Magic Cookie Bars are an ooey-gooey treat made with a graham cracker crust and loaded with a variety of candy chips, all topped with a layer of coconut. Try my Chocolate Chip Caramel Bars for another sweet treat.
Magic Cookie Bars or 7 Layer Bars?
These are traditionally called Magin Bars and 7-Layer Bars, but we have been known to call them “garbage bars” because I usually empty out my pantry to make them. The bars are based on a recipe from my Mother-in-Law’s church cookbook and have been around for many, many years!
Variations for Magic Bars
- Chocolate Chip Cookie Magic Bars: Use chocolate chip cookie dough instead of graham cracker crust.
- Lemon Magic Bars: Use a lemon cookie crust and add lemon zest to the coconut filling.
- Peanut Butter Magic Bars: Use a peanut butter cookie crust and add chopped peanuts to the coconut filling.
- Caramel Magic Bars: Drizzle caramel sauce over the top of the bars before baking.
- Mint Magic Bars: Use mint chocolate cookies for the crust and add peppermint extract to the coconut filling.
- Berry Magic Bars: Spread a layer of your favorite berry jam or preserve over the crust before adding the coconut filling.
And there are many more variations you can experiment with depending on your preferences!
Storing, Freezing, and Thawing Instructions for Magic Bars
Storing:
- Allow the bars to cool completely before storing them.
- Place the bars in an airtight container or wrap them tightly in plastic wrap.
- Store the bars in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
Freezing:
- Allow the bars to cool completely before freezing them.
- Cut the bars into individual servings, this makes it easier to thaw only what you need.
- Wrap the individual bars tightly in plastic wrap or aluminum foil.
- Place the wrapped bars in an airtight container or a resealable plastic bag and store them in the freezer for up to 3 months.
- Be sure to label and date.
Thawing:
- Remove the desired number of bars from the freezer and allow them to thaw at room temperature for about 30 minutes or in the refrigerator for several hours.
- You can also thaw them quickly by wrapping them in a damp paper towel and microwaving them on the defrost setting for 1-2 minutes.
More Delicious Bars
Garbage Bars
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups graham cracker crumbs
- ½ cup melted butter
- 1 can (15 ounces) sweetened condensed milk
- ½ cup peanut butter chips
- ½ cup milk chocolate chips, or semi-sweet
- ½ cup white chocolate chips
- ½ cup butterscotch chips
- 1 cup coconut flakes or sweetened shredded coconut, (you can use up to 1 ½ cups)
Instructions
- Heat oven to 350°F.
- Melt butter in the microwave or small saucepan over low heat. Sprinkle graham cracker crumbs over the bottom of a 9×13 pan then pour butter over the crumbs. Flatten out crumbs with a fork and make sure butter is evenly incorporated.
- Evenly pour two cups of morsels* over the graham cracker crust.
- Pour condensed milk over morsels.
- Cover with coconut flakes. (Or shredded coconut)
- Bake 25 minutes. Edges will be brown and center should not jiggle.
Notes
Did you make this recipe?
Thank you for making my recipe! You took pictures, right? Well go ahead and post them on Instagram! Be sure to mention me @iambaker and use the hashtag #YouAreBaker.
Sooo many awesome chips in there! YUM!
Chip overload. 🙂
Oh my deliciousness!!!! These look amazing and I love the name!
Thanks and thanks! 🙂
I love your kind of garbage and remember the vintage recipe for the bars as well. My mom and I collect all sorts of vintage recipes and old cook books. I wish I had the time to collect more! They are the best! Take care and God bless!
A vintage cookbook collection? Sounds like such a wonderful thing to have! 🙂 God bless you too!
Nice photos, toodles!
Well, thanks! Means a lot coming from you. 🙂
These look amazing!
I’ve been researching magic bars to make my own recipe, so this post came at a wonderful time. These sound fantastic. I’m willing to overcome my aversion to sweetened condensed milk to make these!
I wonder if there is a substitution for the SCM?
so these are carb free?
no flour?
right?
I can have this on my paleo?
lol
Oh girl… these are SOOOOOOOO sugary!!! They should never be a part of anyone’s diet ever. 😉
Ready to lick my laptop screen right now — yum!!!
lol Thanks!
I love these! We make them at Christmas but we use cornflakes butter and sugar as the bottom layer. Not sure what we call them ????yummy bars?!
What a great idea!!!
They look so good! Pinned!
I love magic/seven layer bars and any bars that clean out odds and ends and are flexible like that!
Thank you!!