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Healthier square magic cookie bars. An almond flour cookie crust topped with coconut caramel, coconut, pecans, and chocolate chips.
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4.49 from 91 votes

Healthier Magic Cookie Bars

Healthier magic cookie bars made grain-free, gluten-free and vegan with homemade sweetened condensed coconut milk. 
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time1 hour 15 minutes
Total Time1 hour 30 minutes
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: coconut magic cookie bars, magic cookie bars, seven layer bars
Servings: 16

Ingredients

Crust:

Layers

  • 1 can 13.5 oz full-fat coconut milk
  • 1/2 cup coconut sugar
  • 1 cup vegan chocolate chips I used Enjoy Life
  • 1 cup unsweetened flaked coconut
  • 1/2 cup chopped pecans

Instructions

  • 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.

Video

Notes

Recipe adapted from Simply Living Healthy.

Nutrition

Serving: 1bar | Calories: 263kcal | Carbohydrates: 20g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 19g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Sodium: 50mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 16g