A few days ago I showed you all the cooking I was doing to prep for hog butchering weekend. Well a reader asked if I would share the recipe for these bars. Growing up these were my mom’s “go to” bars. She made them often and they were always a favorite of mine.
Now as an adult I make them. They are easy, quick and the best part of all, you don’t need a mixer.
Take a 9 x 13 pan and put a stick of margarine or butter in the bottom of the pan. Put the pan in the 350 degree oven and let it melt.
While it’s melting take one packet of graham crackers and crush them fairly fine. Once the butter has melted, sprinkle the graham cracker crumbs over the bottom butter. Next sprinkle a cup of coconut over the cracker crumbs. Then sprinkle chocolate chips over the top. Next open a can of condensed milk and pour that over the top covering the entire surface. Put in the oven and bake for about 20 minutes. They should look as golden as the picture.
That makes these five layer bars. I’ve seen lots of recipes for seven layer bars. To do that simply cut the amount of chocolate chips to one cup. Then add a layer of one cup of butterscotch chips and one cup of walnuts. Continue by pouring the condensed milk over the top.
My VERY favorite way to have these was when mom would make them for Christmas. She would get a container of the candied fruit that is put in fruitcake. She would put down a layer of butter, crackers and coconut. Then she’d put down the candied fruit, nuts and then condensed milk. THESE I LOVE.
Sadly, Hubby doesn’t like them…the kids don’t really either. That leaves me with a pan of bars to eat that I really shouldn’t eat. UGH. So I by pass these now.
I am just now thinking that my family is coming this weekend and I could make them because I am betting that at least one of them would enjoy having some of mom’s bars. Thank goodness for siblings who can appreciate some of the foods that I grew up with.
Anyway…That’s the bar recipe. Make and adjust them however you please….One more option to them. I make them with mint chocolate chips once…YUM. Again, Hubby doesn’t like mint…that party pooper. Let me know if you try some other options. I’d love to hear about them.
Thanks Jo. I will be making this over the holidays because I think my family will enjoy this.
Thinking you could have your bars but not a whole pan by sprinkling the candied fruit in one fourth of the pan and not putting the chocolate in that section. Sound very festive – but candied fruit to me is Holiday!!!!
Question about the recipe, Jo – do you use sweetened condensed milk or the thinner stuff? This looks lovely and I’d like to make it tomorrow!!!
Going to try them with the new chocolate condensed milk and peanut butter chips or cups.
These bars look delicious and easy, too. Jo, I make my own sweetened condensed milk; it’s surprisingly cheap and easy! Let me know if you’d like the recipe.
As a kid, we had the 7-layer version. Occasionally, I make these and use it as an opportunity to dump all the little dribs and drabs of various chips (pb, white, chocolate, toffee bits, everything) along with the coconut and leftover nuts and call them Kitchen Sink Bars. Somehow, after the holidays there are those odds and ends and I call it ‘thrifty’ instead of ‘indulgent’ in the new year!
Hi, I would really like to know also if you are using sweetened condensed milk or regular condensed milk, and do you use the whole can? I would like to make them. Thanks.
I use sweetened condensed milk and yes…the whole can.