Christmas Seven Layer Magic Bars
Christmas Seven Layer Magic Bars are a buttery graham cracker crust layered with chocolate chips, coconut flakes, walnuts and butterscotch chips then topped off with a sprinkling of red and green M&Ms. The perfect layered bar, these holiday brownies are served up in this easy holiday dessert!
CHRISTMAS SEVEN LAYER MAGIC BARS
Seven Layer Magic Bars are the one easy holiday dessert that brings forth Christmas in my mind no matter what the time of year.
So why not put a Christmas spin on traditional seven layer bars and add a bit of the ol’ red and green charm to this recipe for hello dollies?
Also known as Hello Dolly Bars, these delicious, sweet, crunchy, clean out your chocolate chip drawer, compilation of nutty, chocolately goodness is how I know that Christmas is on its way.
WHAT ARE MAGIC BARS?
What are these Magic Bars I blabber on about? Simply the best holiday cookie you can serve.. more like a holiday brownie but you get my point!
Imagine a buttery graham cracker crust layered with sweetened condensed milk, chocolate chips, coconut flakes, walnuts and butterscotch chips then topped off with a sprinkling of red and green M&Ms.
Talk about a red and green, show stooping sweet treat!!!!
The recipe my family has used for years is the Eagle Magic Cookie Bar recipe (click on the link and it will take you right to it)… but sometimes you just gotta tweak what you know and make it fancy:)
WHY THESE CHRISTMAS MAGIC BARS ARE THE BEST!
- The secret ingredient that a lot of recipes for hello dollies don’t have … butterscotch chips!!!
- Red and green M&Ms take regular magic bars to the next festive level of enjoyment.
- A 9 x 13 baking pan feeds a ton of people without having to chain yourself to the kitchen mixing up cookie batter.
- Perfectly perfect to make these seven layer bars ahead of time so you always have them on hand when friends stop by unexpectedly as they (for some reason??) do in the holiday season.
- Great easy holiday dessert to get the kids involved in the kitchen. Easy to sprinkle layers make for a fun time with the little ones.
To make these Christmas Seven Layer Magic Bars, you will need:
- Graham cracker crumbs
- Butter
- Sweetened condensed milk
- Semi-sweet chocolate chips
- Sweetened coconut flakes
- Walnuts
- Butterscotch chips
- Red and Green M&Ms
HOW TO MAKE SEVEN LAYER BARS
Start lining a 9 x 13 pan with parchment paper and preheating your oven to 350 degrees.
In a small bowl, combine the melted butter and graham cracker crumbs until well mixed and then press into the bottom of your pan.
Pour the condensed milk on top of the crust and lightly smooth to create an even layer.
Next, sprinkle most of your coconut flakes in an even layer over the condensed milk.
Add a layer of chocolate chips.
Then a layer of walnuts…
And a layer of butterscotch chips …
and finally add most of your M&Ms.
Using the back of a fork or a spoon or your hand, lightly press the ingredients down into the condensed milk and top of with a light sprinkling of reserved coconut flakes.
Bake in the oven for 25 minutes..
Remove from the oven lightly press in your reserved red and green M&Ms for an extra pop of color. Let cool completely before pulling up on the parchment paper and removing the Magic Bars from the pan.
Cut into squares and store in an airtight container.
PRO TIPS FOR PERFECT HOLIDAY BROWNIES
- Be sure to gently press your ingredients into the condensed milk.. it’s the glue that holds everything together.
- Get creative with these Christmas cookie bars… add toffee, more nuts, white chocolate chips or red and green sprinkles.
- Don’t over bake these bars.. your M&Ms will lose their color and you will be sad.
- To serve, I usually cut the edges off before cutting the cookies into socially acceptable size pieces. It keeps them pretty.
MORE EASY HOLIDAY COOKIE RECIPES
- Chocolate Cut Out Cookies
- Green Soft Sugar Cookies
- Green Crinkle Cookies
- Sugar Cookie White Chocolate Fudge
DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE?
I would love for you to leave a rating and a comment below! Let me know, how’d you do?! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Christmas Seven Layer Magic Bars
Ingredients
- 1 stick butter , melted
- 1-1/2 cup graham cracker crumbs
- 15 ounce can of condensed milk
- 1-1/2 cup coconut flakes divided
- 1-1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 1 cup butterscotch chips
- 1-1/2 cup chopped walnuts
- 1 cup red and green M&Ms divided
Instructions
- Start lining a 13 x 9 pan with parchment paper and preheating your oven to 350 degrees.
- In a small bowl, combine the melted butter and graham cracker crumbs until well mixed and then press into the bottom of your pan.
- Pour the condensed milk on top of the crust and lightly smooth to create an even layer.
- Sprinkle the coconut flakes, chocolate chips, butterscotch chips, walnuts and most of the M&Ms evenly in layers over the crust.
- Using the back of a fork or a spoon or your hand, lightly press the ingredients down into the condensed milk and top of with a light sprinkling of reserved coconut flakes.
- Bake in the oven for 25 minutes.
- Remove from the oven lightly press in your reserved red and green M&Ms for an extra pop of color. Let cool completely before pulling up on the parchment paper and removing the Magic Bars from the pan.
- Cut into squares and store in an airtight container.
Notes
PRO TIPS FOR PERFECT CHRISTMAS SEVEN LAYER BARS
- Be sure to gently press your ingredients into the condensed milk.. it's the glue that holds everything together.
- Get creative with these Christmas cookie bars... add toffee, more nuts, white chocolate chips or red and green sprinkles.
- Don't over bake these bars.. your M&Ms will lose their color and you will be sad.
- To serve, I usually cut the edges off before cutting the cookies into socially acceptable size pieces. It keeps them pretty.
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Update Notes: This post was originally published in December of 2016 but was republished with an updated recipe, new photos, step by step instructions and tips in November of 2023.
Mine are baking right now. I went way off recipe and use what I had on hand. First I use store brand oreos but mint flavored for holidays, I also added a few chocolate teddy grahams to make the crust go further for 9by13 size. par baked for 10minutes. poured sweetened condensed milk then sprinkled mini marshmellows, halved, chopped pecans, junior mints, halved, M&Ms and finally finely chopped candy canes. They just came out of the oven and look amazing and I can smell the mint flavors from the cookies, junior mints and candy canes. Yum!
I’ve been making these for years, but it’s been a while. I wanted to check I had all the ingredients, temp, and layers in the right order (forgot condensed milk goes first!). Just wanted to say that you gave me a good chuckle, “Don’t over bake these bars.. your M&Ms will lose their color and you will be sad.” Truer words were never spoken. 🙂 Have a great holiday!
Easy to make. Very festive looking. Very good, rich, so cut into small pieces. My only recommendation would be to cook them a little longer. Maybe 30-35 minutes.