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Divine 6 Ingredient Magic Cookie Bars: Made with salted butter, coconut, roasted cashews, sweet chocolate chips, quick-cooking oats, and a can of sweetened condensed milk. Simply layer and bake – no bowls, no mixing – simple as that! These bars take only a few minutes to prep. Then pop them in the oven, and just like magic, you’ll have cookie bars. They’re a bit messy but will absolutely leave you saying, DIVINE!
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Baking can be tricky. I’ll be the first to admit that. It’s hard to make a loaf of banana bread the exact same way twice. Depending on the time of year, the weather, the oven, and the ingredients, you may get a completely different-looking loaf of bread! Sometimes, it drives me just bonkers. Baking really is, as they say, an exact science.
With some recipes, I’ll get lucky and get it right on the first try. Other times, like with a bread I’m currently working on, getting it right can take many rounds of testing!
My mom made a lot of magic cookie bars as a kid (I think she used a recipe from the back of a can of sweetened condensed milk). So when I’m looking for a quick and easy dessert and don’t feel like messing around with a fussy recipe, I make magic cookies!
A few weeks ago, I shared my 5-ingredient magic cookies, and we’ve all been loving them. They’re the world’s easiest cookie and yet so delicious! You can’t mess them up. They may not be the prettiest, but flavor-wise, they really hit the spot!
So I took my magic cookies and, if you can believe it, made them even easier to make. All you need to do is layer and bake—no mixing, no dirty bowls—none of that!
Simple and just the yummiest! My new word is divine, and I think it fits just perfectly with these bars!
Jumping to Details
Ingredients
- salted butter – this is a new addition to my original recipe
- unsweetened fine shredded coconut – I like the Bob’s Red Mill Unsweetened Shredded Coconut
- roasted cashews – make sure these are dry roasted cashews with nothing else other than possibly salt. You don’t want any weird oils on the nuts!
- semi-sweet or dark chocolate chips
- quick cooking rolled oats – this is what my mom used growing up, but I imagine regular oats probably work fine too
- mini salted pretzels twice – these are optional. Add them if you enjoy, otherwise leave them out
- sweetened condensed milk – the magic ingredient
Special Tools
You need just a square baking dish and parchment paper – just two things!
Steps
Step 1: melt the butter
Line your square baking dish with parchment paper. I like to use organic brown parchment paper to avoid any chemicals. Add the butter and put the pan in the oven to melt it. It takes about 5 minutes.
Step 2: layer
The final step before baking is layering. Over the melted butter, layer the oats, the coconut, half the chocolate chips, the cashews, and then the remaining chocolate chips.
If you enjoy salty pretzels, just add a small handful!
Pour over the condensed milk and bake!
Step 3: slicing
Make sure you let the bars cool completely before slicing. They’ll be easiest to cut while cool!
Some Tips!
These are honestly so easy, you can’t mess them up!
My only tip is regarding the chocolate. If you want the chocolate chips to look more like mine, add a few directly on top of the bars just after you pull them out of the oven. The chips will get melty on top!
I also ignored my own advice and cut the bars while warm. I don’t recommend this, but I have no patience!
Looking for easy party desserts? Here are a few ideas:
Toasted Marshmallow Caramel Rice Krispie Treats
Chewy Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars
Chocolate Peanut Butter Pretzel Blondies
Homemade Vegan Peanut Butter Twix Bars
Caramel Butter Cake with Fudgy Chocolate Frosting
Retro-Style Chocolate Sheet Cake
Lastly, if you make these Divine 6 Ingredient Magic Cookie Bars, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And, of course, if you make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
Divine 6 Ingredient Magic Cookie Bars
Ingredients
- 6 tablespoons salted butter
- 1 1/2 cups unsweetened shredded coconut
- 1 1/2 cups roasted cashews
- 2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 1 cup quick cooking rolled oats
- 8 mini pretzel twists, (optional)
- 1 can (14 ounce) sweetened condensed milk
Instructions
- 1. Preheat the oven to 350° F. Line a 9×9 inch baking dish with parchment paper.2. Place the butter in the prepared pan. Melt in the oven for about 5 minutes. Over the butter, layer the oats, coconut, 1 cup chocolate chips, cashews, and 1 more cup of chocolate chips. If desired, arrange a few pretzels on top. Evenly pour over the condensed milk. 3. Bake for 30 minutes. Cool completely, then cut into bars. They'll be a bit messy, but so delicious!
Nutrition
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Did you make this recipe? Please rate & comment below.
Hi can these ingredients be thoroughly mixed together and dumped into prepared pan then baked?
Hi Jennifer,
Do you mean rather than layering them? I haven’t tried this, but I don’t see why not!
I hope you love this recipe, please let me know if you give it a try!
How do you recommend storing them? can they be frozen and severed later?
Hi Alexa,
So sorry, I would not recommend freezing these. I like to store them in an airtight container on the counter.
Please let me know if you have any other questions!
I’m usually not a fan of desserts with coconut in them, but these were great!
Hi Addie,
Happy Friday!! Thanks a lot for making this recipe, I’m so glad to hear it turned out nicely for you! xxT
I definitely want to try these!!
I made these for Teacher Appreciation Week, substituting pepitas and crushed ritz crackers for the cashews (due to a nut allergy awareness at the school). I also substituted rolled oats for quick cook oats because it’s all I had. All these substitutions work out divinely! The ritz crackers give the bar more of a salty profile which balances the chocolate and sweetened condensed milk even more.
Hi Kieksi,
Thank you so much! I am thrilled to hear this recipe turned out nicely for you! Thanks for giving it a try!
Hi can I substitute coconut milk for the condensed milk or some other dairy alternative to make it dairy free?
Hi Meghan,
I would try a coconut condensed milk, but I would not recommend regular coconut milk. Please let me know if I can help in any other way!
These bars tasted delicious and were a hit! Can’t wait to make them again- thank you!!
Hey Rhonda,
Happy Sunday!! I appreciate you trying this recipe and your comment, love to hear it was a winner!!
Thanks Tiegan. These look delicious. Can you use sweetened shredded coconut instead of unsweetened? Thanks
Hi Maggie,
Yes, that would be just fine for you to do. Please let me know if you give this recipe a try, I hope you love it! xx
There are seven ingredients in this recipe. Why do you call them 6-ingredient?
Hi Lee,
Because the pretzels are optional:) Please let me know if you have any other questions! xx
Rainy Sunday in Oregon. Made these bars and my house smells amazing!
Hi Diza,
Happy Sunday!! I appreciate you trying this recipe and your feedback, love to hear it turned out well! xx
What do you mean by “candies” as an alternative to coconut? My daughters hate coconut so I’m just sure what to use
Hi Bethany,
Something like M&M’s:) Totally optional though! I hope you love this recipe! xx
Hi! Just wondering what the best way to store them is? Thanks!
Hi Leslie,
I like to store in an airtight container on the counter. Please let me know if you have any other questions! xx
I made these tonight. They are amazing! Great recipe. Thank you!
Hey Kimberly,
Happy Sunday!! Love to hear you enjoyed this recipe, thanks for making it and your comment! XxT
I see the instructions say to layer, but on your Instagram story you mixed it all together. Does it matter which way I do it?
Hey Sara,
Either way is just fine:) I hope you love this recipe, please let me know if you give it a try! xx
Is there a replacement for the coconut? Or can it be made without it?
Hi Kylie,
Happy Sunday!! You can omit the coconut and use another nut, dried fruits, white chocolate, candies, totally up to you. I hope you love this recipe! xx
Hey just so you know you have a typo in step 2! It says “ conduced” instead of condensed! xX
Hey Jen,
Thanks so much for pointing this out! Have a great weekend:) xx
have a book club meeting coming up.
making these! thanks!!
Hi!! What can I substitute for the coconut?
Hi Courtney,
You can omit the coconut and use another nut, dried fruits, white chocolate, candies, doesn’t really matter:) Have a great Sunday! xx