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Coconut Dream Bar Recipe – Making Chocolate Hello Dolly Bars

A coconut dream bar is a decadent bar dessert made in layers. Also called Hello Dolly bars, 7-layer bars, and magic cookie bars, they are always a hit when I take them to potluck dinners.

These layered slices are quick to prepare and incredibly delicious. With their combination of sweetened condensed milk, pecans, chocolate chips, toasted coconut, and a Graham cracker crumb crust, this dessert is sure to please!

I’ve made a few tweaks to the traditional recipe by using chocolate Graham crackers and pecans instead of walnuts. I love how these bars turned out!

Keep reading to learn how to make this sweet dessert recipe.

Coconut dream bars on a white plate with butterscotch chips, pecans, coconut and chocolate chips

Making the coconut dream bars recipe

Assemble your ingredients before you start. This will enable you to put the layers together quickly. 

Chocolate Graham cracker crumbs, semi-sweet chocolate chips, shredded coconut, chopped pecans, butterscotch chips, sweetened condenses milk, sugar and butter on a marble countertop.

You will need these 7 items to make the chocolate butterscotch bars:

  • unsalted butter 
  • semi-sweet chocolate chips
  • sugar
  • sweetened shredded coconut
  • chocolate Graham cracker crumbs
  • sweetened condensed milk 
  • pecans

Lightly grease an 8 x 11-inch baking pan. Preheat your oven to 325° F (163° C).

A collage with a food processor on the left with chocolate Graham crackers and Graham cracker crumbs on the right.

Place the chocolate Graham crackers in a food processor and pulse until you get fine crumbs. The crust will take 3 cups of Graham cracker crumbs. I used about 2 packages of Graham crackers to make 3 cups of crumbs.

A collage with images of cut butter, melted butter, butter pouring over Graham crackers and sugar, and a Graham cracker crumb mixture.

Melt the butter, add it to a mixing bowl, and combine it with the chocolate Graham crackers and sugar. The mixture will be crumbly and gritty.

Chocolate Graham cracker base for a coconut dream bar dessert pressed into a glass baking pan.Use a measuring cup to press the Graham cracker mixture into the bottom of the prepared baking pan.

Next, we will be making the layers for the coconut dream bars. They are incredibly easy to do!

A Graham cracker crumb base with a layer of pecans on top.Sprinkle a layer of chopped pecans over the crust.

A layer of semi-sweet chocolate chips over pecans on a chocolate Graham cracker base.Next, add a layer of semi-sweet chocolate chips.

Butterscotch chips over chocolate chips and pecans on a chocolate Graham cracker base.Now comes the sweet magic! Add a layer of butterscotch chips over the two bottom layers.

Pour over a can of sweetened condensed milk. Spread it evenly so that it covers all the bottom layers.

Sweetened condensed milk over layers of pecans, chocolate chips and butternut chips on a chocolate Graham cracker base.Top the layers with shredded coconut and spread evenly. This will give the magic cookie bars a nice crunchy texture.

Hello Dolly bars in a glass baking dish with shredded coconut over layers of Graham crackers, chocolate chips, nuts and butterscotch chips.

Bake in the preheated oven until the coconut has melted – about 25-30 minutes.

Magic cookie bars in a glass baking dish with coconut, nuts, chocolate chips and butterscotch chips.

Let the dessert cool completely and then cut it into bars and enjoy. Store the magic cookie bars in an airtight container.

Coconut dream bars cut into squares sitting in a pile on a white plate.

This coconut dream bars recipe is rich and choc-lately and the bars have a lovely crunch and delicious taste. They are sweet, decadent, and very hard to resist!

Hand holding a coconut dream bar with a bit taken out of it, in front of a plate of the bars behind.

Share this coconut dream bars recipe on Twitter

If you enjoyed making these Hello Dolly dessert bars, why not share this recipe with a friend? Here is a tweet to get you started:

🍫🥥 These chocolate coconut dream bars are a must-try for any dessert lover. Check it out and let me know what you think! Get the recipe on Recipes Just 4U. #Dessert #Baking #Recipe #HelloDollyBars #Chocolate #Coconut #SweetTreats… Share on X

Pin this recipe for magic cookie bars

Would you like a reminder of this coconut dream bar recipe? Just pin this image to one of your dessert boards on Pinterest so that you can easily find it later.

A stack of coconut dream bars on a white plate with words Coconut Dream Bars - Hello Dolly bars, 7 layer bars, magic cookie bars.

Admin note: this recipe for coconut dream bars first appeared on the blog in November of 2013. I have updated the post to add all new photos, a printable recipe card, and a video for you to enjoy.

Yield: 24

Coconut Dream Bar Recipe

A stack of Hello Dolly bars in a white plate with pecans, coconut, chocolate chips and butterscotch chips.

This coconut dream bar recipe is rich and decadent. Also called Hello Dolly bars recipe, this layered dessert is sure to be a hit at your next potluck gathering!

Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Additional Time 20 minutes
Total Time 55 minutes

Ingredients

  • 3 cups of chocolate Graham cracker crumbs
  • 1/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 3/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
  • 1 cup pecans, chopped
  • 1 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
  • 1 1/2 cups of butterscotch chips
  • 14 ounces of sweetened condensed milk
  • 1 3/4 cups sweetened shredded coconut

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 325º F (163º C).
  2. Grease an 11 x 13" baking pan.
  3. Melt the butter in a microwave-safe bowl.
  4. Combine the chocolate Graham cracker crumbs, sugar, and melted butter. Mix well.
  5. Press the crumb mixture evenly on the bottom of the prepared baking pan.
  6. Add a layer of the chopped pecans.
  7. Pour over the semi-sweet chocolate chips.
  8. Add the butterscotch chips in a layer.
  9. Pour the sweetened condensed milk evenly over the top. Try to cover the layers completely.
  10. Sprinkle the shredded coconut over the top.
  11. Bake for 20-25 minutes.
  12. Place on a wire rack and let cool completely.
  13. Allow to cool completely.
  14. Cut into bars and enjoy.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

24

Serving Size:

1

Amount Per Serving: Calories: 421Total Fat: 23gSaturated Fat: 12gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 9gCholesterol: 23mgSodium: 222mgCarbohydrates: 53gFiber: 3gSugar: 40gProtein: 5g

Nutritional information is approximate due to natural variation in ingredients and the cook-at-home nature of our meals.

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Disclosure of Material Connection: Some of the links in the post above are "affiliate links." This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive a small commission from the sale, but the price is the same for you. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

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