Hello Dolly Cookie Bars are one of my all time favorites at Christmas. I remember my Mother would make these at Christmas time just before I got married in 1972.
She gave me a cookbook "What's Cookin?" at Pine Tree School" compiled by Pine Tree Classroom Teachers Association. This cookbook had the recipe in it along with other recipes that you would call somewhat of classics today, which I consider Hello Dolly Cookies to be. Though the original recipe was called Hello Dolly Cookies, there was another name sometimes used which was called “Magic Cookie Bar.“ The name was different, but the recipe was the same.
What makes this cookie an original is that the original recipe calls for graham cracker crumbs, semi-sweet chocolate, coconut, pecans and sweetened condensed milk. Recipes that have followed throughout the years have changed with adding walnuts, white chocolates, butterscotch chips, etc.
I have kept the tradition going on in my family today. Sometime around a week before Christmas, I will begin to bake cookies for Christmas. You could say I have made "tons" of these cookies since 1972. It is not at all unusual for me to bake several batches of Hello Dolly Cookies throughout the holidays. In fact, there is one member of the family who considers Hello Dolly Cookies to be his favorite cookie in the whole world so they are first on my list to make for the holidays.
Hello Dolly Cookie Bars
Printable Recipe
Ingredients:
- 1 stick butter
1 1/2 cup graham cracker crumbs
2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 1/3 cup sweetened shredded coconut
1 cup coarsely chopped pecans
1 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F or 325 degrees F if you're using a glass baking dish.
Melt butter in a small bowl in the microwave on high for 30 seconds.
Combine graham crackers with the melted butter and place in an 9" x 12" baking dish, patting the crumb mixture down evenly with your hands.
Layer the chocolate chips, coconut, and nuts on top of the graham cracker mix.
Pour the sweetened condensed milk evenly over the entire mixture.
Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until the top is light brown.
Let cool completely before cutting into bars.
