Okay, here’s my blog post about making magic cookie bars without graham crackers, written in a casual, personal style:
So, I had this HUGE craving for magic cookie bars the other day. You know, those layered treats with all the good stuff – chocolate, coconut, nuts, and that sweet, gooey condensed milk holding it all together? The problem? I was completely out of graham crackers. And honestly, sometimes I find graham crackers a little… boring. I wanted something with more oomph!
I started rummaging through my pantry, determined to make this happen. I found a box of shortbread cookies and thought, “Why not?”. I mean, shortbread is buttery and crumbly, which sounded like a pretty good base to me.
My No-Graham-Cracker Experiment
First, I grabbed my 9×13 inch baking pan and lined the bottom and all four sides with parchment paper. I use the parchment paper to get the cookie out of the baking pan easily after baking.
Then, I took those shortbread cookies (about a package and a half) and crushed them up. You can use a food processor, but I just put them in a big Ziploc bag and went at it with a rolling pin. It’s kind of therapeutic, you know? I made sure to wearing my fingertip protector. It helps a lot for protecting my nails when crushing cookies.
Next, I melted a stick of butter (because everything is better with butter, right?) and mixed it with the shortbread crumbs. I pressed this mixture into the bottom of my prepared pan, making sure it was nice and even.
Then came the fun part – the layers! I sprinkled on a layer of semi-sweet chocolate chips, followed by a layer of shredded coconut. I love the texture of coconut, so I was pretty generous with it. I also have added some milk chocolate before. This time, I did not, just because I wanted a slight bitterness to balance the sweetness of everything else.
After that, I added a layer of chopped walnuts. You could use pecans or any other nuts you like, or even leave them out completely if you’re not a nut person. Then, I poured a can of sweetened condensed milk evenly over the top. The key here is to make sure it gets into all the nooks and crannies.
I popped the pan into a preheated oven at 350°F (175°C) and baked it for about 25-30 minutes. You want the edges to be golden brown and the middle to be set, but still a little gooey.
- Shortbread cookies Crushed. About 1.5 packages.
- Butter One stick, melted.
- Semi-sweet chocolate chips One layer.
- Shredded coconut Generously sprinkled.
- Chopped walnuts One layer.
- Sweetened condensed milk One can, poured evenly.
The hardest part? Waiting for it to cool! I let it sit for at least an hour before cutting it into squares. It’s much easier to cut when it’s cooled down a bit.
And let me tell you, these were AMAZING. The shortbread crust was buttery and slightly salty, which perfectly complemented the sweetness of the other layers. They were a total hit! I’ll definitely be making these again, and maybe next time I’ll try a different kind of cookie for the crust. Maybe Oreos? The possibilities are endless!
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