Next Post
One Pot Creamy Penne Alfredo with Spicy Arugula.
This post may contain affiliate links, please see our privacy policy for details.
Crinkly, wrinkly, and so delicious…these Magic Chocolate Chip Cookies are some of the best. A 7 layer bar, but in cookie form. They’re rich, decadent, heavy on the chocolate, and extra gooey! Made with browned butter, vanilla, sweetened condensed milk, coconut, chocolate chips, and peanuts for a cookie that’s addictingly delicious. Every bite is slightly crisp on the edges but soft and chewy in the center. Absolutely nothing not to love about these crinkly magic cookies. Bonus? These cookies are easy to make, use simple ingredients, and take only minutes to prep. They’re so deliciously easy…they’re magical!
If there was ever a cookie to make, I think it might just be these. I know that’s a bit of a bold statement, but there’s something very special about these cookies. I wasn’t sure how they would turn out when I started testing them. But it’s safe to say I am more than excited to be telling you guys all about these easy cookies.
First off, it’s no secret that I have really been embracing more “retro” style dessert recipes. I really don’t know why, but the recipes that were made back in the day, the ones our grandmas, and even their moms, were baking up, those are the ones inspiring me most right now. Vintage cakes, old-fashioned pies, upside-down cakes, and the ever so classic 7 Layer Bars sometimes know as Magic Bars.
All are exciting me, but it was the Magic Bar that inspired these cookies.
(cookies before baking)
The Idea
Brainstorming recipes is a never-ending thing for me. When I take thirty minutes to write out all my ideas is really when I come up with my favorites. I was jotting a recipe down (ok typing recipes) when I had the idea to make a 7 Layer Bar. For as much as I love a good cookie bar, I think I love cookies just a smidge better.
So I thought about taking everything in those 7 Layer Bars and turning them into circular cookies that could ideally be those flat, crinkly cookies I love so much. I wasn’t sure the concept would work. Stirring sweetened condensed milk into a cookie sounded like it could either be, one amazing, or two totally disastrous. They really had a fifty/fifty chance of being great or a complete flop, so I took my chances…
Five plus batches of cookie dough later, I finally got to the perfect cookie. The extra effort was more than worth it.
Here are the details
The thing about magic bars? They’re EASY. Which is one part of the “magic”. Well, the same is true for a magic cookie.
Just make my favorite brown butter cookie dough, then stir in chocolate chips, the coconut, so many chocolate chunks, and salty peanuts. Then swirl in the sweetened condensed milk, now bake.
Less than an hour later you’ll have the sweetest, crinkled cookies. Simple as that.
So simple, they’re magic. But what else makes them magic…they’re chocolatey, salty, sweet, gooey, and have just the tiniest bit of CRUNCH. Basically, they’re everything you could want out of a cookie, and with pockets of chocolate too.
They’re pretty hard not to love.
Soo with that, how about some Tuesday night baking? These are easy enough to have mixed up and baked in less than an hour. And my guess is that you already have all the ingredients on hand too!
Looking for more magical cookie recipes, try these…
Soft and Crinkly Brown Sugar Peanut Butter Cookies
Salted Tahini Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies
Magic Chocolate Chip Cookies
Servings: 22 cookies
Calories Per Serving: 289 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Ingredients
- 2 sticks (1 cup) salted butter, at room temperature
- 3/4 cup light or dark brown sugar
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 1/2 cups chopped chocolate chunks or chips
- 1 cup sweetened or unsweetened coconut flakes
- 1/2 cup roasted peanuts (or any other toasted nut)
- 1/2 cup sweetened condensed milk
Instructions
- 1. Preheat the oven to 350° F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place 1 stick of butter in a large mixing bowl and set aside.2. Add 1 stick of butter to a small saucepan set over medium heat. Cook until the butter begins to brown, about 3-4 minutes. Remove from the heat and pour the butter over the stick of butter in the mixing bowl. Stick in the freezer to chill, 10-15 minutes, but no longer. The butter should be chilled, but mostly melted. 3. To the mixing bowl, add the brown sugar and vanilla, beat until combined. Beat in the eggs, 1 at a time, until combined. Add the flour, baking soda, and salt. Fold in the chocolate chips, coconut, and peanuts. Drizzle over the sweetened condensed milk and mix until lightly combined, you should see streaks of condensed milk. 4. Let the dough sit 5 minutes, then roll the dough into 2 tablespoon size balls and place 3 inches apart on the prepared baking sheet. Gently flatten each ball down into a disk using the palm of your hand.5. Transfer to the oven and bake for 7 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and tap the baking sheet on the counter 2 times to flatten them down. Return to the oven and bake another 3-4 minutes or until the cookies begin to set on the edges, but still doughy in the center. Remove from the oven and tap the baking sheet on the counter 1-2 times to flatten them down again. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet. They will continue to cook slightly as they sit on the baking sheet. Eat warm (highly recommend) or let cool and store in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
Tried out these cookies tonight. I think maybe I did something wrong. I followed the recipe to a T and used all ingredients, but they are “puffy” and did not flatten at all despite hitting the pan on the counter many times. Cake-like consistency with the bottoms burned (cooked 6 and 3 min)! Any suggestions? I love your recipes!
Hey Kristin,
So sorry to hear this. Maybe try a different rack in your oven next time? I would also gently press the dough balls down before baking. I hope this helps! xTieghan
These are AMAZING!!! I skipped the peanuts and toasted the coconut and they turned out delicious! Had to increase the cooking time a bit but that’s probably just my oven!
Hey Gab,
Wonderful!! I am so so glad that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks a lot for giving it a try! Happy Sunday! xTieghan
So sad. These are really cakey. Awful. It sounded so promising.
Hey Cindy,
So sorry you had issues with the recipe, was there anything you may have adjusted? Did you bang them on the counter? Let me know how I can help! xTieghan
Have you ever thought to put weight for all your ingredients? I think it would help us all out tremendously. I tried making them tonight and they were also cakey like some of the other comments mentioned, not like your photos unfortunately. Thanks 🙂
Hey Kristina,
Yes, actually if you click on “metric” below the list of ingredients, the measurements will convert for you:) xTieghan
Another slam dunk, Tieghan! New favs for sure! Thanks! I halved the recipe and it turned out exactly as expected.
Hey Jane,
Thanks so much for making this recipe, I am delighted that it was enjoyed! Have a great weekend! xTieghan
First tray is in the oven as I type this! For those who had runny dough, try chilling for an hour or so. I subbed in oatmeal for the coconut and it worked great. Magical indeed! Love the cannabis butter idea ? which is what came to mind when I read the recipe title ? and at 217 cal. each, they are a worthy munching solution… Thanks!!
Hey Cindy,
Thanks so much for making this recipe, I am delighted that it was enjoyed! Have a great weekend! xTieghan
Hello! These look so amazing, but like others have mentioned already, mine didn’t crinkle after banging them on the counter either and they came out cakey too. I’ve followed the recipe exactly so I’m not sure where things went wrong. Thanks for a super tasty cookie dough all the same!
Hey Michelle,
Thanks for giving the recipe a try, next time be sure to press them down gently before baking. I hope this helps! xTieghan
Seriously magical! I normally don’t even like cookies… they either feel like under-baked dough balls or over-baked hockey pucks. Not these! Idk if it’s the coconut or the sweetened condensed milk, but they turned out amazing!
Hey Victoria,
Thanks so much for making this recipe, I am delighted that it was enjoyed! Have a great weekend! xTieghan
The cookies turned out really cakey compared to the photos/ videos. Were we supposed to chill the dough for 5 minutes in the fridge or at room temperature?
Hey Athena,
Was there anything you adjusted in the recipe? Did you bang the pan on the counter several times? Did you flatten them gently at the beginning? Let me know how I can help! xTieghan
These didn’t work out. Turned out cakey and didn’t flatten with all the taps. They look so good in the picture!
Hey Heidi,
So sorry these didn’t flatten for you. Did you push them down in the beginning? Was there anything you adjusted? Let me know if I can help in anyway! xTieghan
Made these today! The cookie dough tastes amazing, but hubby and I decided the dough was better than the baked cookie. I baked for 7 minutes, tapped them on the counter, and baked 3 more minutes amd tapped on the counter several times after I took them out of the oven. I think next time I will tap sooner and severely underbake these. When baked they seem to lose the gooey factor that I love in the 7 layer bars. Or perhaps I’ll increase the amount of sweetened condensed milk.
Thanks for giving the recipe a try Vanessa! xTieghan
Can’t wait to try these!! Can I store some of the dough in the freezer? Not sure if that would have an effect on the condensed milk?
Hey Sarah,
I think the dough would be totally fine to freeze! I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
The taste is delicious- everyone loves them! They’re very cakey though, versus chewy…even doing the minimum bake time. The only other thing was tapping them did nothing for them, no crinkle or anything. Still yummy, but the consistency seems to be different.
Hey Heather,
Fantastic!! I am thrilled that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks so much for making it! Happy Friday:) xTieghan
Can you omit the peanuts? I just don’t have any today.
Hey Kinsey,
Yes, that is totally fine! I hope you love these cookies! xTieghan
Wow, these cookies look delicious. Can’t wait to try this recipe. Thank you for the sharing the recipe.
Thanks so much Abigail!!