7 Layer Bars

I always reach for this easy 7 layer bars recipe when I need a quick, crowd-pleasing dessert. I love how simple pantry ingredients turn into layers of chewy, sweet, and crunchy perfection, all sitting on a buttery graham cracker base. They come together fast, bake in minutes, and never last long at family gatherings or holiday parties.

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Each bite of these 7 layer cookie bars is a mouthful of magic, with gooey butterscotch mingling with melted chocolate, toasted coconut, and crunchy pecans. The buttery graham cracker crust holds it all together and adds a satisfying snap, making these sweet treats completely irresistible.

If you love these 7-layer bars, you’ll also enjoy my Magic Cookie Bars or Homemade Snickers Bars.

Ingredients Notes

• Graham cracker crumbs: Use honey or cinnamon graham crackers, or try vanilla wafers or shortbread cookies.
• Salted butter: Adds flavor, but unsalted butter works if you prefer less salt.
• Sweetened condensed milk: Dairy-free sweetened condensed milk is a good substitute if needed.
• Butterscotch chips: Can be swapped with peanut butter chips, white chocolate chips, or extra chocolate chips.
• Semi-sweet chocolate chips: Milk chocolate or dark chocolate are also great options.
• Flaked coconut: Use sweetened or unsweetened coconut, leave it out, or replace with nuts, pretzels, or extra chocolate chips.
• Chopped pecans: Walnuts, almonds, cashews, peanuts, or no nuts at all are all great substitutions.

See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.

How to Make 7 Layer Bars

Step 1
Prep the pan: Preheat the oven to 350°F and line a 9×13-inch pan with parchment paper for easy removal.

Step 2
Make the crust: Combine the graham cracker crumbs and melted butter, then press the mixture firmly into the bottom of the pan.

Step 3
Layer the ingredients: Pour the sweetened condensed milk over the crust. Add the remaining ingredients in order, spreading evenly and pressing gently with a fork.

Step 4
Bake: Bake for 20 to 25 mins, or until the top is lightly golden brown.

Step 5
Cool and slice: While still warm, loosen the edges from the pan. Cool completely, then cut into bars with a sharp knife.

Make Ahead & Storage Instructions

• Make ahead: This dessert is perfect to prepare in advance, as the flavors deepen by the next day.
• Store: Keep in an airtight container at room temperature or in the fridge for up to one week. Place parchment between layers if stacking to prevent sticking.
• Freeze: Freeze for up to two months. You can freeze individual bars or the whole pan lined with parchment. Thaw on the counter or in the fridge.
• Reheat: These bar cookies are best at room temperature, but you can microwave a single bar for a few seconds if you prefer them warm.

More Easy Dessert Recipes

• Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars
• Twix Bars
• Lemon Cheesecake Bars
• Peanut Butter Bars

If you’ve tried this 7 Layer Bars Recipe or any other recipe on my website, please leave a star rating and let me know how it turned out in the comments below.

5 from 1 vote

7 Layer Bars

Author — Jennifer Fishkind

Serves — 24

These easy 7 layer bars feature a buttery graham cracker crust with gooey layers of chocolate, butterscotch, coconut, and pecans. A simple, crowd-pleasing dessert that everyone will love.

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Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 20 minutes mins

Total Time 30 minutes mins

Ingredients

 

• ▢ 1½ cups graham cracker crumbs
• ▢ ½ cup salted butter melted
• ▢ 14 ounce can sweetened condensed milk
• ▢ 1 cup butterscotch chips
• ▢ 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
• ▢ 1⅓ cup flaked coconut
• ▢ 1 cup chopped pecans

Instructions

 

• Preheat your oven to 350°F and lightly coat a 9×13-inch baking pan with nonstick spray. Line the pan with parchment paper.

  For clean, even squares, let the paper hang over the edges for easy removal.
• Combine the graham cracker crumbs with melted butter, then press the mixture firmly into the bottom of the pan.
  1½ cups graham cracker crumbs, ½ cup salted butter
• Evenly drizzle the sweetened condensed milk over the crust.
  14 ounce can sweetened condensed milk
• Add the remaining ingredients in the order listed, spreading them out evenly and pressing down gently with a fork.
  1 cup butterscotch chips, 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips, 1 cup chopped pecans, 1⅓ cup flaked coconut
• Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the top is lightly golden.
• While still warm, loosen the edges from the pan, then cool completely on a wire rack. Cut into pieces with a sharp knife.

Jenn’s Notes

Storage:

Make ahead: This is a great dessert to prep early since it actually tastes even better after it has had time to sit overnight.

Storage: Store the bars in an airtight container on the counter or in the fridge for up to 7 days. If you stack them, slide a piece of parchment between layers so they do not stick together.

Freezer friendly: These bars freeze well for up to 2 months. Freeze them whole or cut into individual pieces with parchment in between. Let them thaw at room temperature or in the fridge.

Serving tip: They are best served at room temp, but if you like them warm, a quick few seconds in the microwave does the trick.

Tips:

• Use a spatula to get every last drop of sweetened condensed milk out of the can
• Gently press each layer into the pan so everything bakes together nicely
• Give the bars time to cool completely before slicing so the cuts look neat
• For extra firm, bakery style bars, pop the pan in the fridge before cutting
• Parchment paper makes lifting the bars out easy and saves you on cleanup
• If the top starts getting too brown, loosely tent with foil near the end of baking

Nutrition Info

Calories: 242kcal | Carbohydrates: 25g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 17mg | Sodium: 119mg | Potassium: 158mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 19g | Vitamin A: 175IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 62mg | Iron: 1mg

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