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Whether you know them as 7 Layer Bars, Hello Dolly Bars, or Magic Cookie Bars, you know they are absolutely gooey and delicious. And our Healthy Magic Cookie Bars don’t disappoint. Made with high quality, nutritious ingredients, these magic bars will satisfy your sweet tooth while also nourishing your body.
Try our Homemade Butterfinger Bars next!
Table of Contents
- Why You’ll Love These Magic Cookie Bars
- What makes these magic cookie bars healthy?
- Customize these Magic Cookie Bars
- Ingredients for Magic Cookie Bars
- How to make Magic Cookie Bars:
- Rachel’s Tips for Best Results
- Can I make these ahead of time?
- How to Store Healthy Magic Bars
- Recipe FAQ’s
- Rachel’s Healthy Magic Cookie Bars Recipe
Why You’ll Love These Magic Cookie Bars
Get ready to indulge in a truly magical treat! Rachel’s Magic Cookie Bars will become a family favorite for anyone looking for a delicious, nutritious, and easy-to-make dessert.
- Nutritious Ingredients: What sets this recipe for magic bars apart from other desserts is the careful selection of high-quality ingredients, like unsweetened shredded coconut, high-quality dark chocolate chips, and raw honey. The attention to detail in choosing the best ingredients pays off in the end, resulting in a treat that’s not only delicious but also packed with nutrients.
- Customizable: One of my favorite things about this recipe is the flexibility to customize it to your family’s taste preferences. With this bar recipe, you can add your favorite toppings whether they are dried fruit or bits of dark chocolate.
- Gluten and Dairy Free: In this healthy magic bar recipe, we use almond flour in the crust, and there is absolutely no sweetened condensed milk!
- Natural Sugars: Instead of using sweetened condensed milk, we create a gooey, delicious layer that is similar by mixing together raw honey (or maple syrup if you prefer a vegan choice), almond butter, and coconut milk! I promise, this layer does not disappoint!
Try out some of our other deliciously healthy bar recipes like Chocolate Zucchini Bars, Nutty Cranberry Granola Bars, or No-Bake Pumpkin Protein Bars.
What makes these magic cookie bars healthy?
The high quality ingredients used in these bars is what truly makes them a healthier version of the original magic cookie bars. Not only that, but they are gluten free and dairy free. Here are the high-quality ingredients we like to use:
Shredded Coconut: Make sure your shredded coconut is unsweetened. I really love the “Let’s Do Organic” brand of shredded coconut.
Chocolate: Use any dark chocolate chips of your choice: the higher cacao percentage = more health benefits. Look for a higher percentage of cacao for the chocolate chips and always read the ingredients.
Natural Sugar: Instead of processed sugars, we use raw honey or maple syrup to sweeten these tasty magic bar cookies. This recipe is free from sugar, artificial sweeteners or any artificial ingredients.
Customize these Magic Cookie Bars
The beauty of these magic bars is that while we have used these particular ingredients, you can actually make them perfect for you. Here are some of the ideas we had:
- Make them Vegan: The switch for making these magic bars vegan is simple; just switch the honey for maple syrup or another of your favorite non-artificial sweeteners.
- Change the Sweetness: 🍯Sweetness factor is a very personal taste preference, so you may want to use more or less raw honey or maple syrup, depending on YOUR family’s specific taste preferences.
- Add Different Toppings: Try these bars with your choice of nuts (pistachios would be amazing!), dried fruit like cranberries or dates, or even a drizzle of your favorite homemade chia seed jam.
Ingredients for Magic Cookie Bars
These are the nutritious ingredients that make these magic cookie bars healthy and delicious.
16 servings
Crust:
- 1 cup almond flour
- 1 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
- 3 Tbsps grass-fed butter, ghee, or unrefined organic coconut oil, melted
- 3 Tbsps raw honey or pure maple syrup
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- pinch of sea salt
Topping:
- 1 can unsweetened coconut milk
- 1/2 cup raw honey or pure maple syrup
- 1/2 cup almond butter
- 1 cup dark chocolate chunks/chips
- 1 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
- 1 cup chopped pecans
How to make Magic Cookie Bars:
Preheat your oven to 350°F and line a 9×9 baking dish with parchment paper.
Step 1. In a medium bowl, combine all of the ingredients for the crust in a bowl and mix it until it resembles wet sand.
Step 2. Transfer the crust mixture into the parchment lined baking dish and press it down firmly, creating an even layer. Bake the crust in your preheated oven for 12-15 minutes or until just slightly golden.
Step 3. Meanwhile, in a saucepan over medium heat, whisk the coconut milk, honey, and almond butter together until smooth. Once the crust is baked, pour this mixture over the crust.
Step 4. Spread the mixture out evenly over the crust, then sprinkle evenly with chocolate chunks/chips, coconut, and pecans.
Step 5. Place in the oven and bake for 30 minutes.
Step 6. Allow your bars to cool completely, then refrigerate overnight before slicing into bars.
Enjoy!
❤️Rachel
Rachel’s Tips for Best Results
- These bars boast an incredible texture and flavor that only gets better after refrigerating overnight, making them perfect for meal prep or planning ahead.
- Use high-quality ingredients to get the most nutrition out of these bars.
Can I make these ahead of time?
Absolutely! As a matter of fact, these cookie bars taste even better once they have had time to cool in the refrigerator overnight. Plus, they are easier to cut! So I actually recommend making them a day or more in advance.
How to Store Healthy Magic Bars
These bars are also incredibly versatile, staying fresh for a week when refrigerated and tightly sealed. You can also freeze them and then let them thaw in the refrigerator when ready to eat.
Recipe FAQ’s
What is another name for magic bars?
Magic bars are often called by different names. Two of the ones I know are Hello Dolly Bars, and 7 Layer Bars.
Should magic cookie bars be refrigerated?
Yes! This is definitely the best way to make them easier to cut into bars, but also develop the delicious flavors!
Are these bars gooey?
Yes! The combination of the honey, coconut milk, and almond butter make these bars just as gooey as the originals!
Looking for more crowd pleasing cookies that are healthy? Then you are going to love these Healthy Homemade Samoa Cookies, Healthy No-Bake Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Cookies, and Cranberry + Double Chocolate Cookies
Rachel’s Healthy Magic Cookie Bars
Ingredients
Crust:
- 1 cup almond flour
- 1 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
- 3 Tbsps grass-fed butter, ghee, or unrefined organic coconut oil, melted
- 3 Tbsps raw honey or pure maple syrup
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- pinch of sea salt
Topping:
- 1 can unsweetened coconut milk
- 1/2 cup raw honey or pure maple syrup
- 1/2 cup almond butter
- 1 cup dark chocolate chunks/chips
- 1 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
- 1 cup chopped pecans
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees f. and line a 9×9 baking dish with parchment paper.
- In a medium bowl, combine all of the ingredients for the crust until it resembles wet sand.
- Transfer to the prepared baking dish and press into a firm, even layer creating a crust. Bake in your preheated oven for 12-15 minutes or until just slightly golden.
- Meanwhile, in a saucepan over medium heat, whisk the coconut milk, honey, and almond butter until smooth.
- Spread this mixture over the crust in the dish, then sprinkle evenly with chocolate chunks/chips, coconut, and pecans.
- Place in the oven and bake for 30 minutes.
- Allow your bars to completely cool, then refrigerate overnight before slicing into bars.
- These bars stay good for a week when refrigerated & tightly sealed.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
