Hello Dollies (7-layer Bars or Magic Bars)

I was first introduced to these bars by my mother-in-law. I had never tried them before, but it was definitely love at first bite! This is a fun twist on the traditional recipe. A crispy graham cracker crust, chocolate, and butterscotch chips in a gooey filling all topped with toasty coconut. Once you’ve tried them, you’ll never go back. Enjoy!

Hello Dollies (7-Layer Bars or Magic Bars)

Yield: 20 servings

Prep Time: 25 minutes

Cook Time: 25 minutes

Additional Time: 2 hours

Total Time: 2 hours 50 minutes

Packed with chocolate and butterscotch chips covered in a gooey filling and topped with toasty coconut. You can't go wrong with these easy, delicious bars.

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Ingredients

Crust

• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 cup graham cracker crumbs (about 12 squares)
• 1/2 cup butter (melted)
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

Filling

• 1 1/4 cup milk chocolate chips
• 3/4 cup butterscotch chips
• 1 (14oz) can of sweetened condensed milk
• 1 1/2 cups sweetened shredded coconut

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease a 9x13 glass pan and set it aside.
2. In a medium bowl, mix flour, graham cracker crumbs, butter, brown sugar, and baking soda. Mix thoroughly, then press into the greased 9x13 pan.
3. Evenly sprinkle the crust with chocolate chips. Then sprinkle the butterscotch chips over the chocolate chips.
4. Pour the sweetened condensed milk over the top of the chocolate and butterscotch chips until uniformly covered.
5. Scatter the coconut over the top of the sweetened condensed milk, so it is completely covered.
6. Bake for 20-25 minutes until the coconut is toasted and the edges are golden brown and bubbling.
7. Let cool, approximately 2 hours.

Notes

You can also substitute peanut butter chips for butterscotch chips.

Many versions of these bars also call for nuts. If desired, add 3/4 cup of slivered almonds, walnuts, peanuts, or pecans.

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 20 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 219Total Fat: 12gSaturated Fat: 8gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 15mgSodium: 123mgCarbohydrates: 26gFiber: 1gSugar: 19gProtein: 2g

Nutrition information is an estimate only.

If you’re looking for another easy bar recipe, I recommend my Easy S’more Bars!

Storage

Magic Bars, 7-layer bars, or Hello Dollies will last for 3-4 days at room temperature in an airtight container and up to 1 week in the fridge. They also freeze well. Store for 3-4 months in the freezer. Make sure to store with parchment paper between the bars so they don’t stick together.

A Fun Twist on Hello Dollies

Now, I know that these aren’t the most traditional version of Hello Dollies. Typically the crust contains only butter and graham crackers. However, I found that this led to a crumbly crust that didn’t hold together well. My crust holds together much better and has a better flavor than traditional graham cracker and butter crust.

I know I have also broken the cardinal rule of Hello Dollies. For traditional Hello Dollies, you always put the sweetened condensed milk on top. However, I found that putting the coconut on top gives you extra texture and flavor from the coconut toasting in the oven.

Dairy-Free, Vegan Hello Dollies

Hello Dollies can be made dairy-free and vegan pretty easily. Simply replace the butter with vegan butter and use coconut sweetened condensed milk. You can use either dairy-free chocolate chips or substitute white chocolate chips for milk chocolate chips.

If you made this recipe, I’d love to hear about it! Please leave a review or a comment letting me know how things turned out. Happy baking!