Southard House B&B: Magic Cookie Bars

Hello Friends!

I have been practicing making some of the items on the menu at Southard House lately. On Monday I made the dessert item for Wednesday - 7 Layer Magic Cookie Bars! These cookie bars are my all time favorite. I could eat them every day and not get sick of them! My mom used to make them during Christmas time when I was a kid and I have always loved them as a Christmas treat. I wanted to share the recipe with you, just in case you have never had these amazing cookies.

First preheat your oven to 350 degrees.

Assemble your ingredients - butter, graham cracker crumbs, chocolate chips, coconut, butterscotch chips, sweetened condensed milk, and chopped nuts.

You can used the already crushed up graham cracker crumbs they sell but I prefer to buy the graham crackers because I get to eat a whole package of them with peanut butter before I make the rest in to crumbs AND because they are cheaper. This is how my mom made them. Put the graham crackers into a sturdy Ziploc bag and use a rolling pin to crush them into crumbs. Make sure there are no big chunks. This is a great way to get out all of your weekly aggression!

Melt the butter in a small microwave-safe dish, then pour the butter into the graham cracker crumbs. Mix well with a fork. Pour the graham mixture in a buttered 9x13 pan and press down firmly with your fingers to make a solid crust. Pour some of the sweetened condensed milk on top of your crust. This will act as a "glue" to hold the graham cracker crumbs together.

Next layer the coconut, chocolate chips, butterscotch chips, and chopped nuts on top of your crust. Pour the remaining sweetened condensed milk over the top of your layers, making sure to get the edges and corners.

Bake in your 350 degree oven for about 25 minutes and while it is baking you get to enjoy the aroma as it fills your home with chocolatey, toasted coconutty, baked cookie deliciousness. Bonus!!!

Let the bars cool completely before cutting them into squares or triangles, whichever you prefer. Store them covered at room temperature - if they last that long!

I know you will love these delicious cookie bars and I hope you will share this recipe with your friends and family. They will be enjoyed at Southard House Bed and Breakfast Inn every Wednesday evening with coffee and tea. The 7-Layer Magic Cookie Bars are the dessert of the day on Wednesday!