Graham Cracker Cookie Bars, with or without coconut, has a graham cracker crust that topped with layers of ingredients. The ingredients are held together by sweetened condensed milk that turns into caramel when baked.
GRAHAM CRACKER COOKIE BARS
The hardest part of this recipe is letting them cool before you cut them. If you don’t, they’ll crumble into a million sloppy pieces albeit they’ll still taste good!
Here’s what you need to make this recipe plus one stick of butter.
Melt butter in the 9×13-inch baking pan.
Layer the next ingredients in order of the recipe. First, you’ll sprinkle the graham crackers crumbs over the melted butter.
Next, scatter the coconut over the graham cracker crumbs. Omit the coconut if you don’t like it. You don’t need to substitute another ingredient.
Sprinkle the peanut butter chips over the chocolate chips and continue with the recipe.
Candy-coated chocolate is most commonly known as M&M candies. You can use any flavor. They have a lot of different flavors now. I typically stick with the traditional chocolate candies.
Finally, spread the peanut evenly over the other ingredients. You can omit the peanuts or use another nut.
The magic ingredient that binds all the other ingredients together is the sweetened condensed milk. Pour it evenly over the other ingredients.
Give the pan a couple of gentle bangs on the countertop to compact the ingredients. There’s no need to spread it with a spatula. When the sweetened condensed milk gets hot, it’ll ooze into all the nooks and crannies.
You’re now ready to bake the bars.
Remember to let the bars cool before cutting. You can speed up the cooling process by putting them in the refrigerator for 30 minutes if you need to.
While you’re here, check out these recipes
- Muddy Buddy Bars
- Lemon Curd Fluff Bars
- Oatmeal Caramel Crush Bars
- Caramel Chocolate Mud Hen Bars
- Pecan Pie Magic Cookie Bars
- 9 Insanely Good Brownie Recipes
- Graham Cracker Blondies
Please keep in mind that nutritional information is a rough estimate and can vary based on products used.
I updated this post from an earlier version. I made new photos and simplified the recipe instructions.
Graham Cracker Cookie Bars
Ingredients
- ½ cup butter no substitutes
- 1 cup graham cracker crumbs about 16 squares
- 1 cup coconut optional
- 1 cup mini chocolate chips
- 1 cup peanut butter chips
- ½ cup candy coated chocolate
- 1 cup peanuts cand omit or sub another nut
- 14 -ounces sweetened condensed milk
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Melt butter in 9x13-inch pan.
- (Layer ingredients in order listed.)
- Sprinkle graham cracker crumbs over butter.
- Sprinkle coconut over crumbs.
- Sprinkle chocolate chips, peanut butter chips, candy, then nuts.
- Pour one can sweetened condensed milk over all.
- Bake at 350 degrees 25 minutes or until brown and bubbly. Cool completely before cutting.
Nutrition
You can also find great recipes at my recipe index or at Meal Plan Monday or Weekend Potluck
You'll enjoy these too!
Mama Sheila says
Where do you find a 19 by 13 inch pan? Not sure it will even fit in my oven 🙂
Paula says
That should be 9×13 inch pan. Sorry for that. I’ll correct that but I’m having trouble editing right now. Sorry for the delay in responding.
Ali says
oh my..these look delicious!! Adding on to the to-make list!
Slice of Southern says
Love how you made these so easy to make! Thanks for sharing on Southern Sundays. Hope to see you again tomorrow!
We-Made-That.com says
Those just look too yummy and lets be honest I need energy too!
I would love for you to share this on our made for or by kids linky http://wemadethat.blogspot.com/2012/08/we-made-that-linky-2.html
Romi says
Hi.
It sounds very nutritious, and the colorful candy coated chocolate looks like exotic planets. Thanks for sharing a great recipe.
Paula Jones says
I love your blog, I'm following you now as well. The bad thing about this recipe is I sent a little more than half of it to school AND ATE THE REST in TWO days!!! geez – desserts are def my weakness!
Paula Jones says
This is Mom's old recipe and it actually calls for butterscotch chips but my son doesn't like them so I substituted. I also hid the coconut under the other ingredients! 🙂 A Mom's got to do what a Mom's got to do!
Laura says
This is all kinds of awesome!!! I don't “do” peanut butter, but I'll bet butterscotch chips could be subbed easily instead. Marking for my 7 year old's birthday party in *gasp* 6 weeks!!!
Renee C. says
My kids and I are drooling all over the keyboard looking at these! lol Your website is just filled with so many great ideas – I can tell that I'll be a regular visitor! My kids referred to the picture above as candy heaven. 😀
I'm visiting after connecting on Twitter and I'm now following you via email and GFC. Would love for you to visit us and reciprocate if you can. Cheers,
Renee @ http://motherdaughterbookreviews.com
Mom of A and a says
Thanks for linking this to the Mommy Brain Mixer!! Yum…and you're right, that is super-easy!!
heather says
I might just make these this afternoon. YUM!
Jaime Lynn says
Those look amazing!! Need to make some myself now.
Visiting from Mommy Brain Mixer! And new follower. 🙂
– Jaime
mrsmamapanda.blogspot.com