This is one of my family’s favorite holiday treats. It’s one of the easiest bars to make. I usually save it for the end of my cookie baking day when I’m tired and all “baked out.” I can put this one together and pop it in the oven in a couple of minutes or so and it gives me one more variety to add to the cookie platter.
I don’t remember when it first appeared “—it was either during the 1970’s or early 80’s—but the recipe/advertisement was printed in the December issues of my mother’s “ladies magazines.” The clipping I have in my recipe book is this same one which is an advertisement for Kellogg’s Corn Flake Crumbs, Borden Sweetened Condensed Milk and Diamond Walnuts.
More recently I’ve seen this recipe called “Seven Layer Bars.” Whatever name you go by, it’s a winner. Different versions are made with M&M’s, peanut butter candies, and/or butterscotch chips. For me, however, I like what I consider to be a perfect balance of coconut, walnuts and chocolate and adding extra candies would be overkill. I’ve seen recipes that call for crushed graham crackers instead of the corn flake crumbs. I’m not a big fan of graham cracker crusts so I prefer to follow the original recipe. The flavor of the corn flake crumbs don’t overpower the bar the way graham crackers do.
Magic Cookie Bars
- 1 1/2 cups Kellogg’s Corn Flake Crumbs
- 3 Tbsp. sugar
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, melted
- 1 1/3 cups flaked coconut
- 1 cup (6 oz.) semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 1 cup coarsely chopped Diamond Walnuts
- one can Bordon Eagle Brand Sweetened Condensed Milk
Measure corn flake crumbs, sugar, and melted butter into a 13×9 x 2″ pan. Mix thoroughly. With the back of a spoon press mixture evenly and firmly into the bottom of the pan to form a crust. Scatter chocolate morsels over crust. Spread coconut evenly over chocolate. Scatter the walnuts over the coconut. Pour the can of sweetened condensed milk evenly over all. Bake 25 min. at 350° or until lightly browned around the edges. Cut into bars while still slightly warm.
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