Saturday, December 9, 2017

Cookie Bars

Eleven years ago this month, when I'd been writing for just a couple weeks, I posted a recipe for Magic Cookie Bars. As delicious as they taste, I don't make them very often because they stick to the pan. They've cracked and broken as I've tried to remove them. But from watching the British cooking shows, The Great British Bake Off and The Big Family Cooking Showdown I've learned about parchment paper.


I've owned some for ages but used it for only a roasted potatoes dish. Why haven't I tried it for brownies, etc.? I have no idea.

This recipe is a variation on the one I posted. You may find it here. I chose to not use any nuts, and honestly we like the taste better.

First line a 9x13 pan with parchment paper. I cut off the excess.


Melt 3/4 cup butter on low temperature.

While it is melting, put one packet of graham crackers


in a plastic bag and roll them out to make crumbs.


Mix the crumbs with the melted butter and put in pan. Pour over the top one 14-ounce can of sweetened condensed milk.


Mix together 1 1/3 cups of chocolate chips with 1 1/3 cups coconut. I've begun using Guittard because of the non-GMO lecithin and the fair trade cocoa. Plus, they are delicious. I'd only heard of Ghiradelli but this is another San Francisco company that has been around for ages.




Sprinkle the chips and coconut mixture on top of the condensed milk.


Bake in a pre-heated 350º f. oven for 25-30 minutes.

I made these for Hazel and Tom's 4th and 67th birthdays this year, and they were much loved by all!



Just to be sure they were good before posting the recipe, I made them a couple other times lately!!

To have some food fun, visit Weekend Cooking this week and every week!

25 comments:

  1. This recipe looks delicious and gluten free too- love coconut in my cookies

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  2. I use parchment paper almost daily! It makes cleanup so much easier, especially after roasting. Those brownies look delicious and I love that photo of the guys blowing out their candles.

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  3. A friend at work made something similar to this (she also used butterscotch chips) and brought it to work yesterday. It was yummy!

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  4. Years ago I used to make that recipe. Or something very close. One year at Christmas time, I forgot some in a little sealed gift tin and found them months later. They were still perfectly edible, but I don't think I ever made them after that. Maybe I should return to it.

    best... mae at maefood.blogspot.com

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  5. Sounds good except I don't like coconut, can you make them without it?

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  6. Those look yummy! I can't remember when I started using parchment paper, but it's great for baking. I usually lift the entire batch of bars/brownies out of the pan (holding on to the parchment paper "handles") and set the whole thing down on a cutting board to cut into squares or rectangles. Much easier and very little clean-up!

    Happy Birthday, Hazel and Tom!!

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  7. I love these bars although it has been awhile since I have made them or had any. I will definitely try the parchment paper option. I wonder how that would work with brownies?

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    1. I am quite sure that it will work great with brownies!

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  8. We've been using baking paper for all sorts of baking from when I was a little girl and helping my Mum in the kitchen :-)
    The cookie bars sound and look delicious, and easy enough for me to make so that I won't end up disappointed with my lack of baking skill.

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    1. I don't have any particular 'baking skill!' I am a big follower of recipes. Not what they call an instinctual cook.

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  9. I’m happy you posted that recipe, I think I’d like to make those. Love all the ingredients, especially the coconut. Pity we aren’t neighbors as I made eggplant sliders, I could do the lunch and you could provide dessert!

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  10. It sounds simple and delicious. I have used waxed paper when I run out of parchment. It works too.

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    1. I've not heard of that, but I did see the bakers on the shows use what they call 'cling wrap' in the oven.

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  11. My mom would make these at Christmas when I was growing up. Keep thinking of how to replace the sweetened condensed milk because of dairy intolerance in the household. Think I may have found it with a coconut milk DIY version of sweetened condensed milk. This may be the season to try it! Thanks for posting!

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  12. More coconut can only be a good thing! I'll be interested to hear what you think.

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  13. I use parchment paper often in baking and in roasting, especially roasting chicken and when I make caramels. I was just at a wedding shower today in which we were asked to include a favorite recipe. One of the recipes shared was for Magic Cookie Bars with a strong chorus of "I used to make those". I will use parchment paper next time I make them, Nan, and I will try some of your suggested ingredients. particularly the Guittard chocolate chips.

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    1. Let me know how they turn out! And I want to know how to make caramels!!!!!

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  14. Yay for baking paper. Have a great week. Cheers from Carole's Chatter

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  15. Happy Belated Birthday to Tom! Mine's at the end of the week:)

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