How to Make Hello Dolly Bars (7-Layer Bars)
Hello Dolly Bars, with sweetened condensed milk, is one of the best desserts out there. The recipe features a buttery graham cracker crust, semi-sweet chocolate chips, coconut flakes, sweetened condensed milk, and more for an original recipe that is a sweet treat.
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Rest Time: 1 hour
Total Time: 1 hour 45 minutes
Servings: 9
Preparation Level: Beginner +
What I Love About This Recipe
- The bars, also known as magic cookie bars, Hello Dollies recipe, Hello Dolly cookies, or 7-layer bars, are a quick and easy recipe to make. You can’t go wrong with the combination of pecans, chocolate chips, toasted coconut, and a graham cracker crust.
- The recipe is versatile. You can add different ingredients for a different type of bar. For example, I left the butterscotch chips off of this recipe, but you can add those along with the chocolate chips for even more flavors. Or you can use walnuts instead of pecans.
- They are super easy to make. Anyone can make them!
- The dessert bars are a classic recipe for the holidays or any occasion and take less than 15 minutes to make and get into the oven. I share this often with friends and neighbors.
What You Will Need
- Oven
- 9″ x 9″ Baking dish
- Non-stick spray
- Medium-sized bowl
- Tinfoil
- Microwave or stovetop to melt the butter
- Saucepan or microwave-safe bowl to melt the butter
- Graham crackers
- Butter
- Chocolate chips
- Chopped pecans
- Shredded coconut
- Can of sweetened condensed milk
Full printable recipe with ingredients, measurements, and instructions at the bottom of the post in the recipe card.
How To Make The Hello Dolly Bars Recipe
First, crush a packet of graham crackers until they are fine crumbs. A few chunks in there won’t hurt anything.
You can either crush full sheets of graham crackers in the Cuisinart food processor or use a Ziplock bag as I did. Using a rolling pin helped crush them faster. Usually, one sleeve from a graham cracker box is enough to make 2 cups for the crust. You can also purchase pre-crushed graham crackers for this recipe.
Next, melt butter and add it to a large mixing bowl.
Add the graham crackers to the melted butter and stir it in.
Press the graham cracker and butter mixture into the bottom of the 9″ x 9″ casserole dish.
I put some tinfoil in the pan and sprayed it with non-stick spray. You can also use parchment paper if you have one hand to add to the bottom of the pan. It makes it easier to take the Hello Dolly Bars out of the pan when they cool and for an easy clean-up.
Sprinkle the chocolate chips around the top.
Next, sprinkle the pecans on top of the chocolate chips.
TIP: My friend Karen shared a great tip with me about switching out the nuts for pretzels. If you’re allergic to pecans or nuts or just don’t like them, adding pretzels in their place helps add some salt back in so the sweetness isn’t overwhelming. Either way, your tastebuds will thank you. She said it tasted amazing!
Add the coconut on top and spread it out evenly.
And now comes the best part. Pour the entire can of sweetened condensed milk over the top. We will literally fight over licking the can in this house. It is so good. You can use generic sweetened condensed milk or Eagle Brand.
Bake the Hello Dolly Bars at 325 degrees for about 25-30 minutes or until the coconut turns a golden brown around the edges. Every oven is different, so sometimes they need to be baked a little longer to get golden brown.
Updated: I’ve had a few comments lately about the bars not setting up properly after baking. As they bake, you will want the edges to be a darker golden than the inside of the dessert.
Allow them to cool for at least an hour at room temperature. Then, place them in the refrigerator to cool and firm up before cutting. They will still be a little bit gooey but should cut easily.
These are the original Hello Dolly Bars, and I know you are going to love the finished product.
More Delicious Dessert Recipes
- Easy Stovetop Candied Pecans are great for the holiday season and make great gifts.
- Fudge That Will Make All Your Friends Jealous is always a hit with friends and family.
- Peanut Butter Fudge to Die For has been one of the most popular recipes on the blog- for good reason- and it’s amazing!
- Pecan Pie Cheesecake Bars are an easy dessert to make, and cheesecake and pecan pie can be combined for a decadent treat.
Alternate Or Additional Ingredients
Hello Dolly bars are very versatile. You can add other ingredients or leave some out.
- Milk chocolate chips
- Dark chocolate chips
- White chocolate chips
- Crushed vanilla wafers for an alternative crust
- Dulce de leche condensed milk
- Crushed chocolate graham squares for the crust
- Crushed shortbread cookies for the crust
- Toffee chips
- Butterscotch chips
- Pretzels
- Walnuts
Do seven-layer bars freeze well?
Yes, they do freeze well. To prevent freezer burn, wrap them in Saran Wrap and a Ziplock bag. Then, place them in the fridge or set them
on the counter to thaw.
Should seven-layer bars be refrigerated?
No, they do not have to be refrigerated. The bars can stay on the counter for a few days.
How long do magic bars keep?
The bars will keep for three to five days on the counter and up to a week in the refrigerator. Keep the bars in an airtight container with wax paper between the bars to keep them from sticking together.
Tips And Tricks For Hello Dolly Bars
Baking the dessert is easy, but here are a few ideas to make it a little easier.
Use Parchment Paper
Line the pan with parchment paper. This will make it easier to lift the bars out and cut them after they’ve cooled.
Make Sure You Press The Graham Cracker And Butter Mixture Firmly Into The Pan
This will help the bars hold together and prevent them from crumbling. Sometimes I will use the bottom of a cup or something hard to press it down.
Don’t Over Bake The Bars
Be careful not to over-bake the Hello Dolly Bars. They should be golden brown around the edges but still slightly gooey in the center.
Let The Bars Cool Completely
Let the bars cool completely before cutting them into squares. This will help them hold together and prevent them from falling apart.
Can You Make Them Without Coconut?
Yes, you can skip the coconut in the bars. It will have a slightly different texture and flavor without coconut.
How To Make Hello Dolly Bars
Ingredients
- 2 cups crushed graham crackers usually one sleeve is enough
- 10 Tablespoon butter melted
- 1 – 1/4 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 1 cup pecans chopped
- 1 cup sweetened shredded coconut
- 14 ounce can sweetened condensed milk
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325-degrees.
- Line a 9-inch x 9-inch baking dish with tin foil. Spray the tin foil with non stick spray.
- Crush the graham crackers in a bag and add the 2 cups to a bowl.
- Add the melted butter and mix well.
- Pour the graham crackers and butter mixture into the casserole dish and press down with your hand.
- Sprinkle the chocolate chips on top.
- Next, sprinkle the pecans on top.
- Finally, sprinkle the coconut on top.
- Pour the can of sweetened condensed milk over all of the ingredients.
- Bake for 25-30* minutes, or until the edges are golden.
- Allow to cool for one hour before serving.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
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