Healthier magic cookie bars made grain-free, gluten-free and vegan with homemade sweetened condensed coconut milk.
Last month I went to Isaac’s school for a holiday celebration and as luck would have it a parent had brought in Magic Cookie Bars for the teachers. Remember those bad boys? Some people call them Seven Layer Bars but they have a graham cracker crust, chocolate chips, coconut and sweetened condensed milk… so rich and delicious! My mom used to make them and they were one of my favorite holiday baked goods.
At Isaac’s school that day, I couldn’t resist having a bite (or two). It was just as a good as I remembered it: before long the wheels started turning in my head and I had my mind set on making a version of my own. I can’t really call these healthy because they’re still decadent, but they’re made with wholesome ingredients and a bit healthier.
Having tasted the classic version only a day or two before I made this variation, I can honestly say they look and taste like the real deal. You could easily take them to a party, not tell anyone that they’re grain-free, dairy free and made with sweetened condensed coconut milk and people would go crazy for them.
Healthier Magic Cookie Bar Ingredients
almond flour
unsweetened shredded coconut and unsweetened flaked coconut
full fat coconut milk
coconut sugar
chocolate chips – I like using Enjoy Life or Lily’s chocolate chips to keep this recipe dairy-free.
chopped pecans
coconut oil
maple syrup
vanilla extract
sea salt
How to Make Magic Cookie Bars
Make the crust – Combine the almond flour, shredded coconut, coconut oil, maple syrup, vanilla and sea salt in a large bowl. Press firmly into a 8×8 baking dish lined with parchment paper. Bake at 350ºF for 12-15 minutes or until your crust is golden brown. Remove from the oven and let cool on a wire rack.
Make sweetened condensed coconut milk – While the crust is cooling, combine the coconut milk and sugar in a saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a low boil, reduce heat and simmer for 45 minutes, stirring frequently, until the mixture has reduced by about half. Remove from the heat and let cool slightly. Pour the condensed milk over the crust and spread to the edges.
Add toppings – Sprinkle the chocolate chips evenly over the condensed milk, then add the flaked coconut and then the pecans. Use your hands to press the mixture down slightly until the milk soaks upward into the toppings.
Bake – Bake the bars for 30 minutes at 350ºF until edges are browning a bit. Remove from the oven and let cool for 30-60 minutes on a cooling rack. After cooling a bit, place the pan in the refrigerator to let them set up for at least two hours. If you’re in a rush you can freeze them for an hour instead.
Cut and enjoy – After cooling, lift the parchment out of the pan and place the bars on a cutting board or other flat surface. Cut the bars into 16 squares and dig in!
How to Store Magic Cookie Bars
Any leftover bars should be wrapped or placed in an airtight container. They will keep for a couple days on the countertop but I recommend storing in the fridge or freezer for longer storage.
Preheat oven to 350°F and line a square (8×8) glass baking dish with parchment paper.
Combine all ingredients for the crust in a large bowl and press firmly into the prepared pan. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes until your crust is golden brown in color. Remove from oven and cool on a wire rack.
While crust is cooling, in a saucepan over medium heat bring coconut milk and sugar to a low boil, reduce heat and simmer for approximately 45 minutes, stirring frequently until the mixture has reduced by half. The coconut milk mixture should be thick reduced to about 3/4 cup. Remove from heat and cool slightly. Pour the sweetened condensed coconut milk over the crust and spread to the edges.
Sprinkle the chocolate chips evenly over the condensed milk, then the flaked coconut, and then the pecans. Using your hands, press the mixture down a tiny bit until the milk soaks upward into the layers.
Place in oven (still at 350°F) and bake for about 30 minutes, until edges are browning a bit. Remove from oven and cool for 30 to 60 minutes on a cooling rack. Once the bars have cooled a bit, place the pan in the refrigerator to allow the bars to set-up for at least two hours (or overnight). If you’re in a rush you could put the bars in the freezer for an hour instead.
After cooling, lift the parchment out of the pan and place bars on a cutting board or other flat surface. If the bars are coming from the freezer, you may need to let them thaw for a few minutes before cutting as they will be pretty firm. Cut bars into 16 squares and dig in! Any leftover bars should be wrapped or placed in a sealed container. They can be left out for a couple days or stored in the fridge or freezer for longer storage.
These were amazing!!! We discovered magic cookie bars at a restaurant and I’ve been wanting to make a healthier, less sweet version at home. I used granulated monk fruit instead of coconut sugar and sprinkled a little bit of sea salt on top to balance the sweetness. They are soooo good, we couldn’t resist and ate several spoonfuls, warm out of the oven! The rest set nicely in the fridge. My hubby already finished the first batch and is asking for the second! Thank you!
Ah so happy to hear these magic cookies were a success, Christy! So glad the substitution of monk fruit worked for you. Thanks so much for the review. I really appreciate it!
I made these for my husband the other day and he loved them! My daughter is coming home for a few weeks and I wanted to make them so she could eat them too, but she is allergic to pecans. Is there a good replacement or should I just omit all together? Thanks!
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These were amazing!!! We discovered magic cookie bars at a restaurant and I’ve been wanting to make a healthier, less sweet version at home. I used granulated monk fruit instead of coconut sugar and sprinkled a little bit of sea salt on top to balance the sweetness. They are soooo good, we couldn’t resist and ate several spoonfuls, warm out of the oven! The rest set nicely in the fridge. My hubby already finished the first batch and is asking for the second! Thank you!
Ah so happy to hear these magic cookies were a success, Christy! So glad the substitution of monk fruit worked for you. Thanks so much for the review. I really appreciate it!
They turned out so good!
Yay! So happy to hear, Nikitha! Thanks for the review :).
Yum! What a great recipe to try.
Just a note that sweetened condensed coconut milk is now available in stores. I saw it at Walmart this week!
I made these for my husband the other day and he loved them! My daughter is coming home for a few weeks and I wanted to make them so she could eat them too, but she is allergic to pecans. Is there a good replacement or should I just omit all together? Thanks!
You could use another nut like almonds or walnuts if she’s able to have those nuts!