Magic Bars, aka Hello Dolly Bars or 7-Layer Bars, are nostalgic bar cookies with a candy bar feel. My peanut butter butterscotch version takes them in a slightly more upscale direction.
A peanut buttery graham cracker crust holds all the expected goodies, including shredded coconut, chocolate chips, and nuts. The star of the show is homemade (store-bought, if you must) butterscotch sauce liberally applied both under the filling and over the top before baking.
Salty butterscotch and creamy peanut butter whisked into the sweetened condensed milk bring balance and nuance to what can otherwise be an overwhelmingly sweet bar. The result reads very much like a thick, chewy bar-cookie version of a Girl Scout Samoa. Let us make some together.
Pastry Chef Online Participates in Affiliate Programs. If you make a purchase through one of my links, I may earn a small commission. For more information click to read my disclosure policy
Peanut Butter Butterscotch Magic Bars, At a Glance
✅Skill Level: Confident Beginner, if making butterscotch. If using store-bought, Beginner
✅Skills: Making Butterscotch, Making a Crumb Crust, Toasting Nuts
✅Type: Bar Cookies
✅Number of Ingredients: 11
✅Prep Time: 15-20 minutes
✅Cook Time: 25-35 minutes
✅Yield: 25 bar cookies (more or fewer depending on how you slice them)
Jump Straight to the Recipe
Why You’ll Love My Version of Magic Bars
In a word, balance. I’ve always loved the idea of magic bars, especially the part about using sweetened condensed milk as the binder. It has such a nostalgic, sticky-milky sweetness that is hard to resist.
But, I think it’s too sweet. Just casually drizzling an entire can of sticky sweet goo over more sticky sweet Items seems a bit excessive to me.
Instead of using straight sweetened condensed milk, I whisk in creamy peanut butter so you get peanut butter flavor in every bite. Then, homemade, assertively salty butterscotch sauce lends deep butterscotch flavor while also seasoning the whole bar so it doesn’t read as tooth-achingly sweet.
The result? A well-balanced bar full of sticky, chewy, and crunchy elements that taste delightful straight from the fridge or at room temperature.
Ingredients and Substitutions
I used a couple of homemade elements in my bars that you don’t technically have to use in yours. Let’s run through all the ingredients so you know what’s what and when you can make substitutions.
- Graham crackers: The main ingredient in the crust, the graham cracker base provides the structure that allows you to pick these bars up. I made homemade Graham crackers, but store-bought ones will work just fine. If using store-bought, you may want to double the amount of butter in the crust since store bought grahams are much drier than homemade ones
- peanut butter: Creamy peanut butter shows up in both the crust and the sweetened condensed milk mixture. Enough to temper the sweetness of the milk while allowing for peanut flavor in every bite
- butter: Just a little bit in the crust to encourage it to hold together
- dark brown sugar: I use a little dark brown sugar in the crust to up the sweetness to match the filling. Otherwise, the crust might read as decidedly savory against all the sweet, rich ingredients on top. You can also use light brown sugar in the same amount
- shredded coconut: I prefer using unsweetened shredded coconut to better control the sweetness of the bars, but if all you have is sweetened “angel flake” coconut, go ahead and use that
- chocolate chips: Chocolate is not the predominant flavor in these bars, but a restrained amount of chocolate adds both visual interest and a chocolate element for folks who Must Have Chocolate. Use bittersweet or semi sweet chips to act as a foil to the very sweet peanut butter chips
- peanut butter chips: Lend themselves to the peanut butter flavor profile with their mild, sweet, creamy peanutty goodness
- salted peanuts: Adds seasoning and emphasizes peanut flavor while providing a crunchy textural element. You can easily substitute dry roasted peanuts or any other peanuts you have at home.
- pecans: I like them for their mellow, sweet nuttiness and their creamier crunch. You can substitute all peanuts (or all pecans, for that matter) if you prefer
- sweetened condensed milk: Arguably the ingredient that makes a Hello Dolly bar a Hello Dolly bar, sweetened condensed milk acts as a binder while adding nostalgic, milky sweetness. Can’t have dairy? These bars would be wonderful made with sweetened condensed coconut milk
- butterscotch sauce: The secret sauce in this recipe, homemade butterscotch brings an assertive saltiness as well as deep butterscotch flavor. It also tends to “fill in” around any gaps in the filling ingredients, baking up into sticky, butterscotchy heaven. You may use a good quality store-bought butterscotch, if you prefer. Taste it first. If it is not assertively salty, sprinkle a judicious amount of finishing salt over the bars before baking.
How to Make These Bars
If you’re ready to bake, you can just skip right down to the recipe.
For the rest of you, in a nutshell, here is the Order of Operation.
- Make the Graham crackers and crust. If using store-bought, you’ll just make the crust.
- Make the butterscotch sauce. If using store bought, you’ll need just under 8 oz.
- Drizzle and spread butterscotch sauce over the crust.
- Whisk sweetened condensed milk and peanut butter together until smooth.
- Lightly toast the pecans (gets rid of that weird, tannic raw nut flavor that pecans can have. Toasted pecans > raw pecans)
- Fold in the coconut, chocolate chips, peanut butter chips, peanuts, and pecans.
- Layer the filling mixture on top of the butterscotched crust.
- Drizzle on more butterscotch sauce.
- For visual interest, sprinkle on a bit more shredded coconut.
- Bake. Cool. Enjoy.
Jenni Says: 1)Just warm the peanut butter and sweetened condensed milk. If you get it too hot, it will start to melt the chips. 15-20 seconds in the microwave should be more than sufficient to allow you to smoothly whisk them together.
2)When done, these bars will be bubbling all over. Look for the bubbling across the surface, toasted coconut on top, and deeper browning around the edges. Don’t wait for them to look set or dry, because neither of those things will happen.
I made these collages to give you visual cues so you know what to look for at different stages. What does “drizzle with butterscotch” look like? How much is a “healthy sprinkle of coconut?”
I don’t show every single step, but if you’re a visual learner, these photos should help you know you’re on the right track.
Making the Crust
Would you like to save this post?
Enter your email address below, and don't forget to check the box!
- Warm your butterscotch–homemade or store-bought–so you can drizzle it.
- In a medium-sized bowl, place the peanut butter, butter, and dark brown sugar.
- Heat in the microwave and whisk it all together. This is the binder for the crust.
- Dump in your Graham cracker crumbs–again, homemade or store-bought.
- Stir together evenly until the crumbs are moistened, then put them in your parchment-lined pan, pressing them out evenly so the crust is roughly 1/4″ (about 6 mm) thick.
- Drizzle on the warmed butterscotch and spread gently. The crust is not baked yet, and you don’t want to pull it up using a heavy hand with an offset spatula.
Making the Filling
- Toss together the coconut, chocolate chips, peanut butter chips, peanuts, and lightly toasted chopped pecans.
- In a medium bowl–the same bowl you made the crust in is just fine. No need to wash it–add the sweetened condensed milk and peanut butter.
- Heat in the microwave for 15-20 seconds and whisk together.
- Dump in the “mix-ins,” and fold everything together evenly.
- Press the filling mixture on top of the crust, making it as even as you can. Use your clean hands, sprayed with some pan spray or a pan-sprayed offset spatula. Think “press” rather than “spread” so you don’t disturb the crust below.
- Drizzle on some more butterscotch.
- Before baking, top with a healthy sprinkle of shredded coconut, then bake until bubbly all over and golden brown.
Cooling, Chilling, and Cutting Clean Bars
I know you’re going to want to dive into these bars while they are still warm, but patience in this case is a virtue.
Allow the bars to cool for about 15 minutes in the pan, then remove them to finish cooling on a rack.
Once at room temperature, wrap the bars (or put them back in the pan and cover them), and refrigerate until cold and firm, at least two hours.
Once chilled, use a chef’s knife and cut straight down to slice the bars cleanly. As a bonus, it’s much easier to cut smaller bars once they are chilled, so if you want to make 64 little bites for a cookie tray, you can absolutely do that.
For “judicious abundance,” I sliced mine into 25 squares, but you can certainly cut them as large or as small you want.
Once sliced, you can enjoy them cold. They will read much more candy-like. At room temperature, the butterscotch loosens up a bit and the bars lean more into gooey cookie bar territory.
Peanut Butter Butterscotch Magic Bar Q & A
No, you don’t. If all you have/all you can find is sweetened shredded coconut, by all means, use that. I prefer the unsweetened variety, but it is not a deal breaker in any way.
No, you don’t. If you want to use store-bought butterscotch, use the highest quality butterscotch you can find, and one that leans much more toward brown than the weird yellow some butterscotch sauces can be. Taste the sauce before you use it. If it doesn’t read as assertively salty, to keep the flavor balanced, sprinkle a judicious amount of finishing salt over the bars before baking. Please let the sauce speak for the butterscotch element rather than adding butterscotch chips. They’re gross.
Yes, making ahead is preferable, because the bars need to be chilled to slice cleanly. They hold well in the fridge, so if you’re really busy, you can make them up to 3 days ahead. And if you’re going all-in on making homemade Graham crackers and butterscotch sauce, you can make those components up to a week ahead.
Since these bars are a bit gooey at room temperature, I recommend you store them in the fridge. Then when it’s time to serve them, you can serve them cold or let them come to room temperature before serving. Store leftovers in the fridge for up to a week.
Yes, the bars freeze really well. If you’re going to freeze the entire batch, allow the “slab” to cool completely, wrap well in foil and then freeze in a zip-top freezer bag for up to 3 months. Let them thaw in the fridge for 24 hours before slicing them cold.
More Bar Cookie Recipes
Bar cookies make me happy because they are much less work than making individual cookies. But that doesn’t mean the bar cookies can’t be nuanced, well-balanced, and delicious.
For my coconut people, try my peanut butter coconut bar cookies. They’re a layered affair with a delightful mix of chewy coconut macaroon and fudgy peanut butter blondie.
To lean into oatmeal cookie territory, you can’t go wrong with my mom’s oatmeal raisin bars. You can use any combination of dried fruit you want. I am partial to golden raisins and dried cherries.
Angel slices might be my favorite bar cookie of all time. A sandy sable crust topped with slightly gooey coconut-pecan filling and glazed with a thin, crisp layer of tart lemon glaze. Glorious.
And if you love a nostalgic date nut bar, try my version, which pairs sweet, gooey Medjool dates with orange zest for a bright spin on a classic.
Questions?
If you have any questions about this post or recipe, I am happy to help.
Simply leave a comment here and I will get back to you soon. I also invite you to ask questions in my Facebook group, Fearless Kitchen Fun.
If your question is more pressing, please feel free to email me. I should be back in touch ASAP, as long as I’m not asleep.
A Note About Measurements
My recipes are almost all written by weight, including liquids, unless otherwise specified.
For accuracy and consistency of results, I encourage you to buy–and use–a kitchen scale.
I promise that baking and cleanup will be so much quicker and easier.
This is the scale that I recommend for home use. I have owned and used one for years.
Peanut Butter Butterscotch Magic Bars
Equipment
Ingredients
For the Crust
- 150 grams Graham cracker crumbs 5.3 oz or 1 1/3 cup, homemade or store-bought
- 30 grams creamy peanut butter 1.1 oz or 2 Tablespoons
- 15 grams butter* 0.5 oz or 1 Tablespoon, salted or unsalted, see Notes
- 10 grams brown sugar 0.4 oz or 2 1/2 teaspoons, packed, dark brown or light brown
- 100 grams butterscotch sauce 3.5 oz or about 1/4 cup plus 2 Tablespoons, homemade or store-bought
For the Filling
- 110 grams sweetened condensed milk 3.9 oz or about 1/3 cup
- 55 grams creamy peanut butter 1.9 oz or about 3 Tablespoons
- 40 grams shredded coconut 1.4 oz or about 1/2 cup, unsweetened preferred
- 80 grams bittersweet or semisweet chocolate chips 2.8 oz or about 1/2 cup
- 80 grams peanut butter chips 2.8 oz or about 1/2 cup
- 40 grams salted peanuts 1.4 oz or about 1/3 cup, chopped or not–either works
- 40 grams lightly toasted chopped pecans 1.4 oz or about 1/3 cup
- 100 grams butterscotch sauce 3.5 oz or about 1/4 cup plus 2 Tablespoons, homemade or store-bought
To Finish
- 10 grams shredded coconut a small handful, unsweetened preferred
- 1-2 pinch finishing salt** Optional. See Notes
Instructions
Mise en Place
- Set a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350°F / 177°C. Line the bottom and up two sides of an 8" square (20cm) baking pan with parchment paper folded or cut to fit. Lightly spray the "unparchmented" sides of the pan with pan spray. Set aside.
For the Crust
- In a medium, microwave-safe bowl, warm together the butter, peanut butter, and brown sugar. 20-30 seconds should do it. Whisk until smooth.
- Dump in the crumbs and stir/fold until the crumbs are evenly moistened.
- Evenly press the crust into the prepared pan. The crust should be about 1/4" thick.
- Drizzle the butterscotch sauce over the crust and spread very lightly with an offset spatula. The crust doesn't need to be perfectly coated, and since it isn't baked yet, use a light hand so you don't dislodge the crumbs.
For the Filling
- In a small bowl, assemble the 40 grams of shredded coconut, chocolate chips, peanut butter chips, peanuts, and lightly toasted chopped pecans.
- In the same bowl you made the crust in, add the sweetened condensed milk and creamy peanut butter. Microwave for no more than 20 seconds, enough to loosen up the peanut butter but not make it so hot that you start to melt your chocolate chips. Whisk until smooth.
- Fold all the mix-ins into the sweetened condensed milk/peanut butter mixture. Try to coat everything evenly, mixing and folding to incorporate the Very Lot of mix-ins.
- Blob the filling mixture all over the crust, and use pan-sprayed hands or a pan-sprayed offset spatula to press the mixture evenly over the crust until you have an unbroken layer of mix-ins that's about 1/2" (12 mm) thick.
- Drizzle the other 100 grams of butterscotch sauce over the top. No need to spread it out.
To Finish and Bake
- Sprinkle the small handful of coconut over the butterscotch sauce.
- If using store-bought butterscotch that is not assertively salted, sprinkle on a pinch or 2 of finishing salt before baking.
- Bake on the center rack for 25-35 minutes, rotating 180° halfway through. For reference, mine took 28 minutes to bake. You are looking for the bars to bubble vigorously around the edges with some bubbling across their surface. The coconut will toast to a light golden brown across the surface with deeper browning around the edges.
- Remove the bars to cool in the pan for about 15 minutes. Then, loosen the edges that aren't on parchment, and use the parchment overhang to pull the bars out to cool completely on a rack.
- Once completely cool, wrap the bars in foil, either as-is or back in the baking pan, and chill for at least 2 hours before slicing into your desired size with an 8" chef's knife.
- Serve chilled or at room temperature. Store leftovers, well-wrapped, in the fridge for up to a week.
Did You Make Any Changes?
Notes
- *Store-bought Graham crackers are drier than homemade. You may need up to twice the butter to get a crust that holds together well.
- **Taste your butterscotch sauce. If it isn’t assertively salty, sprinkle the assembled bars with a judicious amount of finishing salt before baking.
- Don’t wait for the bars to look dry or set. They’re done when they’re bubbling around the edges and across the surface and the coconut is golden, with deeper browning around the edges.
Nutrition
Would you like to save this post?
Enter your email address below, and don’t forget to check the box!
Join in Today!