Magic Cookie Bars always remind me of Christmas! Holiday Magic Cookie Bars are topped with red and green M&Ms. These festive cookie bars will be the hit of your next party!
This is one treat I always make during the holidays. My mom always made these cookie bars when I was growing up so they remind me of Christmas.
I realize that not everyone calls these Magic Cookie Bars. These delicious bars are also called Hello Dolly Bars, 7-Layer bars, and Coconut Dreams.
Rumor has it that the recipe for these ooey-gooey bars first appeared on the back of a sweetened condensed milk can in the 1960s.
Ingredients For Holiday Magic Cookie Bars
(You can find the full, printable recipe card at the end of this post!)
- butter
- graham cracker crumbs
- sweetened condensed milk
- sweetened coconut flakes
- chocolate chip morsels
- Holiday M&Ms
- Parchment paper (optional)
- 1 cup chopped pecans (optional)
Tips When Making Holiday Magic Cookie Bars
You’ll notice that this recipe doesn’t call for chopped nuts but you can totally add a cup of chopped pecans when adding the chocolate chips and coconut.
If you don’t have parchment paper, lightly spray a 9×13 baking pan with cooking spray before adding the graham cracker crust.
How To Make Holiday Magic Cookie Bars
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Melt butter in a microwave-safe bowl.
Combine butter and graham cracker crumbs. Mix well.
Press the graham cracker/butter mixture evenly in a 13″ x 9″ parchment paper-lined baking pan.
Pour sweetened condensed milk evenly over the crumb mixture.
Sprinkle coconut and chocolate chips evenly over the sweetened condensed milk.
Top with M&Ms and press lightly.
Bake for 25 minutes, or until edges are golden. Cool for 1 hour before cutting into bars.
To Make Traditional Magic Cookie Bars
If you don’t care for M&Ms, you can totally leave them off and make Magic Cookie Bars the traditional way. Increase the coconut to 1-1/3 cups and add 1 cup chopped pecans when you’re adding the toppings. Press down lightly before baking.
How To Store Holiday Magic Cookie Bars
Store Magic Cookie Bars between layers of parchment paper in an air-tight container. These bars will keep at room temperature for about 3-4 days and in the refrigerator for a week.
Can You Freeze Magic Cookie Bars?
Yes, you can! Fully baked bars can be frozen for up to one month. Wrap the cooled bars individually in plastic wrap. Place on a baking sheet and freeze until solid. Place bars in a zip-lock bag. Thaw in the fridge for a few hours before serving.
Holiday Magic Cookie Bars
Delicious Holiday Magic Cookie Bars have a graham cracker crust topped with chocolate chips, sweetened condensed milk, coconut, and M&Ms.
Ingredients
- ⅓ cup butter, melted
- 1-1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
- 14 oz can sweetened condensed milk
- 1/2 cup sweetened coconut flakes
- 1-1/2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 1-1/2 cups Holiday M&Ms
- 1 cup chopped pecans (optional)
- Parchment paper (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Melt butter in the microwave in a microwave-safe bowl.
- In a medium-sized bowl combine the butter and graham cracker crumbs. Spread mixture in 13" x 9" parchment-paper-lined baking pan.
- Pour sweetened condensed milk evenly over the graham cracker crust.
- Sprinkle coconut, chocolate chips, and pecans (if using nuts) evenly over the sweetened condensed milk. Top with M&Ms and press lightly.
- Bake for 25 minutes, or until edges are golden.
Cool for 1 hour, then cut into bars.
Notes
If you don't have parchment paper on hand, lightly spray the 13x9 baking pan with cooking spray before adding the graham cracker/butter mixture.
You can add 1 cup of chopped pecans to this recipe. Add the pecans with the coconut/chocolate chips (step 4 above).
To make traditional Magic Cookie Bars: Omit the M&Ms, add 1 cup chopped pecans and increase coconut to 1-1/3 cups.
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Nutrition Information
Yield
24Serving Size
1Amount Per Serving Calories 272Total Fat 15gSaturated Fat 7gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 7gCholesterol 16mgSodium 87mgCarbohydrates 34gFiber 2gSugar 28gProtein 4g
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