Chocolate Chip Cookie Magic Bars

What do you call them? Kitchen sink bars? Seven layer bars? I don't know if it's a midwestern thing, but I've always called them magic bars. They're a delicious, gooey dessert bar that is layered with tons of goodness like coconut, chocolate, pecans, and a crumbly graham cracker crust. But today, we're upgrading the traditional magic bar. We're giving them a delicious chocolate chip cookie base, and adding pretzels for a bit of saltiness.

Ingredients for chocolate chip cookie magic bars

To start, you're going to make the chocolate chip cookie base layer. Here are the ingredients you'll need for that:

• All-purpose flour

• Baking soda

• Salt

• Granulated sugar + light brown sugar

• Unsalted butter

• Eggs

• Vanilla extract

• Chocolate chips

Once you've made your cookie bar base, here's a run down of everything else you'll need for the other layers! 

• Butterscotch chips

• Chocolate chips  

• Pretzels

• Shredded coconut

• Pecans

• Sweetened condensed milk

Baking the cookie crust

The first thing you'll want to do for this recipe is make the chocolate chip cookie bottom. Follow the instructions below for the cookie dough, then press it into your pan. You're going to want to use a 13x9 pan or baking dish. This layer will bake for about 17-18 minutes. Once out of the oven, you can begin adding the other layers.

Putting the magic in magic bars

Have you ever wondered what makes magic bars so magical?  It's sweetened condensed milk! It's literally the glue that holds everything together, while making the bars ooey and gooey. As the final 'layer', you simply pour it over the bars once all of the other ingredients have been added. You're going to use a whole can of sweetened condensed milk for this recipe.

Substituting the pecans

Not a fan of pecans? No problem! You can easily substitute the pecans in this recipe for a nut or seed you like better! Almonds, peanuts, or pumpkin seeds would all be delicious options!  

Chocolate Chip Cookie Magic Bars

Recipe by Chrissy

Servings

20

servings

Prep time

20

minutes

Cooking time

40

minutes

Total time

1

hour 

Ingredients

• Chocolate Chip Cookie Base

• 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour

• ½ teaspoon baking soda

• ½ teaspoon salt

• ½ cup granulated sugar

• ⅔ cup packed light brown sugar

• ¾ cup unsalted butter, softened (1.5 sticks)

• 2 eggs

• 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract

• 1 cup chocolate chips

• For the other bar layers

• 1 cup butterscotch chips

• 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

• 1 cup pecans, halved

• 1 ¼ cup shredded coconut

• 1 ½ cup pretzels, roughly crushed

• 1-14 oz can sweetened condensed milk

Directions

• Preheat oven to 350F. Grease a 13x9 pan and line with parchment paper, if desired. Set aside.
• In a mixer or a large bowl, beat together the softened butter, sugar, and brown sugar. Once combined, add in the eggs and vanilla extract.
• To the bowl, add in the flour, baking soda, and salt. Lastly, add in the chocolate chips.
• Dump the cookie dough into the prepared pan and spread evenly. Bake for 17-18 minutes, until the cookie just starts browning.
• Remove from oven, and allow to cool for about 5 minutes.
• After it rests, begin adding the layers. Sprinkle the butterscotch chips, pecans, shredded coconut, pretzels, and chocolate chips. Lastly, pour the sweetened condensed milk evenly over top of everything.
• Pop back into the oven, and bake for another 25-26 minutes.
• Remove from oven, and allow to cool completely before slicing. Enjoy!