With a peanut butter cookie dough base instead of graham crackers, these Vegan Magic Cookie Bars are wicked-good and have the bonus of being gluten-free.
I’m sure you’ve had versions of these since you were a kid. I know I did. The ones from my childhood were called 7 layer bars or Magic Bars and had loads of butter and sweetened condensed dairy milk. I knew I could make them vegan, but also wanted to eliminate gluten and oil, so the graham cracker base and the (vegan) butter had to go.
If you know me at all, you know that I’m a peanut butter/chocolate fan, so you won’t be surprised that I made the base layer with my Vegan Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Cookie dough.
It almost goes without saying, but I’ll say it anyway. These are NOT appropriate for you if you stick to a strict whole-food, plant-based, low-fat way of eating. They are high in fat and sugar. But, if you allow yourself an occasional wicked vegan oil-free treat…you’re going to love these. And if you take them to parties to share, you won’t get to eat many because they’ll be gobbled up quickly.
Okay, if you are still with me and like to see step by step instructions with pictures, read on!
First, make a batch of my Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Cookies. Leave out the chocolate chips (or don’t) because there are lots in the other part of this recipe.
Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees.
In an 8″x8″ square baking pan, lined with parchment, press the dough in an even layer. Poke it with a fork all over.
In a mixing bowl, add the coconut, sweetened condensed milk, and chocolate chips. Mix well. (By the way, I wasn’t thrilled with this brand of sweetened condensed coconut milk. I much prefer Nature’s Charm brand, but Amazon was sluggish during the pandemic and this was the only brand I could get in time.)
Spread the coconut mixture over the cookie dough layer. Press it in a bit.
If you are using nuts, spread them over the top evenly and press them in a bit.
Pop it into the oven and bake for 50 minutes until bubbly all over and golden.
Let it cool. I mean it…let it cool! If it is warm you will have trouble cutting it nicely and you’ll have to keep licking all the gooey, melty, chocolatey, caramelly goodness off of the knife and your cut bars will look like a child made them. And then you’ll have to make another batch to take to the party. Ask me how I know this.
The best way to cool it is to let it sit until the pan no longer feels warm. Then lift it out of the pan with the parchment paper and place it on a wire rack to continue to cool completely. You might need to loosen the corners if your parchment didn’t cover them. It’s easy, really.
Once it is completely cool, lift it onto a cutting board and cut into desired sized pieces.
You’ll probably need to test one…
Oops…maybe I didn’t cool them completely…
Store in an airtight container. They freeze well. And they can be eaten frozen, so don’t think that putting them in the freezer will keep you from eating them. Willpower is your only hope.
- 1 batch Vegan Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Cookie dough Link to recipe in Notes
- 1-1/2 cups non-dairy chocolate chips I use Enjoy brand
- 1 1/2 cups flaked unsweetened coconut
- 11-14 oz sweetened condensed coconut milk I prefer Nature's Charm brand
- 1 cup chopped nuts (walnuts, pecans, etc) optional
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Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.
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Make a batch of the Vegan Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Cookies. I omit the chocolate chips because there are lots in the rest of the recipe, but feel free to leave them in if you want LOTS of chocolate.
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Line an 8"x8" baking pan with parchment. This makes getting them out of the pan much easier.
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Press the cookie dough into the bottom of the pan. Poke holes all over with a fork.
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In a mixing bowl, add the shredded coconut, chocolate chips, and condensed coconut milk. Stir well.
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Pour the coconut mixture onto the cookie dough layer and press to edges.
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If using nuts, sprinkle evenly over the coconut mixture and press them in a bit.
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Bake for about 50 minutes or until bubbly all over and golden.
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Remove from oven and cool on a rack until the pan is no longer warm.
Loosen corners and lift with parchment paper onto the cooling rack.
Let cool completely. Transfer to a cutting board and cut into desired sized pieces.
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Store in an airtight container.
They freeze well and can be eaten directly out of the freezer or thawed if you can wait.
Here's the link to the cookie dough base. https://yourmomsvegan.com/recipes/vegan-chocolate-chip-peanut-butter-cookies
Yummy!