cracker on the bottom. You can also use dried cranberrys to replace the butterscotch chips.
So delicious! We add peanut butter chips and white chocolate chips, along with the semi sweet chocolate chips, butterscotch chips, and coconut. We ocasionally add nuts. Try it!
I'm not certain if anyone has mentioned this, but I substitute vanilla wafer cookie crumbs for the graham cracker crumbs.
Great and super fast and easy!!!
I thought these were excellent. It seemed like the crust may have needed to be pressed down because it didn't hold together like it should have. This was my first time to make these and I'm sure I'll do better each time I make it. AND, I will make these again.
Who doesn't love this recipe?!? A classic treat that is both easy and delicious! Made the recipe as directed, and it is always a hit in our house.
I have made this type of bar at least a dozen times growing up, they were one of my family's favourites. It had been a while since I made them so I thought it best to consult a recipe just to make sure I got the measurements right. I folowed this recipe to a T, and the only thing that differed as far as I could tell is the treatment of the graham cracker crumbs and butter. I thought I had remembered combining them seperately then patting it into the bottom of the dish. This recipes method seemed simpler (melt the butter, pour into pan, sprinkle graham crackers on top) so I thought I'd try it. BIG MISTAKE! the crust was so dry and didn't hold together at all! Its just a mess. If anyone is attempting to make these, I strongly suggest combining the crust seperately to make sure there's enough butter and it holds together.
I found this recipe not worth using again. Pouring the condensed milk on top rather than on the crust left the crust crumbly and did not stay together. Also, the amount of condensed milk called for is 1-1/3 cups (11oz) rather than the full 14oz can - a waste. Disappointed.
We always called these "Dream Bars" as kids. I was so happy when they tasted exactly how I remember. First bars to sell out at my daughter's school concession stand! :)
I have this recipe but I call them 7 layer cookies, they are so good but I rarely make them because they are so rich.
I am going to go ahead and give this a 5 star review even though I disagree with the graham cracker crust instructions in the recipe. First of all, you must mix the butter and the graham cracker together in a bowl, then press into your pan before proceeding with recipe. Beyond that, the key to a great graham cracker crust is to use softened butter (or baking margarine), not melted. Try it with your next crust and I think you will be very happy with the results. It makes for a more stable crust and it is much easier to press into the pan or pie plate.
These cookie bars are amazing. Very rich, decadent, and sweet. Everyone loved them!
I have made this for many many years,usually at Christmas. It is wonderful and easy and always comes out well. I use butter and I use pecans. I also use one 14 oz can of condensed milk.
Wow....this is awesome!!! I doubled it and made it in one of my large cookie sheets for I was making cookie trays for Christmas and it worked great! I also cooked it for an additional 5 minutes. They are soooooooo rich and delicious!! Definitly made the "A" list here and will make a repeat preformance I am sure!!!
For a thicker crust, combine 4 cups of graham cracker crumbs and 2 sticks of butter. Mix well, press into pan. That makes a thick, tasty crust and no crumbs. I always put a lot more chips on top too. Great recipe, and so simple to make!
Excellent, easy, and quick. I made as written, subbing milk chocolate chips for butterscotch due to personal preference, and they turned out fantastically delicious! :D
A hit every time! I have made these numerous times over the years, varying my chocolate chips and nuts. They are always so yummy! I typically don't quite use the full 1 1/2 cups of chocolate chips, but these changes are minimal and based on preference. I love using almonds or peanuts in mine - not a big walnut fan! Anyway you slice it, this square disappears right off the Christmas treat platter - pure MAGIC :)
What can I say, but easy easy easy. These are terrific for a last minute dish to pass. I make these with all different variations. Great recipe
YUM-O...JUST CAN'T GET ENOUGH! I LOVE MAGIC BARS...I MAKE AN EXTRA BATCH WITHOUT COCONUT BECAUSE MY OLDEST DAUGHTER DISLIKES IT! THANKS FOR SHARING!
Very good, many people loved them. Very simple. They were just too sweet for me personally.
Awesome!! This recipe is a keeper. I made them exactly as stated...and they came out great! They are very sweet, so cut them small. Also, these are great for christmas cookie exchange because they taste great days later... just kept them in my tupperware container.
Yumm! I added a tablespoon of Nutella to the condensed milk, and used oats in place of cookie crumbs (out of necessity) and holy moly did these turn out good! the hardest thing is waiting for them to cool enough to cut
I use about 1/2 C chopped red and green glacee cherries on mine and only the chocolate chips for Chrismas and make this recipe in a 9X13 pan. It would be easier to tell people to use 1 can of condensed milk as that is about 1 1/3 cups.
These are the perfect version of the classic. I thought they were just too easy the first time I made them, but my pastor said they are his favorite dessert and they were the best ones he'd ever had. They are simply perfect. I tend to add a few more chips (both butterscotch and chocolate) These are in my permanent recipe book!
these are perfect for christmas.. really really yummy.. Thanks for sharing!
I layer mine differently, and use butter for the base with the graham crackers. I just melt the butter right in the pan as the oven warms (be sure to pull it out before it burns), then layer first the coconut, then the chips and finally the nuts (walnuts or last time, pecans). I drizzle the can of sweetened condensed milk over as evenly as possible, and the nuts brown beautifully. I cook it on the longer side, usually 30 minutes and make sure it browns. It is much crisper and chewier at the same time if you do that. The crust stays together better, too. You could also add just a bit more butter if it crumbles too much, or a bit less graham. It seems to be crumblier if I use precrushed graham instead of crushing my own not quite so powdery. My family adores these! I make variations, too, and dried fruit is an easy option. Can be any kind, even mixed. If you have someone visiting who doesn't eat nuts, you can leave them out.
Really easy and really versatile. I used a combo of semi and dark chips (my husband loves coconut but not so sweet), added some nuts and they turned out like an Almond Joy!
Really easy to make. Even better the second day. Make sure you listen to the instructions and don't try and cut them too soon after baking. They fall apart!
I just baked these - almost as instructed, with a few more graham crackers as some suggested - and they smell terrific. We'll see how they go over tonight! Update: I must have done something wrong because they didn't stick together. *sigh*
So good! I did add more chocolate chips, like a cup full, but I dont think that really "changes" the recipe. This is so tastY! I loved it! I saw how some had issues with the crust, I followed instructions and did not. I wonder if that is because I crushed the crackers until they were a powder instead of crumbled pieces.
A crowd pleaser!! I have been making these for years. Instead of graham cracker crumbs for a base, I use left over/stale chocolate chip cookies or brownies. Chop them up in the food processor and spread as base. I increase the base layer to 2 cups.
I make these often for my dad. He LOVES chocolate so I frequently substitute the graham cracker crust/bottowm later for an oreo crust/bottom. I have also used peanut butter chips instead of butterscotch to take away some of the sweetness when I use the oreos. I have also tried pecans and/or peanuts instead of walnuts. I like this recipe because you can mix and match ingredients and it always turns out great! It is fast and very easy to make.
Use 2 cups graham cracker crumbs 1/2 cup each butterscotch and semisweet choc chips 1 cup coconut
Very tasty! I used Nilla wafers instead of graham crackers, and pecans instead of walnuts. Just a tip...I had to let mine cool all the way to room temp before they became "bars". My first taste while they were still warm I had to eat with a spoon!
Sooooo good! I've been making these since I found this recipe here a year ago and they have quickly become a family favorite. I omit the nuts (due to allergies) and double the recipe and bake it all in a 10x18 pan. They freeze well too!
I made these and they are VERY sweet.. my advice, cut down butterscotch chips to about 1/2 cup, if that.. and using one can of even low fat condensed milk works just well. Also use about 1 and 2/3 cup of graham crackers, that makes for a thicker crust that wont be flimsy. I use chopped pecans and only about 1/2-2/3 cup, if you dont want walnuts. this is very sweet, beware!
This is a no-fail recipe and the results are always fantastic! Make sure that you let this dish cool for atleast 7 hours to ensure that you can cut your squares with ease. Also, press all ingredients down firmly into the condensed milk and graham crust mixture so that there aren't too many crumbs created when you cut out your squares.
OK Used oats - little messy coming out of pan Maybe refridgerate before cutting Good taste
The crust totally crumbled apart. The crumbs and butter really should be combined together and then evenly spread. I wish I would have done that. I would also pour the condensed milk over the crust to help bind it and then finish with the rest of the ingredients. The taste is delicious but there is no crust, it is all sitting on my plate, not stuck together.
Helpful hints: Let the butter melt in the pan while you're preheating the oven; go ahead and make (and press) the graham cracker crust to ensure the crust actually "becomes" a crust; don't pour the condensed milk too close to the edges because it forms a really hard crust. Otherwise, so stinkin' good and easy to cut into small squares for holiday giving.
I love these. I used only semisweet chips, no butterscotch. These bars kind of remind me of Mounds candy bars with the coconut and dark chocolate.
These are so yummy that they were gone in less than 24 hrs when I made them for my family and a few friends. Thank you for sharing your delicious recipe with me. Yummmmm... :)
These easy and soooo good! :-))))) A+++++
Very tasty but, really greasy. I think there needs to be more graham cracker crumbs to soak up all that margarine. Also, these were a little thin. I think I'll make these next time using a 8x8 pan for a more substantial bar. These were soggy and flimsy but, still tasted good :-)
Who are you and where did you learn you sorcery? These are amazing!! I bribe these to my family when I want the house clean and don't want to clean it all myself. Works every time.
Love this recipe! It always turns out and is always a crowd pleaser! I just use chocolate chips (no butterscotch) and butter iso margarine. It can almost be a one-pot recipe if you use weight iso volume (translate recipe to metric and use a scale...so much easier!).
A fantastic classic. FYI: even if you use fat free sweetened condensed milk...you are still getting a boat load of sugar....which turns to fat as you process it anyway...so just enjoy this once in awhile, but DO NOT give them up! :o)
Always a good choice when it comes to baking. I absolutly love these!!
I followed the directions to a T & read a few of the other reviews. Am I the only person who's graham crackers crust did not form & the bottom is all falling off?! they are very tasty but couldnt be served to company :(. if this happened to you mix your crumbs, butter & put in the pan :)
Very tasty & easy. It's a great recipe to take to potlucks & picnics. I took the suggestion of mixing the butter w/ the crumbs before putting in the pan, and I melted caramel and drizzled it over the chips and walnuts instead of using butterscotch chips.
This was so easy and AMAZINGLY delicious! I used semi-sweet chips and white chocolate, next time I will add almonds instead of walnuts. YUM
I thought these Magic Bars were very good, although I think the recipe called for a little too much butter in the crust. When held, the bars were really greasy on the bottom.
