Hello Dolly Classic Bars (Printable format)

Layered bars featuring graham crumbs, chocolate, coconut, nuts, and sweetened milk for a rich, chewy delight.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Crust

01 - 1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
02 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted

→ Layers

03 - 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
04 - 1 cup butterscotch chips (optional)
05 - 1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans
06 - 1 cup sweetened shredded coconut
07 - 1 can (14 ounces) sweetened condensed milk

# Directions:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 9x13-inch baking pan with parchment paper or lightly grease.
02 - Combine graham cracker crumbs with melted butter. Press mixture evenly into bottom of pan.
03 - Sprinkle chocolate chips evenly over crust, add butterscotch chips if using, followed by nuts and shredded coconut.
04 - Pour sweetened condensed milk evenly over all layers to cover completely.
05 - Bake for 23 to 27 minutes until edges turn golden and center is set.
06 - Cool completely in pan. Lift out with parchment paper and cut into 16 bars.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • They're forgiving enough for a nervous baker but decadent enough to impress anyone who tries them.
  • No mixer, no fancy technique—just thoughtful layering and the oven does the real work.
  • They taste even better the next day when the flavors settle into each other.
02 -
  • Don't skip the cooling step—I learned this the messy way when I tried to cut them while still warm and ended up with a beautiful pile of delicious rubble.
  • The parchment paper is your best friend; it lets you lift the whole thing out and cut on a cutting board, giving you clean edges instead of struggling with a spatula in the pan.
03 -
  • Room temperature condensed milk spreads more evenly than cold milk straight from the can—run the unopened can under warm water for a minute if you have time.
  • Don't feel bound by tradition; if you love one ingredient more than another, increase it slightly and decrease something else to compensate.
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