In today’s post: This update on the classic seven layer bar recipe includes pretzels, M&Ms, and a sprinkle of sea salt on top!
Today’s recipe is a twist on an easy classic: Magic Cookie Bars. Now, I’m guessing you’ve had a magic cookie bar before – but it might have been called something else. Magic cookie bars are a layered treat that’s SUPER easy to make. They start with graham cracker crumbs and butter, and then are topped with a variety of ingredients like chocolate chips, butterscotch chips, coconut, and nuts. Sweetened condensed milk goes over everything, and all these layers “magically” bake up into a cookie bar: hence the name.
BUT you may know them by a different name. They’re often called seven layers bars (because of the seven standard ingredients). I’ve also heard them called Hello Dolly bars – anyone know why they got that name?
Pretzels + M&Ms
No matter what you call them, they’re easy to put together and taste great. My only complaint is that they can be a little bit too sweet. So I decided to swap out a few ingredients to make a saltier version starring pretzels + M&Ms. Still super easy to make, just a slightly different flavor profile.
We throw some crushed pretzels in with the graham cracker crumbs to give the buttery crust a salty twist, then layer more pretzels in under the chocolate chips. I used M&Ms instead of the butterscotch chips and coconut, then added a sprinkle of sea salt after baking.
Pretzel M&M Magic Bars
Ingredients
- 1.5 cups Graham Cracker Crumbs from 11 graham cracker sheets
- 1/2 cup Crushed Pretzels from 1 cup pretzel snaps
- 10 tablespoons Butter
- 1.5 cups Pretzel Snaps
- 1 can Sweetened Condensed Milk 14 oz
- 1 cup Chocolate Chips
- 1 cup Mini M&Ms
- Coarse salt optional
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Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- Crush 11 sheets graham crackers to yield 1.5 cups crumbs. Crush 1 cup pretzels to yield 1/2 cup crumbs. Combine and place in a 9×13 baking dish. Melt the butter and pour over the crumbs. Stir with a fork to combine, and then press down in an even layer.
- Place pretzels in a single layer over the crust, using about 1.5 cups or whatever is needed to cover the crust.
- Pour sweetened condensed milk over the pretzels, pouring and spreading it to evenly cover the whole pan.
- Sprinkle chocolate chips and M&Ms over the condensed milk, and press down gently.
- Bake for approximately 25 minutes until lightly browned. After removing from the oven, sprinkle with coarse salt if desired. Cool completely before serving.
Deborah Buehler says
Very like my Grandma’s “Ellen Bars”, which were aka magic cookie bars. But these don’t use the coconut and they have this sweet and salty flavor! I first tasted a version at my mother-in-law’s funeral lunch and scoured the Internet until I found this recipe! Love, love, love!
Peggy says
Very tast