These Christmas magic cookie bars have a gingersnap crust with dried cranberries, white chocolate chips, and pistachios. They’re sweet and chewy thanks to the sweetened condensed milk, and the perfect treat for your last-minute holiday baking.
I think most people have tried magic cookie bars (also known as 7-layer bars). They’re those delicious bars with a graham cracker crust, coconut, chocolate chips, nuts and a can of sweetened condensed milk poured over the top. So with Christmas just around the corner, I decided to make a holiday version.
These Christmas magic cookie bars are filled with holiday flavors thanks to the gingerbread crust, white chocolate, dried cranberries and pistachios. The bars are chewy with a ton of texture from the coconut and nuts. They’re definitely a sweet dessert, but the gingerbread crust really helps to balance out the flavor.
The gingersnap crust is made with crushed ginger wafers, brown sugar, and melted butter. I typically use store-bought gingersnaps/ginger wafers because you want cookies that are hard and crunchy as opposed to soft.
Over top of the crust, you’ll pour a can of sweetened condensed milk. Then the toppings get sprinkled on: chocolate chips, white chocolate chips, pistachios, dried cranberries, and shredded coconut. Then the bars go in the oven to bake.
Magic cookie bars are also great because they’re infinitely adaptable.
- Instead of the gingersnap base, make it with shortbread. Use 2 ¾ cup shortbread cookie crumbs and 6 tablespoons unsalted butter.
- Use chopped pecans or walnuts instead of pistachios.
- Any variety of chocolate chips or chocolate chunks works perfectly.
I love making these magic cookie bars because they’re so simple and have incredible texture. The gingersnap crust really makes them perfect for Christmas, and the addition of cranberries and pistachios makes the flavor even better.
Easy, festive, and filled with so many toppings – these Christmas magic cookie bars are hard to beat. Make them with some easy chocolate fudge, shortbread cookies, and peanut butter marshmallow squares for the perfect, easy holiday cookie tray.
Christmas Magic Cookie Bars
Ingredients
- 3 cups gingersnap cookie crumbs
- 3 tablespoons brown sugar
- ½ cup unsalted butter
- 1 14 oz can sweetened condensed milk
- 1 cup chocolate chips
- 1 cup white chocolate chips
- 1 cup dried cranberries
- ½ cup shelled pistachios
- 2 cups shredded coconut sweetened or unsweetened
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350F degrees. Line a 9x13 inch pan with parchment paper, or line with aluminum foil and lightly grease.
- In a large bowl stir together the gingersnap crumbs and brown sugar.
- Stir in the melted butter.
- Press the mixture into the bottom of the pan.
- Pour the sweetened condensed milk over the gingersnap crust.
- Sprinkle the chocolate chips, white chocolate chips, dried cranberries, pistachios and shredded coconut over top.
- Bake in the oven for 30 minutes, or until the top looks golden and set.
- Let the bars cool fully, then lift them out of the pan using the parchment/ foil overhang and place on a cutting board. Slice into bars.
Notes
Nutrition
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