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Seven Layer Bars

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Full of rich chocolate chips, crunchy graham cracker crumbs and flaked coconut, Seven Layer Bars are a classic treat everyone loves. Also called Magic Cookie Bars, this recipe is made with sweetened condensed milk and comes together quickly and easily. Make it with, or without, nuts to suit your tastes. 

Three stacked magic cookie bars

Seven Layer Magic Cookie Bars

I’ve shared lots of variations on seven layer cookie bars over the years. These festive Holiday Magic Cookie Bars have been a favorite every year and my peanut butter loving friends go wild for the Chocolate Peanut Butter Magic Cookie Bars I make. 

I was surprised to realize that I’d yet to share a recipe for a simple old-fashioned 7 layer magic cookie bar! This recipe is based on the Eagle Brand Magic Cookie Bars–the one shared on cans of sweetened condensed milk.

While called many things, 7 Layer Bars, Magic Bars, Seven Layer Cookies, Magic Cookie Bars… the list goes on, chances are good you’ve tasted these delicious treats at some point in your life.

There’s a reason this recipe is an enduring classic! 

Stack of magic cookie bars covered in M&Ms on a red plate

As you can see, I love to dress my Magic Cookie Bars up for the holidays by adding some M&Ms chocolate candies. This is such a fun way to give them a bit of color and added texture. You can replace the chocolate chips, or just mix in some M&Ms.

Seven Layer Bars

Magic Bars include something for everyone and that’s part of their appeal. The traditional recipe includes seven ingredients: butter, graham cracker crumbs, sweetened condensed milk, coconut, chocolate chips, butterscotch chips and nuts.

A good 7 layer magic cookie bar starts with a simple graham cracker crust. 

You combine graham cracker cookie crumbs with melted butter then pour it into a baking pan. Eagle brand sweetened condensed milk goes on top of that crust, followed by generous layers of chocolate chips and flaked coconut.

Seven layer bars in a glass baking pan

If sticking with the traditional seven layer recipe, butterscotch chips are also included. Personally I find the butterscotch chips make it a bit too sweet, and I like sweet! However feel free to add them if you like. 

A traditional 7 layer bar also includes nuts like pecans or walnuts. I skipped adding the nuts to these due to an allergy, but the crunchy nut layer adds so much to a magic cookie bar.

Both pecans and walnuts taste great in this recipe or you can use a combination of both. 

After baking and slicing, Magic Cookie Bars are ready to slice and serve, or store in a covered container. 

Close up of 7 layer bars covered in M&Ms on a red plate

Magic Cookie Bar Ingredients

(at a glance, full recipe below)

  • non-stick cooking spray
  • graham cracker crumbs
  • butter
  • Eagle Brand Sweetened Condensed Milk
  • Chocolate Chips
  • Flaked Coconut
  • Nuts such as pecans or walnuts

Ingredients for magic cookie bars on a white countertop

How To Make Magic Cookie Bars

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 13 x 9 inch pan with non-stick cooking spray. Make sure to spray the interior sides well.
 

2. In a medium size bowl, combine graham cracker crumbs and melted butter and mix until well combined. Pour mixture into prepared baking pan and gently press to create a crust that covers the entire bottom of the pan.

Liquid ingredients for magic cookie bars in a glass bowl
Ingredients for magic cookie bars in a glass bowl
Crushed graham crackers in a glass baking pan
3. Pour sweetened condensed milk evenly over crumb crust. Evenly sprinkle chocolate chips, coconut and nuts over condensed milk layer. Gently press down with a fork.

Crushed graham crackers packed into a glass baking pan

Sweetened condensed milk being poured onto crushed graham crackers
Base layers of magic cookie bars in a glass baking pan
Uncooked magic cookie bars in a glass baking pan

4. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until beginning to lightly brown. Remove from oven and allow to cool for approximately 5-10 minutes. Then, while still warm, loosen bars from the side of the pan gently to prevent them from sticking. Cut into bars. Store tightly covered.

Magic cookie bars in a glass baking pan

Notes

To make it easier to remove bars from pan, line entire pan with foil, using enough foil that it extends over the sides. Coat with non-stick cooking spray.
 
After baking and bars have cooled, entire pan of bars can be lifted out of the pan by using the foil edges to lift out. 
 
I usually always do this if using a metal pan.
 
Stack of magic cookie bars made of graham cracker crumbs, sweetened condensed milk, coconut and chocolate chips, stacked on a white plate with a blue background
 
After you make this traditional version, don’t forget to try some more of these spins on the classic layer bar. . . 
  • Maple Walnut Magic Cookie Bars 
  • Halloween Magic Cookie Bars
  • Cookies & Cream Seven Layer Magic Cookie Bars
  • White Chocolate Magic Cookie Bars
  • Gingerbread Magic Cookie Bars 
  • Caramel Magic Cookie Bars

Three stacked magic cookie bars on a red plate

Seven Layer Bars Recipe

Enjoyed as an afternoon treat or shared with friends at a party, Magic Cookie Bars are a tasty and easy to make dessert that makes everyone happy. 

Several photos of 7 layer magic cookie bars

CLICK TO PIN AND SAVE RECIPE

Three stacked magic cookie bars on a white plate

Seven Layer Magic Cookie Bar Recipe

5 from 5 votes
Print Pin Rate Save Saved!
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: bars, cookies
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes
Servings: 24 bars
Calories: 206kcal
Author: Christi Johnstone

Equipment

  • 13x9 inch baking pan

Ingredients

  • non-stick cooking spray
  • 1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
  • 1/2 cup butter, melted
  • 1 14oz can Eagle Brand Sweetened Condensed Milk
  • 2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
  • 1 1/3 cups flaked coconut
  • 1 cup chopped nuts walnuts and pecans work well

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 13 x 9 inch pan with non-stick cooking spray. Make sure to spray the interior sides well.
  • In a medium size bowl, combine graham cracker crumbs and melted butter and mix until well combined. Pour mixture into prepared baking pan and gently press to create a crust that covers the entire bottom of the pan.
  • Pour sweetened condensed milk evenly over crumb crust. Evenly sprinkle chocolate chips, coconut and nuts over condensed milk layer. Gently press down with a fork.
  • Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until begining to lightly brown. Remove from oven and allow to cool for approximately 5-10 minutes. Then, while still warm, loosen bars from the side of the pan gently to prevent them from sticking. Cut into bars. Store tightly covered.

Notes

To make it easier to remove bars from pan, line entire pan with foil, using enough foil that it extends over the sides. Coat with non-stick cooking spray. After baking and bars have cooled, entire pan of bars can be lifted out of the pan by using the foil edges to lift out. 

Nutrition

Calories: 206kcal | Carbohydrates: 14g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Cholesterol: 11mg | Sodium: 72mg | Potassium: 141mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 126IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 21mg | Iron: 1mg
Tried this recipe?Mention @lovefromtheoven or tag #lovefromtheoven!

About author Christi Johnstone of Love From The Oven

Christi is the baker, cook, blogger, food photographer, recipe developer and sprinkle lover behind Love From The Oven. As a busy mom, it's important to Christi that her recipes are family-friendly and picky eater approved. In addition to running Love From The Oven, Christi is the author of The My Little Pony Baking Book and Smart Cookie, and the co-author of Peeps-A-Licious.
Interested in working with Christi? please contact her by email.
This post may contain affiliate links, please see our disclosure policy.

Home » Baking & Sweets » Brownies and Bars » Seven Layer Bars

Baking & Sweets Brownies and Bars Christmas Holiday
December 3, 2019 by LOVE FROM THE OVEN

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  1. Rick says

    February 17, 2020 at 9:22 am

    5 stars
    Gotta be careful with this one… you might eat the whole pan on “accident”. 😉

    Reply
    • Lynn says

      December 6, 2020 at 8:58 am

      Can the coconut be omitted and they turn out well?

      Reply
      • Christi Johnstone says

        December 6, 2020 at 10:05 am

        Honestly, not really with this recipe. If someone isn’t a fan of coconut, I’d honestly just recommend making something else, it’s kind of an essential ingredient in this limited ingredient recipe.

        Reply
  2. Phala Bowles says

    April 6, 2020 at 3:13 pm

    Please consider using “plant based” butter (Miyoko’s) is just one of the many, many amazing non dairy/plant based alternatives.

    Reply
    • Christi Johnstone says

      April 7, 2020 at 7:52 am

      Since those aren’t safe for my daughter who has a life threatening nut allergy, we stick with sweetened condensed milk. 😉

      Reply
  3. Jack Vizzard says

    July 13, 2020 at 8:08 am

    5 stars
    These cookie bars are HEAVENLY !!!

    Reply
  4. Elizabeth H. says

    November 30, 2020 at 7:39 am

    5 stars
    I just made these this morning, only our family recipe. We call these Prayer Bars. And we add a 1/2 cup of butterscotch chips along with the semi chocolate chips, and pecans. We’ve had our recipe for over 60 years. If I were you I would include ALL ingredients and if people want to omit something they can. My kitchen is smelling heavenly…….I think that’s why they call them Prayer bars,

    Reply
  5. June says

    December 5, 2020 at 5:23 pm

    5 stars
    You can put peanut butter chips, butterscotch chip, mint pieces and heath bits it is so good and my kids love them

    Reply
  6. Debra Richardson says

    December 7, 2020 at 3:25 pm

    Can I freeze these?

    Reply
    • Christi Johnstone says

      December 8, 2020 at 10:10 am

      I haven’t tried freezing these. Honesty these are SO fast and easy (you basically just dump stuff in a pan) they are very low on the list of things I’d freeze. I’m not entirely sure how the sweetened condensed milk layer would be upon thawing.

      Reply
      • Sherrie says

        December 13, 2020 at 1:11 pm

        I freeze them every year and it works fine. Only difference is I pour the milk over all the layers .

        Reply
        • Laura says

          December 23, 2020 at 1:57 pm

          5 stars
          my mom made these as far back as I can recall and I am 69 , the eagle brand milk gets poured over the top per her own handwritten recipe we called them no name bars .

          Reply
  7. AJ says

    December 10, 2020 at 11:59 am

    Do you use sweetened or unsweetened coconut flakes?

    Reply
    • Christi Johnstone says

      December 11, 2020 at 3:26 pm

      Sweetened usually, but you could use either.

      Reply
  8. Cathy says

    December 15, 2020 at 7:28 am

    Do you add the M&M’s before or after baking?

    Reply
    • Christi Johnstone says

      December 15, 2020 at 8:09 am

      Just add them as you would chocolate chips when baking.

      Reply
Hi, I'm Christi I love sharing easy & delicious recipes that your family & friends will love. I'm a mom, cookbook author...Read More

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