Name: Seven Layer Bars
Total time: PLACEHOLDER
Ingredients: 1 cup plain toffee bits; 12 whole graham crackers; 8 tablespoons unsalted butter (1 stick), melted; 8 ounces (227 grams) milk chocolate , chopped coarse; 1 cup (1 ounce/28 grams) Rice Krispies; 1 cup toasted pecans , chopped coarse; 1 cup (6 ounces/170 grams) semisweet chocolate chips; 1 cup (2 ounces/57 grams) sweetened flaked coconut , toasted; 2 (14-ounce) cans sweetened condensed milk; 1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Why This Recipe Works

Seven Layer Bars recipes are loaded with ingredients that fight for the spotlight instead of working cohesively to create a great bar cookie. To improve our recipe’s flavor and texture, we toasted the coconut and nuts. We added extra chocolate flavor by drizzling melted milk chocolate over the Seven Layer Bars’ hot crust, and prebaked the crust to develop its crisp texture. Toffee bits also added a buttery and salty flavor to the crust. UPDATE: This recipe has been slightly reformulated to be more foolproof since its initial publication. The revision you see here was published in June of 2020.

Before You Begin

Toast the coconut and pecans separately on a baking sheet in a 350-degree oven until golden-5 minutes for the coconut and 8 minutes for the pecans. We developed this recipe using a metal baking pan.

Instructions

Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease 13 by 9-inch baking pan. Make parchment paper sling by folding 1 long sheet of parchment 13 inches wide and laying across width of pan, with extra parchment hanging over edges of pan. Push parchment into corners and up sides of pan, smoothing parchment flush to pan. Grease parchment. Process toffee bits in food processor to fine powder. Add graham crackers and process to fine crumbs. Transfer mixture to bowl and stir in butter. Press mixture firmly into prepared baking pan. Bake until beginning to brown, 10 to 12 minutes.

Remove pan from oven, sprinkle crust with milk chocolate, and allow chocolate to soften, about 2 minutes. Using spatula, smooth chocolate into even layer. Scatter Rice Krispies over chocolate, pressing to adhere. Add layers of pecans, chocolate chips, and coconut, in that order, pressing each layer to adhere. Combine condensed milk and vanilla in small bowl and pour over coconut.

Bake until golden brown all over, 30 to 35 minutes. Let cool on wire rack, about 2 hours. Using parchment overhang, lift bars from pan and cut into 45 squares. (The bars can be stored in airtight container for up to 3 days.)