One of my favorite childhood memories is baking with my mom. She wasn’t (and isn’t) a terribly adventurous baker, she’s more the type to bake the same few things over and over again — basic fudgy brownies, chocolate chip cookies, the occasional peanut butter cookie, and these Magic Cookie Bars. Her recipe came straight from the Eagle brand sweetened condensed milk that goes in them, though I can’t remember if it was right off the can or something she pulled out of a magazine. Nevertheless, they have long been one of my favorite treats. Ooey, gooey, and so sweet and rich — for me, they’re an indulgent taste of childhood that I always look forward to.
For something that’s so indulgent with so many layers of flavor, it’s surprising how few ingredients you need. Just six! That’s graham cracker crumbs, melted butter, chocolate chips, coconut, chopped nuts, and sweetened condensed milk. (That means this is a really great pantry recipe! You don’t need eggs or milk or any special ingredients. It’s stuff you can easily keep on hand.)
INGREDIENTS
1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1/2 cup butter, melted
1 (14 oz) can sweetened condensed milk
2 cups semisweet chocolate morsels
1 1/3 cups flaked coconut
1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans
PREPARATION
Preheat oven to 350°F and grease a 9×13-inch baking dish with nonstick spray.
In a small bowl, stir together graham cracker crumbs and butter. Press into bottom of prepared pan.
Pour sweetened condensed milk evenly over the crust. Top evenly with chocolate chips, coconut, then nuts. Press down firmly with a fork.
Bake until lightly brown, 25-30 minutes. Run a butter knife around the edges of the pan to loosen sides, then cool pan on a wire rack.
Once cool, slice into squares and serve. Enjoy!
