They’ve been called Hello Dolly Bars, Magic Bars, Seven Layer Bars, and Congo Bars depending on where you grew up and who taught you to make them, but no matter what name they go by in your family, the reaction they get is always exactly the same. These bars have been showing up at church potlucks, holiday cookie exchanges, and family gatherings since at least the 1960s, when Eagle Brand sweetened condensed milk popularized the recipe on their label. The name “Hello Dolly” probably came from the popular Broadway musical of the same era, which gives you a sense of just how long these bars have been delighting people! After all, it’s not hard to see why they’ve stuck around for sixty-plus years: a buttery graham cracker crust layered with a few simple ingredients, all baked into something gooey, golden, and completely irresistible. Some recipes really do stand the test of time.

What Ingredients Do You Need for Hello Dolly Bars?

Just seven simple ingredients that together become something magical. You’ll need:

• Graham cracker crumbs.
• Butter.
• Sweetened condensed milk. (The ingredient that holds everything together and makes these bars so wonderfully gooey.)
• Semisweet chocolate chips.
• Chopped walnuts.
• Shredded coconut. (It toasts up beautifully on top and adds the most wonderful texture!)
• And white chocolate chips. (The finishing touch that adds a creamy sweetness to balance everything out.)

Why are they sometimes called Seven Layer Bars?
Count ’em up and you’ll see why! You’ve got a graham cracker crust, sweetened condensed milk, chocolate chips, walnuts, coconut, white chocolate chips, and a final drizzle of condensed milk on top. Seven layers, one pan, nary a complaint. Whatever you call them, the result is the same: one of the most beloved bar cookies in American baking history.

How Do You Make Hello Dolly Bars?

These are incredibly easy to make, maybe easier than a basic chocolate chip cookie. You don’t need a mixer, any special equipment, and barely any prep time. You just layer and then the oven does the real work, toasting the coconut and melting everything together into those gorgeous, gooey layers. Here’s how you do it:

Start by stirring together the graham cracker crumbs and melted butter, then press that mixture firmly into the bottom of a 9×13 baking dish. Pour half of the sweetened condensed milk evenly over the crust, then layer on the chocolate chips, walnuts, shredded coconut, and white chocolate chips. Gently press everything down into the crust so it all holds together, then drizzle the remaining sweetened condensed milk over the top.

While it bakes, the coconut becomes lightly toasted and the condensed milk “glues” everything together. That means that these are pretty gooey when warm, so the next part is the hardest part — letting them cool completely before slicing. Cut them into bars and prepare to explain yourself for not having made them sooner.