Gingerbread Magic Cookie Bars is a variation of the original Magic Cookie Bars. Gingersnap cookies and orange juice form a crust that’s reminiscent of gingerbread cake. The layers of coconut, white chocolate, cinnamon chips, and toffee chips add a delightful spin to the classic recipe.
My introduction to Magic Cookie Bars occurred during the 1960s. They were present at school parties and church suppers for as long as I can remember. For the longest time, I had no idea what they were called. I just knew I liked them and I always looked for them.
Sometime later, into my adulthood, I noticed those same layered cookie-like thingys that I loved as a child, continued to show up at Christmas parties, cookie exchanges, and church suppers. I tracked down someone who made them and asked if they’d share their recipe.
They were happy to oblige and said me, “I always carry recipes of Magic Cookie Bars anytime I bring them to a party. Somebody always asks me for the recipe.”
It seems I wasn’t the only person intrigued by this magical layered sweet treat.
She offered me a hand-written recipe card. I thanked her, tucked it away in my purse, and forgot about it. Several months later, while going through a purse cleaning binge, I found the recipe card. Upon reading the instructions, I became quite perplexed.
Surely, those fantastic cookie bars are much more difficult to make then these instructions indicate.
I talked myself into believing I was the owner of a recipe card that contained faulty instructions. As a result, I didn’t attempt to make the cookie bars because I was fearful of wasting the ingredients.
Big mistake. BIG mistake.
Finally, after repeated encounters with the Eagle Brand Sweetened Condensed Milk Magic Cookie Bar, I decided it’s high time to get myself schooled. Lo, and behold, I found out the handwritten recipe was right, after all.
Those little cookie bars that are so delicious, descendant, and popular, are called Magic Bars for a reason. Making them is unbelievably uncomplicated.
As a spin on the original cookie bars, I decided to build Gingerbread Magic Cookie Bars. The crust consists of melted butter and gingersnap cookies. The addition of juice and zest from one orange made the crust taste more like gingerbread cake than straight up gingersnap cookies.
Eagle Brand has but two ingredients: milk and sugar. No unrecognizable ingredients and no ingredients that you can’t pronounce. Milk + sugar. That’s it. The ingredient list hasn’t changed since it’s creation by Gail Borden in 1856 and has been the leader in the sweetened condensed milk category for over 147 years. Talk about withstanding the test of time!
Whether you’re new to Magic Cookie Bars or you’ve been enjoying them since elementary school, like me, I hope you’ll give this variation a try. Enjoy all the goodness of gingerbread with the ease of Magic Cookie Bars. Take these to your next cookie exchange and be an unstressed supah stah.
Gingerbread Magic Cookie Bars
preheat oven to 350 degrees
yield: one (9×13) pan
Gingersnap cookies and orange juice form a crust that’s reminiscent of gingerbread cake. The layers of coconut, white chocolate, cinnamon chips, and toffee chips add a delightful spin to the classic Magic Cookie Bar recipe.
12 ounces gingersnap cookies
zest from one small orange (approx. 1 teaspoon)
1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
juice from one small orange (approx. 2 tablespoons)
1 (14 ounce ) can Eagle Brand Sweetened Condensed Milk
1 1/2 cups (approx) sweetened flaked coconut
1 cup (generous) pecans, roughly chopped
8 ounces toffee bits
1 cup premium white chocolate chips
1 cup cinnamon chips
Place gingersnap cookies and orange zest in a food processor. Pulse until finely crumbled. Set aside.
Spray a 9×13 baking pan with non-stick spray. Pour melted butter and orange juice into pan. Stir slightly.
Evenly spread gingersnap crumb mixture over melted butter. Press down evenly with a fork.
Pour Eagle Brand Sweetened Condensed Milk over and spread evenly.
Add next five ingredients in order and evenly distribute each layer.
Bake in a 350 degree preheated oven for 30 minutes.
Remove from oven and gently loosen the edges while still warm.
Chill completely in refrigerator before cutting into squares.
Gingerbread Magic Cookie Bars
Ingredients
- preheat oven to 350 degrees
- yield: one 9x13 pan
- Gingersnap cookies and orange juice form a crust that's reminiscent of gingerbread cake. The layers of coconut white chocolate, cinnamon chips, and toffee chips add a delightful spin to the classic Magic Cookie Bar recipe.
- 12 ounces gingersnap cookies
- zest from one small orange approx. 1 teaspoon
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter melted
- juice from one small orange approx. 2 tablespoons
- 1 14 ounce can Eagle Brand Sweetened Condensed Milk
- 1 1/2 cups approx sweetened flaked coconut
- 1 cup generous pecans, roughly chopped
- 8 ounces toffee bits
- 1 cup premium white chocolate chips
- 1 cup cinnamon chips
Instructions
- Place gingersnap cookies and orange zest in a food processor. Pulse until finely crumbled. Set aside.
- Spray a 9x13 baking pan with non-stick spray. Pour melted butter and orange juice into pan. Stir slightly.
- Evenly spread gingersnap crumb mixture over melted butter. Press down evenly with a fork.
- Pour Eagle Brand Sweetened Condensed Milk over and spread evenly.
- Add next five ingredients in order and evenly distribute each layer.
- Bake in a 350 degree preheated oven for 30 minutes.
- Remove from oven and gently loosen the edges while still warm.
- Chill completely in refrigerator before cutting into squares.
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