These cookies are like magic bars but in cookie form. They are easy to make and need only four ingredients. The cookies are done in less than 20 minutes including baking time. They are also easy to customize to suit your personal preferences. The cookies store well and are good for gifting or bringing to an event.
These magic cookies are a fun way to enjoy magic bars but without all the preparation. Magic bars are a fun treat because there’s usually a little something for almost everyone to enjoy. These cookies are just as tasty and you can customize them with your favorite ingredients from magic bars.
Ingredients
- Unsweetened coconut flakes
- Condensed milk
- Graham crackers
- Chocolate chips
Unsweetened coconut flakes: I recommend using coconut flakes instead of shredded coconut. It will give your cookies a better appearance. Shredded coconut can be used but your cookies will end up looking more like coconut macarons. I also recommend unsweetened coconut because the cookies are already quite sweet.
Condensed milk: This recipe uses full fat sweetened condensed milk. I think it should also work with coconut condensed milk if you need a dairy-free alternative, but the cookies will spread more with coconut condensed milk. Condensed milk is used to bind all the ingredients.
Graham crackers: Instead of crust made of graham crackers, this recipe adds crumbled graham crackers to the cookie dough.
Chocolate chips: You can use dark chocolate, semisweet, milk or white chocolate chips. I usually use semisweet though the ones in the pictures are made with milk chocolate chips.
Magic bars usually also contain chopped nuts, however they are optional. Since I am recipe testing for the cookie gifting, I wanted to make these nut-free as I have several family members with nut allergies. However, you can add chopped nuts to the mix if you want.
You can also customize these cookies further. If you don’t like graham crackers, you can leave them out. If you don’t like chocolate chips, you can leave them off. If you like a lot of chocolate, you can use more than one kind of chocolate. You need coconut and condensed milk to form the base for these cookies, but the rest of the ingredients are easy to customize.
What are Magic Cookies
Magic cookies are a cookie made from the ingredients used in magic bars (also known as 7-layer bars and Hello Dolly Bars). The cookies are chewy, sweet and crunchy.
How to Make Magic Cookies
Add all the ingredients into a large bowl and mix until everything is evenly combined. Use a 1/4 cup measuring cup to measure out the cookie dough. Once the dough is released onto the cookie sheet, try your best to compact the mixture so that the ingredients will bind together during baking. You also want to shape your mixture to be like a thick round cookie. The mixture will spread slightly during baking but will mainly stay the same form so shape the cookies how you want the final results to be.
The cookies are then ready to be baked. They need about 13 minutes in the oven and once they are cool, they are ready to eat.
More Fun Cookie Recipes
- 4 Ingredient Melting Moments
- 3 Ingredient Chocolate Meltaway Cookies
- 2 Ingredient Brownie Cookies
- 4 Ingredient Thumbprint Cookies
4 Ingredient Magic Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups (90 g) unsweetened coconut flakes
- 1/2 cup (118ml/4oz) sweetened full fat condensed milk
- 2 sheets (31 g) graham crackers lightly crushed to pieces the size of chocolate chips (see note)
- 1 cup (160 g) chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Line a large baking sheet with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper.
- Add all ingredients to a large mixing bowl. Mix with a spatula until evenly combined and everything is evenly coated in condensed milk.
- Using a 1/4 cup measuring cup, measure 1/4 cup of the cookie dough. Then pack the dough in with spatula. Turn the measuring cup upside down and shake or tap the measuring cup against the cookie sheet a few times so that the cookie mixture releases onto the cookie sheet. Repeat with remaining cookie dough, spacing each cookie at least 1 inch apart.
- Use your hands to compact the dough so that the ingredients are tightly packed. If you hands gets too sticky, wash them clean before moving onto the next cookie. Packing the dough will help ensure that everything binds together during baking. Also use your hands to shape the cookies into thick round disks. The cookies do not spread much during baking so shape the cookies how you want the final outcome to be.
- Bake cookies for about 13-15 minutes or until tops are a light golden brown. Let cookies cool fully before removing and eating.
Notes
- To crush the graham crackers, you can either crush them between your fingers or crush them with a rolling pin. You want the graham cracker pieces to be roughly the size of chocolate chips.
- I recommend using unsweetened coconut flakes for this recipe. I used Bob's Red Mill unsweetened coconut flakes. While you can make the cookies with shredded coconut, the cookies will not have the same appearance.
- These cookies can be made smaller. I have also made them using a 1.5 tbsp cookie scoop. You will need to reduce the bake time if you make them smaller.
- You can use dark, semisweet, milk or white chocolate or a mix of chocolate.
- Inspired by recipe from Kalejunkie.
Nutrition
The nutrition information provided are only estimates based on an online nutritional calculator. I am not a certified nutritionist. Please consult a professional nutritionist or doctor for accurate information and any dietary restrictions and concerns you may have.
All recipes look great!
Thanks so much!
I have made one of your recipes with peanut butter. Delishish! I freeze them in threes. I intend to try this recipe. I love hello dollies, and this recipe looks so easy.
Your recipes are so quick and easy. Thank you for sharing with us.
Alma
We’re so glad you are enjoying the recipes!
What are the nutritional stats on these cookies and calories?
All of the nutrition info is at the bottom of the recipe card (before the comments section).
Made this but used chocolate chips, cereal marshmallows (I only find these at big lots) and graham crackers for a smore version. Oh my goodnesss they didn’t make it to our get together. My boys demolished them.
Love those adjustments! We’re so glad they were a hit with your boys 🙂
Can these cookies be frozen?
We haven’t tried freezing them, but it should be okay.
The recipe for cake flour cookies doesn’t give measurements on how much powdered sugar or the butter? Please help.
For these magic cookies you don’t need cake flour, powdered sugar, or butter – are you asking about another recipe? For all of our recipes, you can find ingredient amounts in the recipe cards located at the end of each post. Hope that helps!
I made these cookies. They did not disappoint.
Easy to make and held their form during cooking.
Taste fantastic.
Filed among my favorites
I’m glad you liked them!
I am wondering if they can be frozen. Am planning to bake for Christmas. Thank you
We haven’t tried freezing them, but it should be okay to do that.
How many graham cracker squares would equal 31 grams?
There are usually four graham crackers per sheet and we use two sheets (8 graham crackers totatl).
This sounds good
Have you ever made these with the addition of nuts? When I make magic bars in the pan I always include pecans and am wondering if I could add them in here too.
Regardless, excited to try these!
As discussed in the post, yes you can add nuts and we have added them as well. We left them out for this version since there are a lot of people with nut allergies.
Loved it but would love a video of the recipes
Thanks for the suggestion!
Can’t wait to try these! Hoping to make a few batches for the holidays… Can they be made ahead & frozen?
We haven’t tried freezing them but it should be okay.
I love easy delicious desertsand treats
We do, too! We hope you try some of the recipes soon.
I LOVE simple, simply delicious dessert recipes
Yummo
Thanks!
If you don’t use graham crackers, what do you substitute in for them?
You don’t need to substitute anything for them, you can just leave them out. Or you can add nuts instead which will add a similar texture.
Saw several recipes I caught my attention
I want to try some
We hope you do!
Do you mean two sleeves of graham crackers or just two slices??
2 sheets of graham crackers as stated in the recipe. Graham crackers are usually in sheets with 4 crackers on each sheet that you need to break up to get the individual crackers