Hello Dolly Bars Recipe (2024)

  • Recipes
  • Recipes By Course
  • Desserts
  • Dessert Bars

Also known as "seven-layer bars" and "magic cookies" these gooey treats combine coconut, chocolate chips, pecans, and a graham cracker base.

By

Carrie Vasios Mullins

Hello Dolly Bars Recipe (1)

Carrie Vasios Mullins

Carrie Vasios Mullins is the former national editor at Serious Eats, with a focus on all things sweet.

Learn about Serious Eats'Editorial Process

Updated January 06, 2023

Trending Videos

Hello Dolly Bars Recipe (2)

Why It Works

  • The graham cracker crumb crust, nuts, chocolate, and coconut flakes are soaked with condensed milk, which intensifies and caramelizes in the oven, resulting in a rich flavor and a moist, chewy texture.
  • The recipe is very forgiving and can be changed to use nuts, dried fruits, or chocolate chips of your choosing.

I think it's pretty cool how much linguistic variation exists across this large country of ours. Of course, I assume that the way I say things is the right way, while others are using cute regional dialects. Doesn't it just make sense to wait in line, drink soda, eat submarine sandwiches, sit on the couch, wear a bathing suit, put on sunscreen, and pick pennies off the sidewalk?

It doesn't even take someone from Seattle talking to someone from Savannah to spot the differences. Case in point: these bars. I made them as a treat on the day that two friends came to visit. When they arrived, I pulled them out of the fridge and offered them each a Hello Dolly bar. My friend from Long Island looked at them quizzically and finally said, "Oh, you mean magic cookies."

I wasn't surprised—I knew that these bar cookies are also commonly called "seven-layer bars," especially in the South. I knew them as Hello Dolly bars because that's what they were called at Magnolia Bakery 15 plus years ago when I would occasionally get them as an after-school snack. Whatever their proper name, they're easy as pie to make and incredibly delicious.

The base is a graham cracker crust. That's topped with a layer of chocolate chips and pecans, followed by lots of sweetened shredded coconut (don't think of going with unsweetened here, that's not the style of these bars.) The whole thing is drizzled with condensed milk.

A few tips: First, you can basicallymix and match any kind of nut and chip that you like. Butterscotch chips? White chocolate chips? Add them right in. Like walnuts better than pecans? Go right ahead. I do find that slightly softer, fattier nuts (think pecans, walnuts, cashews) work better than harder ones like almonds or peanuts. Second,refrigerate the bars. One of the best parts of these bars is how, when you bite in, the condensed milk kind of oozes out of little pockets. But if you add that to melting chocolate, it becomes a gooey mess that's just as hard to eat as it is to cut. These don't lose anything by being cold, and in fact I think they taste better after a day or two in the fridge. And last, the positioning of the coconut is a strategic one. I like to add it on top so that the bars get a visually appealing toasted coconut topping. If you put the coconut in the middle it won't toast and the bars will have a more rustic look, but the filling will be slightly more cohesive. It's your call.

All in all, given that these take about five minutes to throw together and 30 minutes to bake, I think we can all agree to call them our next afternoon snack.

May 2013

Recipe Details

Hello Dolly Bars Recipe

Prep10 mins

Cook30 mins

Active10 mins

Chilling Time30 mins

Total70 mins

Serves12 servings

Makes12 bars

Ingredients

  • 16 tablespoons (2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted

  • 3 cups (about a 13 1/2 ounce box) graham cracker crumbs

  • 2 cups (about 12 ounces) dark or semisweet chocolate chips

  • 2 cups (about 8 ounces) pecans, roughly chopped

  • 3 cups sweetened shredded coconut flakes

  • 1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk

Directions

  1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Combine melted butter and graham cracker crumbs in a bowl until thoroughly combined. Press evenly into bottom of baking dish.

  2. Top crust with chocolate chips, followed by pecans and finally coconut. Drizzle with condensed milk. Bake until any crust visible is golden brown and coconut begins to toast, about 30 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool completely. To cut easily, let sit in refrigerator for at least 1 hour before serving. Cut into 12 bars. Bars can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days, though especially if your kitchen runs hot, they are safest kept in the fridge.

Special Equipment

13- by 9-inch baking dish

Read More

  • Double Chocolate Magic Bars
  • Dessert Bars
  • Chocolate
  • Coconut
  • Pecans
  • Christmas Cookies
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
732Calories
49g Fat
72g Carbs
9g Protein

×

Nutrition Facts
Servings: 12
Amount per serving
Calories732
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 49g63%
Saturated Fat 24g121%
Cholesterol 56mg19%
Sodium 219mg10%
Total Carbohydrate 72g26%
Dietary Fiber 6g23%
Total Sugars 53g
Protein 9g
Vitamin C 1mg7%
Calcium 172mg13%
Iron 3mg14%
Potassium 463mg10%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

Hello Dolly Bars Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What are Hello dollies made of? ›

The base is a graham cracker crust. That's topped with a layer of chocolate chips and pecans, followed by lots of sweetened shredded coconut (don't think of going with unsweetened here, that's not the style of these bars.) The whole thing is drizzled with condensed milk.

How do you make dollies? ›

directions
  1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit.
  2. Spread melted butter in a 9 x 13 pan.
  3. Sprinkle with graham crumbs.
  4. Add the nuts, chips and coconut, sprinkling evenly over crumbs.
  5. Cover all with condensed milk.
  6. Bake for 25 minutes.
  7. Allow to cool and cut into squares.

How many calories in a dolly bar? ›

Calories in Hello Dolly Bars
Calories241.6
Total Fat22.7 g
Saturated Fat5.9 g
Polyunsaturated Fat2.5 g
Monounsaturated Fat1.7 g
8 more rows

Who invented seven layer bars? ›

These 'magic' cookies have a 'rich' history too. While they are credited to Eagle Brand milk, they were the brain-child of Gail Borden.

What is the source material for Hello Dolly? ›

Hello, Dolly! is a 1964 musical with lyrics and music by Jerry Herman and a book by Michael Stewart, based on Thornton Wilder's 1938 farce The Merchant of Yonkers, which Wilder revised and retitled The Matchmaker in 1954.

What material are dollies made of? ›

When the time has come to purchase dollies, whether for moving heavy equipment or lighter items, most buyers are able to choose between wooden models and steel alternatives.

What are the ingredients in Cherry Dilly bar? ›

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet. INGREDIENTS: REDUCED FAT ICE CREAM: MILK FAT AND NONFAT MILK, SUGAR, WHEY, CORN SYRUP, CAROB BEAN GUM, GUAR GUM, CARRAGEENAN, MONO & DIGLYCERIDES, ARTIFICIAL FLAVOR, CARAMEL COLOR, VITAMIN A PALMITATE.

How many calories are in a one bar? ›

Each ONE Bar provides 210-230 calories, 22-27 grams of carbs, and 7-9 grams of fat, depending on the flavor.

Where did seven layer dip originate? ›

A seven-layer dip is an American appetizer based on ingredients typical of Tex-Mex cuisine. The first widely published recipe (1981, Family Circle magazine) called it Tex-Mex Dip without reference to any layers. The dish was popular in Texas for some time before the recipe first appeared in print.

What are dolly mixtures made of? ›

Ingredients. INGREDIENTS: Sugar, Glucose Syrup, Water, Beef Gelatine, Maize Starch, Palm Oil, Flavourings, Citric Acid, Fat Reduced Cocoa Powder, Colours (Anthocyanins, Chlorophylls, Beetroot Red, Plain Caramel, Lutein, Paprika Extract), Safflower Concentrate, Spirulina Concentrate.

What are dolly tubs made of? ›

The earliest tubs were made of wood with iron bands; but by the late 1800s, metal dolly tubs were made and widely used because they were much lighter and easier to clean than the wood tubs. A central dolly peg was held and turned vigorously to agitate the water and clothes for cleaning.

What are corn dollies made from? ›

The figures were widely described as corn dollies, they were large sculptural structures made from spiral straw plait. It should be noted that in the mid 1950s there were farm labourers in other parts of the country also making and often selling their straw work and calling them corn dollies.

What muscles do Hello dollies work? ›

How to do: Hello Dolly
  • Primary Muscle Groups: Lower Abs.
  • Secondary Muscle Groups: Hip Flexors.
  • Categories: Bodyweight.

References

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Article information

Author: Rev. Porsche Oberbrunner

Last Updated:

Views: 5581

Rating: 4.2 / 5 (73 voted)

Reviews: 80% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Rev. Porsche Oberbrunner

Birthday: 1994-06-25

Address: Suite 153 582 Lubowitz Walks, Port Alfredoborough, IN 72879-2838

Phone: +128413562823324

Job: IT Strategist

Hobby: Video gaming, Basketball, Web surfing, Book restoration, Jogging, Shooting, Fishing

Introduction: My name is Rev. Porsche Oberbrunner, I am a zany, graceful, talented, witty, determined, shiny, enchanting person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.