Seven Layer Bars

These are one of my favorite cookies. I made my own crumbs as suggested and mixed them in a separate bowl, pressed into a pan sprayed with Pam. As far as putting the Sweetened condensed milk on the top or the bottom, I decided to warm the can slightly in hot water to make it more liquid, then I poured half on the crumb crust and the other half over the top, this seemed to do the trick to adhere the crust together and coat the coconut as well. I let them cool for about 30 minutes, then cut them with a pizza cutter, but did not remove them from the pan until the next day this gave them enough time to set up properly and they were easy to remove and maintained their shape.

I read many of the reviews and used parchment paper - perfect solution to the reports of stickiness. The entire thing lifts out of the pan and comes right off the paper when fully cooled. An exceptional variation follows: Substitute chocolate boxed cake instead of graham crumbs, increasing butter to 1 1/2 sticks of butter. Mix thoroughly and press on bottom of pan. I used 1 cup peanut butter chips, 1 cup milk chocolate chips, 1/2 cup semi-sweet chips and sprinkled over the crust. I omitted nuts altogether; mixed the milk with the coconut, poured it over the layers of chips; THEN topped with a handful of semi-sweet chips on top for a really nice presentation. Very impressive and absolutely delicious - finger licken' good!

I make these all the time - many variations - but I always add the milk last like other reviewers. I found a new variation to try recently - use a box of devil's food cake mix blended with 1 1/2 cups softened butter to make a crumbly dough & use that in place of the graham crackers....YUM! And I think it holds together better that cracker crumbs.

I made this for a holiday party at work recently, and it was a huge hit! It is definitely for the sweets lover, but the combination of the butterscotch with the coconut and semi-sweet chocolate really gives them a great flavor. Be careful if you put the bars in the fridge to cool, they can become very hard a difficult to cut. I would advise cooking them the night before and sitting them out to cool instead. Also, don't go wild with the semi-sweet chips, they can overpower the good taste of the other ingredients. Finally, I used regular butter instead of unsalted, and they still tasted great.

Rich and gooey -a real treat! I lined the inside of my glass baking dish with aluminum foil and sprayed it - that way I could remove the entire thing after baking and cooling for easier cutting.

Good, but the sweetened condensed milk is better if it's poured over the melted butter-graham cracker layers. I suggest cutting it into very small squares, as it is quite sweet. But this is always a hit.

A favorite that everyone loves. Be sure to experiment with different kinds of chips and nuts. Make sure you pour the milk over the coconut so it will not burn, not the other way around as stated in the recipe.

LOVE these bars. I prefer my graham cracker crust to be crisp, so I mix the crumbs with the butter in a bowl, then press into the 9x13 (foil lined) I then pre-bake the crust at 375 degrees for 8 minutes. Then I put all the toppings on and then return to oven at 350 degrees for the 25 minutes. I know that other versions of this recipe say to put the condensed milk directly on the crust. If you want a crisp crust, then dont do that, or it will turn out soggy. Definitely pour it on over the layers (before the coconut). I also used 2 cups of graham cracker crumbs to the 1/2 c. butter, I like a thicker crust and it turned out awesome. I lined the 9x13 with greased foil that draped over the edges of the pan, that way I could easily pull the bars out to cut and serve. This recipe is A+. SOOOO good.

Tip: one cellophane package of graham crackers equals 1 1/2 Cups. I mixed the butter and crackers and pressed in the bottom of the pan, don't recommend melting your butter in the pan because then the pan gets to hot to press down the crust. I then put down half the milk then the chips and nuts, pressed that down a bit, added the rest of the milk then topped with the coconut and pressed that down a bit too. I didn't have any problem with burning and my bars held together wonderfully. I think I prefer just the semi-sweet chips though and no butterscotch (even though I LOVE that combo in other things!)

Very good, but almost too rich! One could easily eat the whole batch because they're so good. Still, the crust can be crumbly. I prefer baking it alone for a short time like I would for a cheesecake to help it set then add the rest of the ingredients and bake the whole thing.

This is a very easy recipe. Based on other reviews I read, I modified it slightly. I used 3/4 c. unsalted butter and 2 c. graham cracker crumbs, mixed them in a bowl then pressed them into my baking dish I had sprayed with Pam. Then I added the coconut (so it doesn't dry out or burn), walnuts, chips and then poured the condensed milk over everything. They came out great! Made 2 batches, one with chocolate and butterscotch chips and one with chocolate and peanut butter chips. Yum!!

These are wonderful and a huge hit at the SuperBowl Party I took them too. This is what I did based on previous reviews: I lined a 13x9 pan with parchment paper. I then sprayed the parchment paper with the flour/butter baking spray. I melted the butter and mixed it with crushed up graham crackers and spread that into the bottom. Then I layered all of the remaining ingrediants per the recipe. After the bars finished baking, I let it come to room temperature, and then covered it with plastic wrap so they could sit overnight. The next day they lifted easily out of the pan and didn't stick at all to the parchment paper. I used a big pizza cutter to cut them. They came out absolutely perfect.

Delicious and a family christmas favorite. Try subing Bailey's for the sweetened condensed milk (adult only)

This is the first time that I have made this type of seven layer bars with the butterscotch chips. Interesting flavor, but a bit on the sweet side for me.

These are quite possibly the best bars ever! They never last long at my house-as a matter of fact my 6 year old son just asked the other day if I would make the bars with the sweetened condensed milk! My suggestion for the crust-just add more crumbs. I never measure mine, I just melt the butter and add crumbs until the butter is soaked up. You'll get a much firmer crust this way. I never measure the other ingredients either-just sprinkle on however much we like of each thing.

excellent! this dessert is so simple! want to make it even more easier? i used the pre-made graham cracker pie crusts! i just split the recipe between 2 pie crusts (eliminating the graham cracker crumbs and butter of course). i also went with most of the other members and poured the milk over the top. Turned out great!

Incredibly rich. Be ready if you do not have an insane sweet tooth! What I liked about this recipe is that the coconut is on top of everything. It made a great toasted coconut topping instead of mush. I suggest combining the butter and graham cracker crumbs in another bowl before pressing into the 13x9. I used normal crumbs however graham crackers may work as well (cinnamon graham crackers might be delicious in this recipe!) It was an overall crowd-pleaser. Try to substitute other nuts like pecans in, or try peanut butter chips. Butterscotch chips are a MUST. Note** I highly suggest lining the pan with parchment paper. The bars slide right out!

I warmed the sweetened condensed milk and put half on the crumb crust and half over the top of the bars. Perfect! The crust didn't crumbled away nearly as much as when I've done it without. Also, don't bother without parchment paper!!! It's your best friend. They turn out beautifully and so much easier to cut when you just lift them out of the pan and cut them. These taste delicious.

Any recipe that uses a technique that saves me from doing extra dishes is 5-stars! It worked fine melting the butter and mixing the crumbs in the pan.

Glorious! This is my first time making Coconut Seven Layer Bars after being inspired by the amazing Ben and Jerry's flavor. The ingredients were almost right, but I ended up having to use almost 3 times as much coconut. I read the reviews and suggestions and came to the conclusion there was a better way to make this. I mixed the melted butter in with the graham crackers and buttered the pan generously before packing the mixture into the bottom of the pan. I also just eyeballed how many chips and nuts I needed. I really think the mixing the coconut with the sweeten condensed milk was the key, though it made it difficult to spead over the loose chips and nuts. I ended up using two cans of sweetened condensed milk as well as far more coconut. Next time I think I will just use one and just mix more coconut in it. The 1 1/2 cups of coconut didn't cut it. They are coming out of the pan perfectly due to the butter and also, I seperate the edges from the pan as soon as it came out of the oven. Marvelous though! Everyone adores them and I will definately be making this again!

Great cookie bars, Patty! I sub'd cappucino chips for the butterscotch. Try adding a bit of cinnamon to the milk. It enhances the chocolate/coffee flavored chips.

Ohhhhh man these were good! My family and co-workers absolutely loved them! I used pecans instead of walnuts. The only thing that I would do differently is probably add a little more butter to the crust mixture so that it's not so crumbly. Other then that AMAZING!

I would have given this 5 stars but for the directions. Put the butter in your pan and put the pan in the oven while it's heating to melt. Pour the graham cracker crumbs into the pan, but mix the butter and crumbs together and pat down, or use a small roller. I use one 12 oz bag of chips, then the coconut, then the nuts. I pour the condensed milk over it all. My husbands favorite combination is butterscotch chips and slivered almonds. It's always a hit when I take them to work.

i doubled in a 13x9 and still amazing. my mom made these once when i was little... ill never forget... i wonder why she never made them again? well now i have the recipe! also milk over coconut! and mix butter and crackers before.

These came out awesome! Everyone liked them, from little kids to adults. Cut them into small bars, they're very sweet. I followed advice from a previous review by mixing the melted butter with the crumbs and then patted them into the pan- it worked out nicely. HIGHLY recommend this recipe, I passed it along to my friends.

I have just one alteration. My grandma makes these bars for just about every special occasion. They are gone within seconds. I have had other peoples & hers are SO much better. When I asked what her secret is she told me to put the sweetened condensed milk in between every layer. It makes a HUGE difference. One of my favorite desserts.

This recipe is a little sweet for me but everyone I serve it to absolutely loves it. My favorite way to serve it is warm out of the oven with a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top. So delicious and easy too!

these are awesome! I have made them on a few occasions and everyone loves them. I used a lot of feedback from other people like melting the butter & combining the crumbs together first...and when using a 13X9 pan I usually double that portion to completely cover the pan well. And then drizzling the condensed milk on almost every layer. To get a more crispy top I add a little more coconut after the condensed milk.

Even if it is very rich, this is one of our favorite bar recipes, and so easy to make. I did make one change, more for my benefit than anything. I just use one cup of crumbs, chocolate chips, butterscotch chips, and coconut. This makes a nice balance of flavors, plus I can remember the recipe better. Also, I found that if I put the condensed milk over the coconut the bars come out with a more chewy texture. For easier cutting, let the pan come to almost room temp and then spray your knife with cooking spray before cutting. Also, this is so rich to begin with that you can't tell if it is butter or not so I use margarine.

I was nervous when they came out, b/c it was super mushy, and the condensed milk was still liquidy and bubbling a little bit on the edges - even after I left it in the oven for another 5 mins. BUT, after it sat out and cooled for a couple of hours in the pan, it solidified really well. The next day, it was even better. Delicious!!!!!

This recipe was SO easy. I threw it together in 15 minutes before a Mom's Club luncheon. I got RAVE reviews on it. I made it again for our family Christmas celebration. My mom couldn't stop eating them (I couldn't either!). They were so good, I made them 3 times in 2 weeks for various functions. I have been asked by SEVERAL people for the recipe. KUDOS to the creator!

Divine! I use chocolate and peanut butter chips, and peanuts. Always a hit anywhere I take them, and, if you need a make and take for a gathering, this couldn't be easier.

Great Recipe... I sprayed the 9X13 with butter flavored Crisco spray to keep the bars from sticking to the pan.

One of my family's favorite desserts. These are easy to make and fun to share. I lower the oven temp to 325 and bake alittle slower to make certain the coconut doesn't burn. This also helps the chips to melt more thoroughly.

Very, very important to use a name brand Coconut the less expensive brands are too dried out. I prefer to use twice as many semi sweet chocolate chips then butterscotch. It gives it a better chocolate taste. The butterscotch should compliment this recipe not over power it. It is a great summertime go to recipe.

This recipe is not new to my family, but I had forgotten all about it until now. It has been about 10 years since I have had these. Being a health conscious mom now, I cut the butter in half and only used half of the sweetened condensed milk. The only other alterations we make is the order in which things are layered. It works best if you add the graham cracker layer, the chips, the nuts, the coconut THEN the milk. It seeps through the layers and acts as a cohesive medium, allowing you to half the butter.. which is a good thing. :)

Yummm! I used low fat margarine, low fat graham crackers, chocolate chips, white chips, fat-free sweetened condensed milk and the walnuts and coconut. Absolutely perfect ratio of the chocolate to the graham to the coconut. I'm in love again with this old recipe that I used to make back in the 70's!!

Very good...I've been making these for years. Has anyone tried mini marshmallows in these? And a chocolate drizzle on the top?

I thought these were delightfully rich, with a nice crunch from the walnuts and the coconut. I made a batch long side my daughter and showed her step by step how to make this recipe. I had a blast when she finally was able to look at the recipe and know what each measurement was and was able to get it right all on her own. This was totally easy and a great recipe to help with kids who are beginning to get into helping in the kitchen. Simple steps with simple ingredients and a quick recipe that doesn't lose the focus on the child that is working with you. I recommend this recipe totally. And don't forget to grab a tall glass of milk to go with one of these gooey treats.

Delicious. Tasted seven layer bar for the first time this past holiday season at my in-laws and thought I'd try making them myself. This turned out different than the one I had tasted -- chewier and less gooey. I like this one better because of it. I needed and therefore added more coconut to cover the 9x13 dish. P.S. My husband said to rate this 4 stars because he prefers his sisters!

Wonderful flavor, very rich that's the only good thing. Followed exactly and mine did not set up. The edges were dry and crumbly and the middle was gooey. Maybe it needed some flour or egg or something to bind it together? Had to be eaten with a spoon. The graham crumbs/butter never formed a crust, the bars were only a spoonable texture and the coconut didn't adhere and fell off the "bars" when cut. The coconut needs to be beneath the condensed milk layer. Couldn't get these out of the pan and they were just spoonable goop and crumbs. UPDATE: Day two: these are now set up and firm and finally I was able to cut into bars. Now you can pick them up by hand! Very dry crust though, and they were tastier yesterday when they were really gooey and not set. I can't imagine what was wrong b/c I let them cool for 4 hours first.

Yummy! Even my mother who doesn't like sweets loved it! The only thing I would change next time is less coconut (1 cup) and more walnuts (2 cups)

I purchased this at Sams Club in a ready made box.It was so very good! I'm just glad I found the recipe here so I can make it any time!

Always a crowd pleaser, guys especially love this! My husband's friends always request this one and it's funny because they think it is a really complicated and magical recipe! We call them magic bars.

Whats not to like! I coated parchment paper with baker's spray, and used 2 cups of crumbs instead of 1 1/2 c. and an extra tbsp of butter (for a little thicker crust). I added 2 tbsp of milk to the sweetened canned milk and warmed it in the micro briefly to make easier to pour. I find that you need to press down firmly on the top to avoid crumbling. Cool before cutting, great!

These were great and I don't even like coconut! The only thing I changed was adding more butter to the crust so that it wouldn't fall apart. I think softened butter might work better than melted butter for this step. They also seemed to cook faster than the directions say. But the bars are amazing tasting and are now my favorite sweet treat!

Our family didn't enjoy. I always bake several new recipes to take a variety of baked goods to functions and had 2 different events I had to take these to. At both places, it was the item that stayed on the plate while others vanished.

Wonderful!!! I did use 2 cups graham crackers and a little extra butter. I am currently baking my second batch.

This was a tasty treat. The only problem I had was the coconut. A lot of it flaked off when I did as directed and put it on the top. I heard from fellow bakers that the best way to do these is to put the milk over the coconut. I also added a 1/2 teaspoon vanilla to the butter on the bottom. I definitely recommend using parchment paper to line the baking dish!

These are a delicious memory from my childhood. I love these bars. I agree with other reviewers that you must follow the recipe and layer the chips, nuts, and coconut in order.

very good. very sweet. of course you would already expect that with seven layer bars. i took the advise and mixed my cracker crumbs with the butter and pressed into a well greased glass pan, and put half the condensed milk on the crumb base, and the other half on the top before topping with coconut.

Love this recipe, I have been making it for years and this is the exact same as my mom's. Super easy and quick - great to take with or as a last minute throw together for guests.

Very sweet but good. You should really set in the refrigerator for a couple of hours before trying to cut.

Better than all other 7 Layer Bar recipes I've tried. Everyone loves it and I'll definitely make it again and again!!!

Made these for office. They where a huge hit. My husband is not a fan of butterscotch so I subsituted peanut butter chips instead. Yum!

Yum! I made without nuts. They were a major hit!

These turned our really good. The only change I made was to add the butter to the graham cracker crumbs and press into the bottom of the pan to form a crust instead of drizzling the butter over the dry crumbs.

A hit at my son's school. I left out the nuts and they were still perfect! Thanks!

These are great! We have made them twice already and will make them again very soon. I can't believe how easy they are to make. The only changes I made were using fat free condensed milk and adding more coconut. I have made them with regular and fat free and cannot taste a difference so I will now only make them with fat free.

Always a holiday favorite. I use a 9x13 glass dish, reduce heat to 325 and refridgerate BEFORE cutting. No need to butter the dish first, just adding the melted butter is enough. I also add the condensed milk last and it turns out wonderful every time. Yum, Yum.

this is an awesome easy bar and a big hit always you have to cut them when they are warm though or they are really hard to cut my mom used to make these and that is what we found out

I remember my mom making these when I was young, and I have been looking for the recipie for these very sweet, kid friendly cookies. I used toffee chips rather than the butterscotch, which gave them a richer flavor, and I also used only half a can of the condensed sweetened milk. This gave the cookies enough richness without being overly sweet. Thanks for the recipie!

I've made this recipe about 10 times and it is definitely a favorite. Always a hit! Sometimes I drizzle a bit of the sweetened condensed milk over the coconut to make it caramelize.

Disgustingly sweet.

these are perfect! the only change i made was i poured the swntd. cond. milk over the coconut. i baked them for 25min and while still hot i ran a knife along the perimeter to pull the cookie away from the pan. i let cool completely before slicing. they came out perfect!

These bars are what I would call evil! Made them over the holidays and we all fought over who would get to eat the last one. Very easy to make and well worth the little amount of time it took to assemble. Will make these again.

My family and friends all love this recipe. My husband calls these bars "Coconut Heaven." These are just the ticket when you want a quick and easy decadent treat. I followed the recipe just like it's listed. I like how the coconut gets all toasty and tan on top.

Many reviewers mentioned that it was too rich or sweet. I solved that by using dark chocolate in place of semisweet. It perfected this fabulous recipe. I love this recipe. I used margarine as directed. Added graham cracker crumbs and mixed them with the margarine then patted it down. This was difficult because the pan was piping hot. Next time I will melt the butter in the microwave and then mix with crumbs and push evenly in bottom of 9x13.

All I can say is YUM!!!! This recipe has the perfect blend of chewyness and sweetness. I Loved this recipe!!

Great easy recipe. I don't care much for the butterscotch chips. I will try it with peanut butter instead.

No clue what went wrong but these did NOT turn out for me! followed the directions for the crust exactly and there was WAY too much butter and not enough crumbs. I added 3 more Graham crackers and that seemed to help. They turned out really soggy too... Cooked them for the 25 minutes at the right temp and everything. Had to put them back in the oven once I realized they were inedible but that didn't help either, they are ruined.

I love these!! My favorite bar cookies ever. My mom taught me how to make these and i use the storebought graham crumbs and mix it in a bowl with the butter, melted. i then press it into the pan. i then put the chips on then coconut and then nuts then condensed milk but the cocnut doesnt toast but the nuts do wich makes them very nutty and good. So good!

Only found one can of condensed milk in the house so I added three beaten eggs into the milk before pouring onto the mix. It came out fine. The texture is, of course, different. However, this is what happens when you don't check to make sure that all ingredients are on hand.

I made this, following the recipie exactly. They were amazinggg :) They were gone in less than two days. I would use a smaller pan or more ingreidents, tho, to make it thicker. anyways, it was so delicous :)

Big hit in my homemade Christmas basket. After letting it set for a while, my crust was nice & firm. I baked ahead of time & put in the freezer.

I found this recipe to be way too rich and lacking in overall composition - too much coconut and way too chunky. I will be switching recipes.

These are addicting. I've made them several times with the only change being that I use pecans instead of walnuts. They are great! I haven't really had a problem with them sticking but I always use my stoneware bar pan and it is well seasoned so that might make the difference. If I was using a metal/glass pan I would probably use parchment paper on the bottom. Give them a try, they're simple, fast and super tasty (just be sure to let them cool well). Thanks for sharing Patty.

These are awesome cookie bars. The only thing I did different...I used Lorna Doones instead of graham crackers for crust, and they are delicious.

Scrumptious and so deadly rich, but scrumptious non the less! I jazzed it up a bit, used semi-sweet, white, butterscotch chips, and mini Kraft caramel bits....love the way the coconut toasts up....very easy and tasty...thanks!

YES! The perfect quick dessert! You can play with nut varieties and van. or choc. wafer crumbs can be subbed in for graham.

These are good but I've found that they're a little less messy when the condensed milk is poured over the graham cracker crust instead of over the nuts.

I messed with this a little bit, like everyone else. No coconut, used semi sweet chips and milk chocolate/caramel chips. Thank god I had people to take these to othewise I could've eaten them all myself! A small square goes a long way.

YUMMY! I used pecans for my nuts and did everthing else exactly as you said. I'll keep this one filed with my "favorite cookie" recipes. Thank you for sharing Patty!

LOVE this recipe! My mother used to make these cookies every single holiday season. I agree that it's best to use regular graham crackers and crush them yourself. I also agree it's best to mix the graham crackers with the melted butter first, then add it to the bottom of the pan. I used a 13x9 pan and it was almost too little. Maybe next time I'll use 2 packages of graham crackers instead of 1 and 1/2. I love the condensed milk but a whole can is way too much. I think you can get away with 3/4 a can or even 1/2 a can, depending on sweet you like it. But no matter what you do, these cookies are RICH! You can't eat too many at once but they are addicting. They also go nicely over some vanilla ice cream if you crush them up. Will definitely make again!!

Holy indulgence! So rich, be sure to cut these yummy treats nice and small and pair with a glass of milk. I used a pre-made graham cracker pie crust to save time and fuss and it turned out extraordinarily well. I was even able to use a pizza cutter to slice my pieces.

I made these last night and substituted milk chocolate chips for semisweet chips. I also used half sliced almonds and half walnuts for one cup of nuts total. And I added one cup of milk chocolate toffee bits. YUM! They are super rich and sweet.

YUMMY.

I added heath bits and marshmallows so that they were actually 7 layers. It was very sweet. They were very pretty.

One of my all-time favorites. Easy to follow. Great to make a day or so before. Try to keep pantry stocked with these ingredients for last minute baking.

Loved this recipe, but I used pecans instead of the walnuts, they were very, very good and they freeze well too.

Halved the butter and used almonds instead of walnuts. Quick, delish dessert.

This recipe is very easy to make but I made a few changes. I melted the butter in the microwave and then mixed the graham crumbs into it. Then I lightly pressed the mixture into the bottom of the pan. I followed the recipe and put the coconut on top of the condensed milk and I ended up with a flakey mess of coconut when it was baked and cooled so next time I will put the condensed milk on the very top so that everything is melted toghether and it is not as messy to eat.

These are pretty good... I make them all the time during the holidays and they are always a hit. Be sure to have some milk or water on hand to wash these down since they are pretty sweet!!!! A very easy recipe to make and a crowd pleaser...be sure to give this one a try!!!! Thanks Patty!!!!

This is one of my family's all time favorites, with the exception of two small changes: I use 1 cup of pecan pieces rather than walnuts, and like many others, I pour the sweetened condensed milk over the first six layers. This is one recipe which is really difficult to ruin, and the bars are usually the first dessert to go at any gathering.

How great is it that this recipe only requires a pan and measuring cups? I didn't have any problems with the crust falling apart. I did use leftover crust mix from a cheesecake kit I had, which might have special powers or chemicals (I don't want to know!) :) Actually, I halved the recipe and it fit into an 8x8 dish fine. I was worried about the coconut burning so I added it after the rest baked for 10 minutes and it came out picture-perfect toasty. Only do that part if you don't mind it falling off a bit, though...

delicious combo! kids and coworkers loved.

I grew up with this recipe but always put the condensed milk on top of everything. I lost mine so I used this one. I agree with other reviews that the condensed milk needs to be added to the graham cracker mix and again on top. I also added chopped almonds. Next time, I'll pre mix the crackers with butter, also add more butter, and put more milk in the middle of the layers as well as on top. I like the toasted coconut, but I think the milk needs to go on top. I might add a little coconut after the milk just to give it the toasted look and taste. My sister and I used to freeze this bars to take on trips. They're so good....yum.

I agree with the review about the problem with the crust technique. The butter definitely needs to be mixed into the graham crumbs. We've also substituted different cookies like nilla wafers as well as cereal crumbs. I also like to use almonds. The Eagle Brand recipe is no fail, they have tons of recipes on their website if you're interested in more bar recipes.

absurdly good... enough said