Hello Dolly Bars

These scrumptious Hello Dolly Bars are a vintage dessert that everybody loves. They’re sometimes called Magic Cookie Bars or Seven Layer Bars. They feature layers beginning with a buttery graham cracker crust, chocolate chips, chopped pecans and sweetened flaked coconut held together with sweetened condensed milk. They’re an ooey gooey amalgamation of sugary goodness.

Ingredients to Make Hello Dolly Bars Recipe

What are Hello Dolly Bars? You may recognize these easy dessert bars from your Grandmother’s kitchen. They’re a layered cookie bar that features coconut, chocolate chips, pecans, graham cracker crumbs mixed with sugar and melted butter all held together with sweetened condensed milk. You may have heard them called 7 layer bars, magic bars or magic cookie bars, too. I first saw hello dolly bars recipe in Southern Living and knew I HAD to make them! They’re made with easy to find ingredients and ideal for game day snacking, the holidays, summer picnics or anytime handheld desserts and treats are on the menu. How to make Hello Dolly Bars Recipe: (Scroll down for full printable recipe card.)

• Crust – Graham Cracker Crumbs mixed with melted butter and granulated sugar forms the crust.
• Filling – Semi-sweet chocolate chips, chopped pecans and sweetened flaked coconut.
• Liquid – One can sweetened condensed milk brings the filling ingredients together.

How to Make the Best Hello Dolly Bars Recipe

• Heat Oven and Prepare Pan – Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 13×9-inch baking pan with heavy duty aluminum foil leaving 1 1/2 inch overhang. Butter foil set aside.  
• Make the Crust – In a medium bowl, stir together graham cracker crumbs, butter and granulated sugar. Press crumb mixture firmly onto the bottom of the pan. Bake to set.
• Add Layer Ingredients – Over the hot crust sprinkle chocolate chips, pecans and coconut. Top with reserved one cup chocolate chips.
• Condensed Milk – Drizzle sweetened condensed milk evenly over toppings. Return to the oven and bake per the recipe until lightly golden and the edges are bubbly.
• Cool – Cool in the pan on a wire rack just until slightly warm. Remove from pan using aluminum foil overhang. Gently pull back foil from sides. Cool completely.
• Serve – Once cooled, use a sharp knife to slice into squares and enjoy.

Tips for Making Hello Dolly Bars

• Kitchen Equipment You’ll Need: A medium bowl, small microwave-safe bowl (to melt butter) heavy duty aluminum foil, 13×9-inch cake pan, cooling rack, measuring cups and spoons. You could also use two strips of parchment paper to line the pan.
• Follow the Technique in the Recipe for Layering: The trick with these bars is always in the layering of the ingredients. Follow the recipe and make a special effort to evenly distribute the ingredients including drizzling the sweetened condensed milk.
• Cool the Bars Prior to Slicing: You’ll get cleaner square cuts when the cookie bars are completely cooled. That said, there’s nothing like eating a warm cookie bar when the chocolate is still soft and gooey. The choice is yours.

Recipe Variations

• Chocolate Chip Variations: This recipe uses semi-sweet chocolate chips. You could swap them out with milk chocolate chips, dark chocolate chips or use half white chocolate chips and half semi-sweet chocolate chips.
• More Flavors: You could use half butterscotch chips or peanut butter chips for a different flavor profile.
• Nuts: You could use walnuts or peanuts in place of pecans. You could sprinkle the top of the seven-layer cookies with flaky sea salt for a sweet and salty flavor twist.
• Butter: You can use salted or unsalted butter for the crust in this recipe. I used salted.
• Sweetened Condensed Milk: You can use low fat sweetened condensed milk but not fat free. Go for the gold full fat works best.
• Graham Cracker Substitution: You could swap out graham cracker crumbs with vanilla wafer crumbs for more of a shortbread flavor.

Storage and Leftovers

• Leftovers: Store Hello Dolly Bars in an airtight container at room temperature for up to one week.
• Freezer Storage: You can freeze these bars for up to 3 months.

More Bars and Cookie Recipes to Make

• Easy Cherry Pie Bars can be served at room temperature or warm with vanilla ice cream.
• Loaded Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies are chewy and delicious.
• Chocolate Fudge Bars features layers of flavor.
• Cranberry Orange White Chocolate Chip Cookies won’t last long in your cookie jar.
• Lemon Bars dusted with powdered sugar are a decadent treat.
• Flourless Chocolate Cookies melt in your mouth.
• Rhubarb Bars from Noshing with the Nolands.

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Helpful Kitchen Items:

• 13 x 9 inch Baking Pan
• Cut and Serve Spatula
• Mixing Bowls
• Measuring Cups and Spoons