These Caramel Coconut Magic Bars are an irresistible cookie bar, perfect for any party or family gathering. They’re made with a layer of oatmeal cookie bars, coconut filling, caramel drizzle, melted chocolate chips, and another layer of oatmeal cookie topping.
What makes these magic bars so special is the combination of textures and flavors in every bite. They bake up perfectly, slice neatly, and are ooey gooey and delicious, the perfect cookie bar recipe.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Layers! The combination of oat cookie crust, rich caramel, coconut and chocolate is pure magic!
- Perfect for Sharing. Makes a big batch and slices beautifully for parties, bake sales and family gatherings.
- Easy to Make. No need to bake endless trays of cookies- just layer, bake, and cut into bars.
Coconut Caramel Magic Bars Recipe
Don’t be intimidated by these layered caramel coconut magic cookie bars. These are actually really easy, especially with a couple of shortcuts that can help the process go even quicker.
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Bar cookies are definitely the way to go when you need a delicious cookie and you don’t want to bake batches. I love this option for holiday baking or whenever I need a dessert for a crowd.
Key Ingredients
- Butter – make sure your butter is softened at room temperature or by slowly warming the in the microwave.
- Light Brown Sugar – I like the flavor of the brown sugar as well as the chewy texture.
- Old Fashioned Rolled Oats – make sure to use old fashioned rolled oats as opposed to instant oats or steel cut oats.
- All-Purpose Flour – any kind of all purpose flour will work great.
- Baking Soda – this keeps the cookie layer soft and chewy.
- Shredded Coconut – you will need a 14 oz bag of sweetened shredded coconut. You can toast the coconut to bring out the flavor even more.
- Sweetened Condensed Milk – you will need a 14 oz can for this recipe.
- Coconut Extract – just a little bit will give a major boost in flavor to the coconut layer.
- Caramel Sauce – you can use caramel candies for the caramel layer or a caramel sauce such as Mrs. Richardson’s brand. If you use the caramel candies, we’ll show you below how to melt them in the microwave. If you plan to use Mrs. Richardson’s, you will use about 2/3 of the jar. Save the rest for an ice cream Sunday!
- Chocolate Chips – I personally love Guittard Milk Chocolate Chips but any other kind will work.
How to Make Caramel Coconut Magic Bars
- Make the oat cookie mixture. In a mixing bowl, cream together the room temperature butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Stir in the oats, flour, baking soda, salt and vanilla extract. Stir until all the ingredients are combined and slightly crumbly.
- Bake for 8 minutes. Pat 3/4 of the oatmeal cookie mixture into a 12 x 17″ baking pan. Set the remaining cookie dough aside. Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for about 8 minutes and then remove from the oven and let cool.
- Melt the caramels. Melt caramel candies by unwrapping, placing into a microwave safe bowl with 1 teaspoon of evaporated milk, and heating on 50% power for 1 minute. Stir, then heat again for 30 seconds on 50% power and repeat until completely melted.
- Mix the coconut layer. In a medium-sized mixing bowl, combine the shredded coconut, sweetened condensed milk, and coconut extract. Stir until combined.
- Assemble the layers. When the cookie bars have baked for 8 minutes, take them out of the oven. Drop the coconut mixture in small spoonfuls, or with your hands evenly on the baking sheet. Drizzle the caramel on the coconut layer, sprinkle the chocolate chips on the caramel layer, then sprinkle the remaining 1/4 of the cookie mixture on the top.
- Bake the magic bars again. Return to the oven to bake for an additional 20-22 minutes, or until the edges are barely golden brown.
- Cool and serve. Let the cookie bars cool to room temperature before cutting and serving. Enjoy!
Tips For the Best Magic Bars
- Use old-fashioned oats for the best chewy texture in the crust and topping.
- Line your baking pan with parchment for easy removal and cutting.
- Cool bars completely before slicing; the caramel will set, and bars will hold their shape if they are cooled and even a little chilled.
- Store the cookie bars in the fridge for up to 5 days or in the freezer for longer storage.
Frequently Asked Questions
I used Guittard Chocolate chips in this recipe. They are the biggest and creamiest chocolate chips I can find. You can certainly use dark chocolate chips or even white chocolate chips. Basically, you really can’t go wrong here.
These Coconut Magic Bars are basically 7 layer bars, just without that 7th layer. If you added one more layer, such as slivered almonds, they would be.
Yes! Just let them cool completely then transfer to a freezer bag or another airtight container and store frozen for up to 3 months. Side note: they also taste great straight out of the freezer.
Recipe Variations
- Nutty Magic Bars: Add a layer of chopped pecans, almonds, or walnuts for crunch.
- Swap the Chips: Use white, dark, or butterscotch chips instead of (or in addition to) chocolate chips.
- Fruity Twist: Add a leyer of dried cranberries or chopped dried cherries with the coconut layer.
Storing and Freezing
- Storing: Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. This will ensure they are firm in texture. Because of the coconut layer, they tend to be just a little soft.
- Freezer: transfer cooled Magic Bars to freezer bags or another airtight container and freeze for up to 3 months.
- Thaw: Place in the refrigerator for 24 hours for best results.
More Cookie Bar Recipes You’ll Love
Caramel Coconut Magic Bars Recipe
Ingredients
Oatmeal Cookie Bar
- 2 cups butter, room temperature
- 2¼ cups light brown sugar
- 3 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Coconut Mixture
- 14 ounces sweetened shredded coconut
- 1 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk
- 1/2 teaspoon coconut extract
Caramel Layer
- 1 pound caramel candies, melted
- 1 teaspoon evaporated milk
Chocolate Layer
- 16 ounces milk chocolate chips
Instructions
Oatmeal Cookie Bar Layer
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream together the room temperature butter and brown sugar using the paddle attachment until light and fluffy—about 3 minutes. Add the oats, flour, baking soda, salt, and vanilla extract and mix on low speed until combined and slightly crumbly.
- Pat 3/4 of the oatmeal cookie mixture into a 12" x 17" baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Set the remaining cookie dough aside.
- Bake in your preheated oven for about 8 minutes, or until lightly golden brown, and then remove from the oven and let cool.
- In a medium-sized mixing bowl, combine the shredded coconut, sweetened condensed milk, and coconut extract. Stir until combined, then spread evenly over the oatmeal cookie bars.
- Place caramel candies into a microwave safe bowl with 1 teaspoon of evaporated milk and heat on 50% power for 1 minute. Stir, then heat again for 30 seconds on 50% power and repeat until completely melted.
- Drizzle the caramel over the coconut layer, then sprinkle the chocolate chips over the top. Add the remaining 1/4 cups of cookie mixture crumble evenly over the top.
- Return to the oven to bake for an additional 20-22 minutes, or until the edges are barely golden brown.
- Remove from the oven and let the cookie bars cool to room temperature before cutting and serving. Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
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These Coconut Caramel Magic Bars are irresistible! They are oatmeal cookie bars with a layer of coconut filling, caramel drizzle and another layer of oatmeal cookie topping. They are an incredible cookie bar, perfect for any party or family gathering!
Categories:
Christmas, Cookie Bars, Desserts, Holiday Favorites, Nut-Free, Thanksgiving, Vegetarian,
