Graham Cracker Cookies

If you’ve heard of magic bars or seven layer cookies, this is the same idea. Melted butter goes in the pan, then layers of graham cracker crumbs, chopped walnuts, chocolate chips, and flaked coconut stack up before a sweetened evaporated milk mixture gets poured over everything. No mixing bowls, no beaters, no creaming butter with sugar.

The evaporated milk and brown sugar combination is what holds it all together. As it bakes, the milk caramelizes and binds the layers into a dense, chewy bar that’s crisp on the edges and gooey in the center. The coconut on top toasts golden brown and adds a crackly texture.

Letting them cool for a full hour before cutting is the hardest part. Cut too early and the bars fall apart. That cooling time lets the caramelized milk set firm enough to hold everything together in clean squares.

Pro Tips

• Stir the brown sugar into the evaporated milk until completely smooth before pouring. Lumps of brown sugar mean uneven sweetness.
• Pour the milk mixture as evenly as possible over the layers. Pooling in one area means some bars are soggy and others are dry.
• Press the graham cracker crumbs firmly into the melted butter to form a solid base. A loose crumb layer crumbles when you cut the bars.
• Line the pan with parchment for easier removal and cleaner cuts.

Variations

• Use butterscotch chips or white chocolate chips instead of semi-sweet chocolate.
• Swap walnuts for pecans or macadamia nuts.
• Add a layer of peanut butter chips between the chocolate and coconut for an extra flavor dimension.