1/24

Coconut and Toffee Bars

Cookies, Desserts, Food, Sweet
By Emma Chapman

Coconut and Toffee Bars (via abeautifulmess.com)The very first time I can remember ever showing any interest in cooking/baking was when I was around 14 or 15 years old. I got obsessed with making M&M cookie bars based on a recipe from the side of the flour bag (don’t remember the brand… probably Best Choice or something). 

I probably made that recipe 3-4 times over the course of a few months. I think what happened is I was in the mood for cookies but didn’t really have a recipe, so I used the one on the flour bag. They turned out awesome, so I baked the same recipe again a week or so later. That batch didn’t turn out as well. And then I became obsessed with figuring out why. I mean, I used the same recipe. How could it turn out so different every time?! It was infuriating. 

Coconut and Toffee Bars (via abeautifulmess.com) I never did really uncover what I was doing differently back then. My love of eating cookies outweighed my knowledge of the scientific method, I would venture to guess. So… no real discoveries were made but lots of cookies got eaten. (I have a feeling it had to do with how long I blended the butter and sugar or how accurate I was being when measuring out my dry ingredients—but I’ll never know for sure.)

At any rate, these bars remind me of that. Not because they are infuriating. Oh no. The main similarity is they are derived from a recipe that can be found on the product packaging. If you have ever had “Magic Cookie Bars” before, then you will likely love these, as they are quite similar. 

Condensed milk magic bar recipeCoconut and Toffee Bars, makes one dozen.
Recipe adapted from Eagle Brand’s Magic Cookie Bars

3/4 cup graham cracker crumbs
3 tablespoons melted butter
1/2 a 14 oz can (so, 7 oz.) sweetened condensed milk
1 chopped Askinosie ABM CollaBARation Bar (dark chocolate + toasted coconut)*
1/4 cup toasted coconut
1/4 cup toffee chips
big sprinkle of sea salt (optional)

Cover the bottom of an 8×8 baking dish with parchment paper. Combine the graham cracker crumbs and melted butter and press into the bottom of the pan. Pour on the sweetened condensed milk. Top with the chopped chocolate bar, coconut and toffee chips. Then sprinkle on the sea salt if using. Bake at 350°F for 25-30 minutes. 

*You can use 3 oz dark chocolate chips instead of the Askinosie chocolate bar if you just can’t find it anywhere. But try—because it’s good!

Coconut and Toffee Bars (via abeautifulmess.com) Allow to cool before removing from the pan. Keep in mind that these are meant to be ooey-gooey. But, if you find they are too ooey, just pop the baked bars in the freezer for a few minutes to firm them up a little. Enjoy! xo. Emma

Credits // Author and Photography: Emma Chapman. Photos edited with A Beautiful Mess actions.

35 Comments

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.