Magic Cookie Bars Recipe (Howdy Dolly Bars)

These magical layered cookie bars with a graham cracker crust have so many names! I grew up calling them Howdy Dolly Bars, however have additionally heard them referred to as Magic Cookie Bars, and even 7 Layer Bars. Irrespective of their identify, you want know that they encompass layers of nuts, coconut, and chocolate on a graham cracker crust with sweetened condensed milk poured on high. That is textural heaven!

I nearly wish to name these no bake bars, as a result of they’re such little effort, however you do should bake them. It simply feels such as you spend far more time baking them than throwing them collectively, as a result of they’re so easy.

These Howdy Dolly Bars are textural heaven: on high of a graham cracker crust (not in contrast to my buttery crusts in my pumpkin cheesecake bars), we scatter all of our favourite issues. A sprinkle of chocolate chips, coconut and pecans, after all! Earlier than baking, we drizzle sweetened condensed milk on high. Sure, one of the best factor to drizzle into your espresso is the binding agent for these crunchy, gooey cookie bars!

Why are they referred to as howdy dollies?

This can be a tremendous quaint recipe from the Nineteen Sixties, and at the moment, a musical entitled Howdy Dolly was extremely popular. They’re additionally referred to as dream bars, magic bars, coconut bars, or 7 layer bars.

Magic Bar Recipe Substances

• Graham Crackers. We want ½ cup of graham cracker crumbs, which is roughly 4 complete graham cracker sheets, crushed.
• Butter. A small quantity of butter to soften and bind the graham cracker crumbs collectively for the crust.
• Granulated Sugar. To lighten sweeten the crust, stir in granulated sugar. That is the one sugar we’re including to this dessert.
• Pecans. One-third cup of chopped pecans, or your favourite nut. I prefer to make these with sliced almonds, too!
• Chocolate Chips. Any kind of chocolate chips work nice here–dark chocolate, semisweet, white chocolate, even butterscotch chips!
• Coconut. I bake with sweetened coconut flakes slightly than the dried unsweetened stuff.
• Sweetened Condensed Milk. You should utilize the sweetened condensed milk from the can or the squeeze bottle. Use any leftovers in your morning espresso.

Learn how to make this Magic Cookie Bar Recipe

Preheat the oven to 350° and evenly grease or line with a bit of parchment paper an 8-inch sq. pan.

Magic Bars Recipe Variations

• Nuts – You should utilize your favourite kind of nuts on this recipe. I’ve made them with sliced almonds and even macadamia nuts! Something that brings crunch and nuttiness is nice right here!
• Chocolate – Your favourite candy chips are all that we’d like right here. You should utilize common semisweet chocolate chips, darkish chocolate chips, white chocolate chips, peanut butter chips, and even butterscotch chips! Something that melts within the oven works!
• Gluten-Free – You should utilize gluten free graham crackers on this recipe to make these magic bars totally gluten free.

Learn how to Retailer this Howdy Dollies Recipe

These gooey magic cookie bars hold greatest at room temperature in an hermetic container. You may retailer them within the fridge for a number of further days, however they’re greatest eaten at room temperature, or else they’re too arduous to chunk by! You could freeze these (tightly wrapped) for as much as 3 months. Defrost at room temperature about 6-8 hours earlier than serving.