From the store to the kitchen to the table: We outline the steps that get you from something raw to something cooked using simple ingredients, free of measurements and complicated techniques. A method that you can have in your back pocket and whip out whenever you like. We call it recipe-free cooking.
- a 13-by-9-inch baking dish
- a knife
- a stick of unsalted butter
- eight crushed graham crackers
- two generous handfuls of sweetened shredded coconut
- three handfuls (a half bag) of chocolate chips
- two generous handfuls of coarsely chopped nuts (any kind)
- one can of sweetened condensed milk
Illustrations by Bill Russell
Published February 03, 2009
This would be interesting to try by crumbling shortbread cookies too!
I should never make these because when I do I can not and should not be left alone with them!
There are only six layers in the recipe given. I believe the missing seventh layer is butterscotch chips.
Seven layers? If you count the butter, there are six layers. If you don't count the butter, then there are five layers. Hey CHOW admins, if this recipe-free recipe is so easy, then why did you screw it up?
mwliechty, stop being a douche nozzle...
I'd thrown in some dried crannberries...
If you have to count you're probably not putting enough concentration into eating them, which is where the pleasure lies.
This recipe is almost perfect, add 1/8 of suger to graham crackers, add butterscotch chips and switch the order of the cococut and chips. My recipe wins every contest it enters!
butter&graham&sugar
butterscotch&chocolate(add nuts if you want, I don't usually)
coconut
condensed milk
It also makes it 7 layers :)
-James
This was my favorite cookie when I was a child. Yes, the recipe is missing the butterscotch chips - without them I've heard them called "magic cookie bars." The coconut needs to go on second-to-last, it browns with the condensed milk.
And I can't imagine why you'd ADD SUGAR. These things are insanely sweet already.
in my house, they are also refered to as "magic bars". mmmmmmmm... now i'm hungry
That's only four layers. I always add mini M&Ms, toffee, peanut butter chips in addition to the ingredients above. These bars are supposed to be basically everything but the kitchen sink...
If you sub Matzah for the graham crackers you have a lighter bar. I'd also had a caramel drizzle at the end.
perfect prep for my fat jeans :)
Made these bars for a sweet treat to take to the beach. I crushed up 16 crackers bc I love a thick layer of graham cracker and after pouring the melted butter on top, I poured some of the condensed milk as well. It made the bottom nice and solid, not crumbly at all. Then I topped the crust with milk choc. chips, chopped almonds, butterscotch chips, coconut, and then the rest of the condensed milk. I like the toasted coconut flavor. My girlfriends kids loved them! And so did my husband. He decided not to get a cookie from Panera last night, bc he said he was going to have one of the bars when we got home. I think it is amazing how something so kiddy-like and simple can have such rave reviews. I love complicated flavors in a dish or dessert, but simple always wins !
I learned to make this in 7th grade home economics in 1971 and have made it every holiday season since. This is missing the 7th layer and it is butterscotch chips. butter, graham, choc chips , nuts butter scotch, coconut, eagle brand.
The Magic Bar was the first 'cookie' I ever learned to bake and I still make them for parties, bake sales, potlucks, etc. The mix of decadence and familiarity is contagious. I have mixed it up in recent years and started making Chocolate-Ginger bars: using Ginger Snaps instead of Grahams and adding slivered crystallized ginger to mix. I usually top that with slivered almonds that brown on top during the baking. The end result is spicy, sweet, and so, so good.