7-Layer Bars

7 Layer Bars are truly magical because they are so simple to make! A buttery graham cracker base sits below layers of coconut, baking chips, and nuts, all blanketed in sweetened condensed milk and baked into the best cookie bars!

Jump to Recipe

Classic 7 Layer Bars are an easy, deliciously sweet dessert made with seven ingredients. A buttery graham cracker crust sits below layers of coconut, chocolate chips, butterscotch chips, and pecans, smothered with sweetened condensed milk, and baked until golden brown.

This Recipe for 7 Layer Bars is MAGIC

Our 7 Layer Bars recipe can be prepared in 5 fast minutes using only seven ingredients.

Just like my Magic Cookie Bars or a homemade Hello Dollies recipe, making seven-layer bars is as simple as pressing a graham cracker crust into the base of a pan, layering the remaining ingredients on top, and baking it into the best 7 layer magic bars.

What makes these 7 layer cookies so magical is that they taste too good to be true – there’s no mixing, no creaming, or complicated steps!

Make your own magic with your favorite add-ins or substitutions and bite into the best dessert bar filled with sweet, gooey, crunchy combinations.

Why are they called 7 layer bars?

7 Layer Bars get their name since there are typically seven layers of flavors to them. You have the butter, cookie crust, chocolate chips, butterscotch chips, nuts, coconut, and the sweetened condensed milk topping

Why we love Seven Layer Bars

Quick and easy to make.
Uses 7 simple ingredients.
Packed with layers of different delicious tastes and textures.
Seven layer cookies are simple to customize with your favorite sweet or savory snacks.
Perfect sweet treat for potlucks, parties, bake sales, or after dinner desserts.

7 Layer Bar Ingredients

Graham cracker crumbs
Salted butter
Sweetened shredded coconut
Semi sweet chocolate chips
Butterscotch chips
Pecans
Sweetened condensed milk: Make sure you use sweetened condensed milk, not evaporated milk!

7 Layer Bars Recipe Tools

9×13 baking pan
Baker’s spray or parchment paper

7 Layer Bars Recipe substitutions and additions

Choose Your Chip: If you are not partial to butterscotch chips, you can swap them out for peanut butter chips, milk chocolate chips, white chocolate chips or just use all semi-sweet chocolate chips.
Prepare Without Pecans: You can swap out the chopped pecans for chopped walnuts, cashews, or almonds. You can also opt to leave the nuts out altogether or cut back to ½ cup of nuts if you prefer.
Create Your Crust: You can use regular honey graham crackers, cinnamon graham crackers, or opt for chocolate graham crackers for your crust. You can also use vanilla wafers or shortbread cookies instead of graham crackers.
Other Add-In Ideas: Feel free to add some other fun ingredients and flavors, like marshmallows, dried fruit, pretzel pieces, toffee bits, M&Ms, or a drizzle of caramel sauce on top.

See Full Recipe Card Below

Jump to Recipe

How to Make 7 Layer Bars

Create The Crust: Combine the graham crackers crumbs and melted butter. Press the mixture into the bottom of the baking dish or pan. (Preheat the oven to 350 degrees)
Assemble: Sprinkle the coconut, chocolate and butterscotch chips, and chopped pecans over the crust. Drizzle the sweetened condensed milk over the entire pan, covering as much of the chips and nuts as possible.
Bake: Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit or 25-28 minutes or until the sides are a lightly browned and the center doesn’t look wet.
Serve: Cool completely before slicing and serving. Enjoy!

7 Layer Bar Tips

Make sure to scrape out all of the sweetened condensed milk from the inside of the can. You will find that you can scrape out an extra 2-3 tablespoons of the thick, sweetened milk from the sides and bottom of the can. You want all that goodness to be added to your 7 layer bars!
When storing these 7-layer bars, I recommend placing a piece of parchment paper between the layers of bars if you are stacking them on top of each other in a lidded container. This will help keep them from sticking together.
Be sure to let the bars cool completely before cutting and serving them so they don’t fall apart. If you are short on time, you can place them in the fridge to cool them faster.
If you don’t care for coconut, you can omit that ingredient from this recipe.
These 7-layer bars can be served at room temperature or chilled.

How to Store 7 Layer Bars

To Store: Store your bars in an airtight container on the counter or in the refrigerator, for up to 1 week.
To Freeze: These bars can be frozen for up to 2 months, tightly wrapped, as individual bars, or as a whole pan. Allow the bars to thaw on the counter top or in the fridge before serving them.

More Easy Dessert Bar Recipes

S’mores Bars

Carmelita Bars

Chubby Hubby Bars

Cookie Dough Bars

7 Layer Bar FAQs

Can you freeze 7-layer bars?

Yes, these bars can be frozen for up to 2 months, both as individual bars or as a whole pan. If you freeze them as a whole, I highly suggest lining your baking pan with parchment paper to make removing them from the baking pan easier. You can pre-slice the bars but leave them all connected, then tightly wrap them in plastic wrap and then a layer of heavy-duty aluminum foil. You will need to thaw them in the refrigerator before serving.

Why are my magic bars runny?

One possible reason for runny magic bars is that the ingredients were not properly layered and compressed. Make sure to press down the layers firmly to ensure they stick together and set properly during baking. Additionally, be careful not to overdo the amount of liquid ingredients such as sweetened condensed milk, as it can contribute to a runny texture.

Why are my cookie bars hard?

There are a few potential reasons why 7-layer cookie bars may turn out hard. Overbaking is a common cause, so it’s important to follow the recommended baking time. Additionally, ensure accurate ingredient measurements, consider adding moisture-enhancing ingredients, and allow the bars to cool completely before storing them to prevent condensation.

More like this Recipe for 7 Layer Bars

5 from 2 votes

Recipe for 7 Layer Bars (7 Layer Cookies)

Author — Jennifer Fishkind

Serves —

Print Rate PinSave

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 25

Total Time 30

Ingredients

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

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray a 9×13 baking pan with baker’s spray or line it with a piece of parchment paper. Set aside.
In a medium mixing bowl, combine the graham cracker crumbs and melted salted butter. Press the mixture firmly into the bottom of the prepared baking pan. You want to make sure your crust is firmly packed into an even layer.
To the crust, evenly sprinkle the sweetened shredded coconut, semi-sweet chocolate chips, butterscotch chips, and chopped pecans. Be sure that everything is evenly distributed over the crust layer.
Slowly drizzle the sweetened condensed milk over the entire pan of 7-layer bar ingredients. Try to make sure that you cover as much of the chips and nuts as possible.
Bake for 25-28 minutes or until the sides are a light golden brown and the center doesn’t look extremely wet still.
Allow the 7-layer bars to cool completely before slicing and serving them.

Jenn’s Notes

Storage :

To Store: Store your bars in an airtight container on the counter or in the refrigerator, for up to 1 week.
To Freeze: These bars can be frozen for up to 2 months, tightly wrapped, as individual bars, or as a whole pan. Allow the bars to thaw on the counter top or in the fridge before serving them.

Tips:

Make sure to scrape out all of the sweetened condensed milk from the inside of the can. You will find that you can scrape out an extra 2-3 tablespoons of the thick, sweetened milk from the sides and bottom of the can. You want all that goodness to be added to your 7 layer bars!
When storing these 7-layer bars, I recommend placing a piece of parchment paper between the layers of bars if you are stacking them on top of each other in a lidded container. This will help keep them from sticking together.
Be sure to let the bars cool completely before cutting and serving them so they don’t fall apart. If you are short on time, you can place them in the fridge to cool them faster.
If you don’t care for coconut, you can omit that ingredient from this recipe.
These 7-layer bars can be served at room temperature or chilled.

Nutrition Info

7 Layer Bar Recipe

This Recipe for 7 Layer Bars is MAGIC

Why are they called 7 layer bars?

Why we love Seven Layer Bars