Hello Dolly Cookie Bars are one of my favorite sweet treats of all time. They are so simple to make and I always have the 7 ingredients stocked in the pantry. And the best part? You make the entire recipe right in the pan! Less pans = more time enjoying these cookies. You know, I'm all about easy dessert recipes (I'm looking at you cake mix cookie bars and butterscotch pudding pie) and this recipe is one to add to your list of easiest bakes you can make!
TL;DR - Hello Dolly Cookie Bars
- 💛Why you'll love it: These gooey, crunchy dessert bars hit all the textures, bursting with chocolate, coconut, nuts and sweetened condensed milk on a buttery graham-cracker crust.
- #️⃣Number of Ingredients: 7
- ⏲️Prep Time: 5 minutes
- 🔥Cook Time: 30 minutes
- 🧊 Make Ahead Friendly: Bake, cool, then cut into squares. Store at room temp for up to 5 days or freeze for 2 months.
- 🌿 Easy Variations: Swap pecans for walnuts, add butterscotch chips, or drizzle melted chocolate over the top for extra indulgence.
- 🍪Recipes with similar flavor profile: I love 7-layer bars but sometimes you gotta try a new recipe. I'd try my one bowl coconut bread or my tahini cookie bars next.
Use AI to help you build the perfect dessert tray with hello dolly bars!
Jump to:
Key Ingredients
- Graham Cracker Crumbs: I like to buy these already in crumb form, but you can make your own by pulverizing full size graham crackers in your food processor. You want a fine crumb texture.
- Melted Butter: Unsalted butter works best.
- Butterscotch Chips: I use nestle brand because they are the easiest to find, but any brand will do.
- Shredded Coconut: I like to use the sweetened shredded coconut in this recipe. You can find it in any grocery. Unsweetened coconut flakes will work in a pinch, but not my preference.
- Chocolate Chips: Semi-sweet or bittersweet chocolate chips are best in this recipe since there are so many other sweet elements.
- Sweetened Condensed Milk: I use the store brand and Eagle brand interchangeably.
- Walnuts: Chop these small, but not to fine. You want to be able to get the texture the walnuts give in the bar.
I'm obsessed with 7-layer bars!
I love these Hello Dolly Bars for the pure Midwestern nostalgia I get every time I make them. Growing up, we called them 7-Layer Bars or Magic Cookie Bars, but I've also heard Coconut Dream Bars and Hello Dollies depending on where you're from. Whatever name you use, this classic recipe, originally from the back of a sweetened condensed milk can, is always a family favorite.
🩶Marni
Easy substitutions
Many of the layers in the hello dolly cookie bars can be substituted based on personal preference. Here are my suggestions for substitutions layer by layer:
- Butterscotch chips → substitute with peanut butter chips or toffee chips
- Chocolate chips → these are staple in my opinion, but you could use chopped chocolate off a chocolate bar
- Walnuts → chopped pecans and peanuts will also work in this 7-layer bar recipe
- Graham cracker crumbs → the bottom layer holds everything together, but if you don't have graham cracker crumbs available, you can substitute with shortbread cookie crumbs or vanilla wafer crumbs. Use a food processor to get the cookies to the right consistency.
How to make hello dolly bars
Start by preheating your oven to 350 degrees. Spray your 9x13 baking pan lightly with baking spray or line the baking pan with parchment paper, leaving a bit hanging over each edge for easy removal from the pan.
Step 1: In a small bowl, mix the graham cracker crumbs and melted butter until a sand like texture forms.
Step 2: Pour this sandy mixture over the bottom of the pan and press down until a buttery graham cracker crust is formed. It will take some finessing to get into the corners. Just keep pressing it down and out until it's evenly distributed across the entire pan.
Step 3: Build the layers of the hello dolly cookie bars. Start with the sweetened coconut, then sprinkle the chocolate chips, then the butterscotch chips, and lastly the walnuts. Press the layers down gently so the ingredients aren't rolling around.
Step 4: pour the entire can of sweetened condensed milk over the top of the bars, making sure to cover the entire surface. This step puts the "magic" in the magic cookie bar recipe. It's the "glue" that will hold the whole bar together once baked.
Step 5: Pop them into the oven and bake for 25-30 minutes. You are looking for the top to be golden brown without burning.
✨ Pro Tip:
Line your pan with parchment and let the bars cool completely before cutting, this keeps the layers neat and prevents the crust from crumbling.
Recipe FAQ's
Yes, absolutely. In order to make these nut free, simply leave out the walnuts and check the rest of the ingredients to make sure they are nut free. You can add a little bit extra of the chocolate or butterscotch chips. If you still want the crunch of the nuts, try breaking up some pretzel sticks and using them in place of the nuts. You'll get the same texture without the nuts.
Because these bars are a truly sweet treat, I like to cut them in smaller squares than most simple desserts. That means in a 9x13 pan, I can usually get 35 bars.
I make 4 cuts along the 9" inch side of the pan, giving me 5 rows and then 6 cuts along the 13" side giving me 7 columns.
Make sure your knife is clean by rinsing it in hot water before each cut. The cleaner the knife, the cleaner the slice will be on each cookie bar. The cut bars can then be frozen and stored for later or served immediately!
This simple graham cracker crust method is great for easy cheesecakes, vanilla pudding pies, or even a yummy chocolate tart. Really anywhere the flavor of graham crackers work it can be substituted.
Storing leftover cookie bars
If you want to make hello dolly cookies in advance or just have leftovers (which I never seem to) the steps for storing are the same.
- Cut the bars into squares.
- Layer them in an airtight container with the layers separated with parchment or wax paper.
- Enjoy within 5 days, or put in the freezer for up to 3 months.
More simple desserts you'll love
Did you try this recipe and and love it? 😍 Let me know by leaving a comment below or 5 ⭐ rating!
And make sure to sign up for my newsletter and follow along on Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook for more simple recipes! Remember to tag us on social channels when you make a recipe at #simplegraytshirt! I 💖 seeing what you're up to in the kitchen!
📖 Recipe
Simple Hello Dolly Cookie Bars
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cup graham cracker crumbs
- ½ cup butter melted
- 1 14 oz. can sweetened condensed milk
- 1 cup butterscotch chips
- 1 cup chocolate chips
- 1 ⅓ cup flaked coconut
- 1 cup chopped nuts
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F and spray a 9x13 baking pan with non stick baking spray.
- In a small bowl, combine graham cracker crumbs and melted butter with a fork, until it looks like sand. mix well. Press the graham cracker crumb mixture firmly into bottom of prepared pan.
- Layer the coconut flakes, nuts, chocolate chips and butterscotch chips evenly over the crumb layer.
- Pour sweetened condensed milk evenly over the entire pan.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes or until lightly browned. Loosen from sides of pan while still warm and let cool before cutting.
Notes
For perfectly cut cookie bars:
- Gently remove the entire cookie bar from pan and put onto a cutting board.
- Make 4 cuts along the 9" inch side of the pan, giving you 5 rows and then 6 cuts along the 13" side giving you 7 columns.
- Make sure your knife is clean by rinsing it in hot water before each cut. The cleaner the knife, the cleaner the slice will be on each cookie bar.
Storing leftover cookie bars
If you want to make hello dolly cookies in advance or just have leftovers (which I never seem to) the steps for storing are the same.
- Cut the bars into squares.
- Layer them in an airtight container with the layers separated with parchment or wax paper.
- Enjoy within 5 days, or put in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Steven says
My kids love these!