These Outrageous Seven Layer Bars are not your ordinary, classic seven layer bar. With chocolate-covered toffee bits in the graham cracker crust, a layer of melted chocolate and LOTS of glorious sweetened condensed milk.
(Originally posted April 20, 2018)
These bars!!! I don’t even know where to begin.
These Outrageous Seven Layer Bars are your classic seven layer bars on steroids.
I actually had another recipe ready to post today, but after making these the other day, I couldn’t wait to share this recipe. I took some to my sister and she called me and said “When are you posting those?!?!?”
I think I gained 5 pounds just making and looking at them and then another 5 pounds eating as many as I did. . . .ugh!
Classic Seven layer bars have always been one of my favorite bars and why wouldn’t they be? Just look at the list of ingredients. . .
- Graham crackers
- chocolate chips
- butterscotch chips
- coconut
- sweetened condensed milk
My mouth is watering and I might be drooling as I’m typing this post!
Now take the beloved classic seven layer bar and add:
- ground up chocolate-covered toffee bits into the graham crackers crust
- a layer of melted milk chocolate,
- toasted coconut
- TWO CANS of sweetened condensed milk – YES, I said two!!!. . . . heaven help me!
You all should know by now how I feel about sweetened condensed milk . . .I could drink it right from the can!
Two (yes, 2!) cans of that heavenly, rich, goodness gives these bars a rich butterscotch flavor and chewy texture that is just insanely delicious!
Can I leave the nuts out?
Now I am not usually a fan of nuts in cookie and have never used nuts when I’ve made the classic Seven-Layer Bars (aka magic bars), but I decided to give it a try this time. The recipe talked about how toasting the nuts improves their flavor and texture in these bars, so I thought, why not?!
Guess what? I actually didn’t mind the nuts in these bars, in fact I really liked them! However, feel free to leave them out if you prefer.
As these bake up, there will be spots where the sweetened condensed milk seeps up through and “puddles” up on top (see below. . . YUM!). Holy moly those were my favorite pieces. So just in case you haven’t figured it out by now, I am completely head-over-heels in love with these beauties!
I could eat these every. single. day.
I might just have to make these again because today is my birthday and I think I’d rather have these than cake (lol!).
Hope you love them!
A FEW TIPS/NOTES FOR MAKING THESE BARS:
- To toast coconut, you can do it two different ways. First, you can spread it on a rimmed baking sheet and toast it in a 350-degree oven, stirring often, until lightly golden, about 8 to 10 minutes. Or you can put it in a large, non-stick skillet and cook it over medium-low heat on your stovetop, stirring it often. I prefer doing it on the stovetop. I think it goes much faster and it’s just easier.
- To toast the pecans, put them in a dry skillet over medium heat, shaking the pan occasionally to prevent burning. Toast them until they become fragrant, about 2 to 3 minutes.
- The original recipe called for 1 cup of toasted pecans, but I cut it back to 1/2 cup and then added 1/2 cup of butterscotch chips. I love butterscotch chips in seven layer bars, but if you don’t, you can leave them off.
- These definitely need a full two hours to cool before you try cutting them.
- These bars are rich, so remember that when you’re cutting them. If you cut them smaller you can get about 40-45 bars. But you certainly can cut them any size you’d like.
- Pleeeease don’t think about only using 1 can of sweetened condensed milk. You might think two cans is way too much for a 9×13-inch pan, but I promise it’s not.
Outrageous Seven Layer Bars
- Total Time: 50 minutes
- Yield: 21 to 24 bars 1x
Ingredients
- 1 cup chocolate-covered Heath Toffee Bits
- 12 whole graham crackers, broken
- 1 stick butter, melted
- 8 oz milk chocolate, chopped finely
- 1 cup Rice Krispies
- 1/2 cup pecans, toasted and coarsely chopped
- 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
- 1/2 cup butterscotch chips (optional, but highly recommended!)
- 1 cup sweetened flaked coconut, toasted
- 2 (14-oz) cans sweetened condensed milk
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 13×9-inch baking pan with foil, allowing excess to overhang pan edges. Spray foil with cooking spray.
- Process toffee bits in food processor to fine powder. Add graham crackers and process to fine crumbs. Pour butter over crumbs and pulse several more times until well combined. Sprinkle the crumbs into the pan and press into an even layer using the bottom of a measuring cup. Bake for 10 minutes.
- Remove pan from oven, sprinkle crust with the finely chopped milk chocolate and allow it to get soft/melty for about 3 to 4 minutes. Smooth chocolate into even layer using an offset spatula (or whatever you want to use).
- Layer the Rice Krispies over the melted chocolate layer, then the pecans, chocolate chips, and coconut, in that order, gently pressing each layer to adhere. In a small bowl, combine both cans of sweetened condensed milk and vanilla. Mix until well combined and pour evenly over the bars.
- Bake until golden brown, 25-30 minutes. Cool on wire rack at least about 2 hours. Using foil overhang, lift from pan and cut into squares.
- Prep Time: 15 mins
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Category: Brownies & Bars
- Cuisine: American
IF YOU TRY THIS RECIPE, COMMENT BELOW! I WOULD LOVE TO HEAR WHAT YOU THINK.
Recipe Source: The Cook’s Country Cookbook
Jodi these look amazing and your photos are perfection! I love the traditional seven layer bars but these look over the top and I can’t wait to make them for Teacher Appreciation Day the first week of May. I had my baked good idea to bring in my head already (chocolate chip walnut biscotti–which I love so much) but these look like they may have to jump to the top instead. Thank you for that slow cooker link. It is a really nice model. I am going to hint at it for Mother’s Day. I am desperate for a new appliance as mine is really old. And have a wonderful birthday and wishing you much joy and happiness today! Thanks for your great blog which I love so much!
Teresa, thank you so much for the birthday wishes and sweet comment. I love hearing from you and really appreciate that you take the time to comment. You definitely need to make these bars. I honestly had to give most of them away because I wanted to eat the entire pan. I think dropping hints about the slow cooker for Mother’s Day is a great idea! Thanks again for always brightening my day.
Can I omit the pecans in this bar? Also have a wonderful Birthday!!
Hi Deanna! Yes you can leave the pecans out of these bars. If you want, you can increase the amounts of some of the other things, like the Rice Krispies, chocolate chips or coconut, etc. Thanks for looking!
Happy birthday! It is my daughter‘s birthday too. 🙂
Thanks Lachelle! What a good day to have a birthday!