Hello Dolly Bars
They’re one of the easiest dessert bars to make, with just a few simple ingredients and no dough to mix, shape, or fuss over. Just layer and bake for these classic, sweet, coconut, chocolate Hello Dolly Bars!
It’s another holiday classic from mom! And in this case, it’s from both my and my husband’s moms, but each with slight variations and different names. While my mom calls these Magic Cookie Bars, my husband’s mom calls them Hello Dolly Bars (which, as far as I can tell, may be the original name of these layered cookie bars), or you may also know them as 7 Layer Bars (even though there’s only 6 in our recipe…). No matter what you call them, if you need a dessert that’s quick, easy, and beloved, our Hello Dolly Bars are exactly what you need!
Why are they called “Hello Dolly” Bars
The recipe for this classic dessert goes back to the 1960s when the popular Hello Dolly show was on Broadway. Supposedly, the recipe for a cake called Hello Dolly was published in a magazine, and that cake recipe was then made into this cookie bar recipe, which is how the name Hello Dolly Bars stuck.
Ingredients Needed
- Butter – The first layer! Although many recipes (including my mom’s) use more than we find necessary, ours is adjusted for just the right amount needed.
- Graham Cracker Crumbs – Use your favorite graham crackers crushed up into crumbs (or make your own!) for the first layer of these cookie bars.
- Unsweetened Coconut Flakes – You can use sweetened too, but we find using sweetened coconut flakes makes these bars a tad too sweet for our taste.
- Chocolate Chips – Use whatever you have/prefer! Milk chocolate, semi-sweet chocolate, dark chocolate, it’s totally up to you!
- Walnuts – Walnuts are the classic option, but you can use any nut you prefer or have on hand. They’re also delicious with pecans – or even a mixture of both!
- Sweetened Condensed Milk – The final layer! And an absolutely delicious way to use our Homemade Sweetened Condensed Milk!
SO Incredibly Easy
The first step of the super easy Hello Dolly Bars is to melt the butter in the pan. Use a pastry brush to grease the edges of the pan lightly, too.
Next, it’s just a matter of layering all of your ingredients and baking!
Until these delicious, sweet layered Hello Dolly Bars are done! Graham Cracker, coconut, chocolate, nuts, and all brought together with a sweetened condensed milk for, truly, one of the easiest dessert bars you can make!
Customizable!
What’s great about these Hello Dolly Bars is that they’re totally customizable! Use any kind of chocolate chip, or chunks, or white chocolate, or even some butterscotch chips! Also, you can use whatever nut you’d like! Chopped pecans or almonds are a great choice, too!
You Also Might Like
- Chocolate Crunch Bars
- Zucchini “Apple” Bars
- Mom’s Classic Coffee Cake
- Chocolate Trail Mix Bars
- Chai Latte Bread Pudding
- White Chocolate Blondies From Scratch
Enjoy! As always, if you make this recipe or any of my others, I love to hear what you think! Leave a comment below, email me, or you can find me on Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest!
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Hello Dolly Bars
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1/3 cup salted butter
- 1 1/4 cups graham cracker crumbs 120 g
- 1 cup unsweetened flaked coconut 65 g
- 1 cup chocolate chips 178 g, or 6.3 oz
- 1 cup walnuts chopped, 105 g, or 3.7 oz
- 14 oz sweetened condensed milk
Instructions
- Pre-Heat Oven: Preheat oven to 350℉ with rack in the middle. Add butter to the baking pan and place it in the oven while it preheats so the butter melts in the pan.
- Prep Pan: Take the pan out of the oven. Place on stovetop or other heat-resistant top. Use a pastry brush to brush the edges of the baking tray (up only 1/2 an inch) with a little bit of the butter.
- Assemble: Sprinkle the graham cracker crumbs over the bottom of the baking tray in an even layer and gently press it into the butter. Then add the coconut flakes evenly over the graham crackers. Sprinkle on the chocolate chips and chopped walnuts. Pour the sweetened condensed milk evenly over the top.
- Bake: Add to the oven and bake for 30 minutes.
- Cool: Remove from oven and let completely cool before cutting into bars. Once cool, to make them even easier to cut, chill in the fridge for 30-60 minutes.
Loved these! I’ve never thought to put condensed milk into dessert bars before, but it added a lot of flavor with the sweetness.
Great to hear it, Jen! Thanks so much for sharing!