These bars go by a few different names, like 7-Layer Bars or Hello Dollies, but I’ve always known them as Magic Bars.
They are a pure Midwestern treat for me, often brought to potlucks to round out a shared meal. All the names for the same dessert might seem confusing, but luckily, there’s nothing confusing about making them.
The true magic of these rich, sweet Magic Bars is how easy they are to make. There’s no mixing, no creaming butter with sugar, no adding the eggs one at a time.
Instead, Magic Bars are pretty much assembled from a pantry of stock ingredients, which are then sprinkled and layered one on top of the next. (Usually there are seven different ingredients, which explains at least one of the alternate names!)
Bake in the oven until toasty brown and the bars are done.
The one essential ingredient in the whole recipe is sweetened condensed milk. This sticky, gooey, honey-thick condensed milk is what binds all the ingredients together. It also caramelizes in the oven, giving a sweet depth to each bite similar to dulce de leche.
Also, make sure you read the labels and buy sweetened condensed milk, not evaporated milk—the cans look very similar.
They are a pure Midwestern treat for me, often brought to potlucks to round out a shared meal. All the names for the same dessert might seem confusing, but luckily, there’s nothing confusing about making them.
The true magic of these rich, sweet Magic Bars is how easy they are to make. There’s no mixing, no creaming butter with sugar, no adding the eggs one at a time.
Instead, Magic Bars are pretty much assembled from a pantry of stock ingredients, which are then sprinkled and layered one on top of the next. (Usually there are seven different ingredients, which explains at least one of the alternate names!)
Bake in the oven until toasty brown and the bars are done.
The one essential ingredient in the whole recipe is sweetened condensed milk. This sticky, gooey, honey-thick condensed milk is what binds all the ingredients together. It also caramelizes in the oven, giving a sweet depth to each bite similar to dulce de leche.
Also, make sure you read the labels and buy sweetened condensed milk, not evaporated milk—the cans look very similar.
Magic Bars Recipe
These bars are so rich and sweet, you can cut them into 24 small bars and still feel satisfied.
I like to add a sprinkle of flaky Maldon salt on top to add some crunch and help cut the sweet richness. The salt is totally non-traditional, though, so omit if you want that nostalgic, ultra-sweet Magic Bar experience.
I like to add a sprinkle of flaky Maldon salt on top to add some crunch and help cut the sweet richness. The salt is totally non-traditional, though, so omit if you want that nostalgic, ultra-sweet Magic Bar experience.
Ingredients
- 2 cups (225 g) graham cracker crumbs
- 1/2 cup (115 g / 1 stick) melted unsalted butter
- 14 ounces (396 g / 1 can) sweetened condensed milk
- 1 cup (185 g) semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 1 cup (185 g) butterscotch chips
- 1 cup (115 g) chopped pecans
- 1 cup (105 g) shredded sweetened coconut
- 1 teaspoon flaky sea salt (like Maldon), optional
