Magic Cookie Bars were one of my favorite childhood treats. They were so easy and a perfect dessert for a kid trying to flex her newfound baking muscles. My father called them Hello Dollies, and he adored them. And I could never say no to that buttery graham cracker crust topped with chocolate, nuts, and gooey caramelized condensed milk.
When I went low carb for health concerns, I knew I had to find a way to make sugar-free condensed milk. And once I had mastered that delicious baking ingredient, the next logical step was to make Keto Magic Cookie Bars.
You will be delighted to know that these are just as easy (and just as delicious!) as the high carb version. My keto pie crust makes an excellent substitute for the base. And the topping is just as gooey, sweet, and chockfull of mix-ins as the original.
Whether you call them 7 Layer Bars, Hello Dollies, or Magic Cookie Bars, you’re sure to love this low-carb, gluten-free treat.
The condensed milk is useful in many other wonderful recipes, from Keto Key Lime Pie to Sugar-Free White Chocolate Fudge.
Reader’s Thoughts
“I’ve made these bars so many times and they always turn out great! Helps my blood sugar numbers and satisfies my sweet tooth. thank you!” — Dana
Why makes this recipe special
- Easier condensed milk – this latest version comes together in 30 minutes with a handful of ingredients. And it stores nicely in the fridge for up to 2 weeks!
- Gluten-free crust: Almond flour and other nut meals make a crisp, satisfying base.
- Keto friendly toppings: Some chopped nuts and shredded coconut, along with keto chocolate chips, give these bars the classic look and taste.
- Balanced sweetness: These keto magic cookie bars are less cloying than the original, so the nuts and chocolate shine through.
Ingredient Notes
- Almond flour: Almond flour works best for this crust, for both texture and flavor. Other nut and seed flours will work but may be a bit more crumbly.
- Sweetener: The crust is best made with an erythritol based sweetener, as allulose will make it too soft.
- Butter: For the shortbread crust, nothing beats the flavor and texture that butter offers.
- Salt: A little salt balances with the sweetness in these bars.
- Sugar-free chocolate chips: Your favorite brand should work fine. I used Lily’s.
- Sugar-free peanut butter chips: No one seems to be making the butterscotch chips anymore, so I switched to keto peanut butter chips. You can also simply do more chocolate chips. Lily’s salted caramel chips would be delicious too!
- Coconut: Use unsweetened shredded coconut.
- Nuts: You can use chopped pecans or walnuts.
- Sugar free condensed milk: You will need to make this prior to making the bars.
Overview: How to Make This Recipe
- Make the crust: Combine the dry ingredients, then mix in the melted butter until the mixture clumps together.
- Bake the crust: Press the mixture evenly into the bottom of the pan and bake until the edges start to brown. Remove and cool.
- Assemble the bars: Sprinkle chocolate chips, peanut butter chips, coconut, and nuts over the cooled crust. Pour sweetened condensed milk on top and bake until mixture is bubbly and beginning to brown.
- Cool. Let the bars cool in pan and cut into pieces.
Tips for Success
I recommend using metal pans for this recipe, as it will help the crust firm up properly. Make sure you let it cool completely before adding the toppings.
Keep in mind that erythritol based sweeteners, with no allulose, are the only ones that will produce a crisp crust.
You can also use a 9×9 inch pan, but the bars will cook through faster so keep your eye on them.
Frequently Asked Questions
You don’t purchase keto condensed milk, you make it! But don’t worry, it’s very simple to do and results in a spectacular low carb baking ingredient. I’ve found that I can keep it in the fridge for 10 to 14 days without spoilage. It’s a great way to use up heavy cream that is about to expire.
This keto magic cookie bar recipe has 6.5g of carbs and 3.4g of fiber per serving. That comes to 3.1g net carbs per bar.
Store the bars in a covered container on the counter for up to 4 days or in the fridge for up to a week. You can also freeze them for up to 3 months.
More keto dessert bars to try
Keto Magic Cookie Bars
Ingredients
Crust:
- 1 1/2 cup (165 g) almond flour
- 1/4 cup (45.5 g) granular sweetener, erythritol-based
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 cup (56.75 g) butter, melted
Filling:
- 1/4 cup (59.15 g) sugar-free chocolate chips
- 1/4 cup (42.5 g) sugar-free peanut butter chips, (or more chocolate chips)
- 1/2 cup (42.5 g) unsweetened shredded coconut
- 1/2 cup (54.5 g) chopped pecans or walnuts
- 1 recipe keto condensed milk
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325ºF and lightly grease an 8×8 inch metal baking pan.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the almond flour, sweetener, and salt in the . Add melted butter and mix in until mixture begins to clump together. Press firmly and evenly into the bottom of the pan.
- Bake the crust for 10 minutes, or until just beginning to brown around the edges. Remove and let cool completely.
- Increase the oven temperature to 350ºF.
- Sprinkle the cooled crust with the chocolate chips, peanut butter chips, coconut and nuts.
- Pour the condensed milk evenly over top and bake 20 to 25 minutes, until the mixture is bubbly and beginning to brown.
- Remove and let cool in pan before cutting into bars.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional Disclaimer
Please note that I am not a medical or nutritional professional. I am simply recounting and sharing my own experiences on this blog. Nothing I express here should be taken as medical advice and you should consult with your doctor before starting any diet or exercise program. I provide nutritional information for my recipes simply as a courtesy to my readers. It is calculated using MacGourmet software and I remove erythritol from the final carb count and net carb count, as it does not affect my own blood glucose levels. I do my best to be as accurate as possible but you should independently calculate nutritional information on your own before relying on them. I expressly disclaim any and all liability of any kind with respect to any act or omission wholly or in part in reliance on anything contained in this website.
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Well, I WAS going to make ice cream for my family, but I think they’d be happy to just drink this condensed milk. It’s DELICIOUS!!!
I am sooo excited about finding your recipe for a low carb sweetened condensed milk! It is amazing to me every day that if you need an ingrediant in the kitchen before you run to the store or pass on your current craving all you have to do is Google the ingrediant, and SOMEONE HAS ALREADY made I diy version!! How cool is that? And the fact that most have spent countless hours as you obviously did experimenting and perfecting a comparable product that we can use as a substitution whether for convenience or dietary reasons is just awesome! Thank You for this amazing recipe as well as appreciation to all the other kitchen divas out their who have shared their additional ideas! My question is pushing my luck a little but I just have to ask….. Could this be poured into a canning jar, put in the crock pot and cooked to make the Crock pot version of caramel sauce I have been seeing on the web, do you think? I just saw that recipe a few days ago and thought that it was also a great idea! Would Looove to do it with the amazing low carb version SCMilk! Thanks again!!
I don’t know for sure, but hey…it’s worth a try!
Hi, Carolyn. I got excited when I saw your successful attempt in making low carb sweetened condensed milk. May I ask if erythritol is the key sweetener to make this? Will it work if I use pure stevia powder? I really want to make this and the ice cream. 🙂
I can’t say for sure but I don’t think the erythritol is key. It’s the slow cooking down of the milk that makes it like real condensed milk. So give it a go with stevia…maybe make a half batch to test it out?
Yes, I think I will do that. Try it out first with a small batch and see if it works. I’m over here on the other side of the globe in Southeast Asia and so far I only see stevia. I’m going out for another attempt to search for erythritol. Thanks so much!
I made the sweetened condensed milk to make coffee creamer, recipe:
http://www.mrshappyhomemaker.com/2013/03/homemade-coffee-creamer-over-20-flavor-varieties/
The recipe calls for 1.5 cups of sweetened condensed milk. This recipe wasn’t quite that much, but worked out just fine.
As I posted elsewhere, my cooking times are significantly quicker, maybe because I’m in Colorado and at a high elevation. Reducing only took 45 minutes and I probably could have cut that down by at least 10 minutes. It was actually pretty easy and the dogs sure didn’t mind the extra thick bits around the edge of the pan! (They are my pre-wash for dishes).
It’s absolutely great and I can’t wait to make Magic Cookie Bars with it, they were one of my favorites from my childhood.
For the creamer, I think next time I’ll leave out the xanthum gum, it makes for a VERY thick creamer.
Interesting to know about the less cooking time.
Do u think the condensed milk would work with soy creamer and almond milk???
I think so, but I don’t know how it cooks down since it doesn’t have as much natural sugar. Coconut milk might work better than soy.
Just wondering, is it possible to make this recipe without any granulated sweetener and just use entirely liquid sweetener such as sucaryl (saccharin + cyclamate mixture). I don’t like using baking granulated splenda as it has so many carbs, and I’m having a hard time finding an erythritol blend which doesn’t cost heaps. Thanks 🙂
Yes, I think you could, although I don’t know in what quantities.
Hi Carolyn, I haven’t attempted this yet, but if it does get clumpy….. through my ineptitude do you think it could be saved by whizzing it with stick mixer? Thanks!
Very possibly!
Found this while looking for ice cream recipes…it’s fabulous. I am glad it takes so long to make, as I would probably sit down with a spoon and devour an entire batch. This stuff is great. Thank you, I think.
exactly how thick should the condensed milk get? O: I made this tonight. It’s still just coating a spoon, but not nearly mayonnaise thick or gravy thick. It did reduce to about 9oz.
I stirred every minute or two for 1.5 hours.
It did get a little hotter at points, but that shouldn’t affect the thickening too much, right?
One thing I’ve noticed is my local, non-ultra-pasteurized heavy cream froths up before it boils, so I have to take it off the heat and stir a lot to get the froth down before I can let it come to a boil.
It sounds like you hit the right point and now if you let it cool, it will thicken up. You can also add a little more xanthan if it end up too thin.
Carolyn,
I made the condensed milk and it worked really well, You cant really get Swerve here, I have seen it on Amazon but its £75 (I believe the supplier is in the USA, no chance at this price) so instead I used erythritol, Now Brand, which I guess is granular though much finer than normal granulated sugar. I put the milk into the fridge as I plan to make your ice cream tomorrow. So its now chilled, when I tasted it, it seems to have recrystallised, it has that crunchiness. I don’t see how one could make it with just the erythritol in chilled products if this happens (and ice cream is certainly chilled) should I have powdered the erythritol before using it, and is there any way I can fix it now? I suspect by reheating but then won’t it simply recrystallise once its made into ice cream. Wondering if anyone else has had this problem?
Ann
Yes, plain erythritol tends to recrystallize. I would actually reheat it, very gently and when you add the xanthan gum into the ice cream, it may help inhibit the recrystallization.
I just made the condensed milk, exactly as the recipe said: Its amazing and taste so great! Im so happy because I will finally be able to do a low carb version of my favorite childhood cheese flan, pumpkin flan & ginger flan!! Not to mention a low carb Thai Tea! Im doing now the dulce the leche….ahh that ice cream is going to be the hit of the Summer! Big Thanks!
So glad to hear it!
I just made these. Waiting for them to cool to be able to try. Everything went perfect up to this point with the recipe and they look fantastic! Just one question…how to store? In the fridge or on the counter? Thank you in advance!
Hello!
I just discovered this recipe over the past couple of days and really enjoyed making it yesterday. We do not have Swerve here in France – and it is difficult to obtain, so I used a little coconut sugar plus stevia powder.
My question is about the quantities for the base. Mine came out totally crumbly, so that it did not hold together even a little bit! More butter needed? What could have gone wrong. After all the debate about the figures, the typeface, etc, could you please confirm the right amounts for the crust?
Many thanks! Now I have found this site, I should have no problem convincing my T1D 11 year old that she really does want to eat LCHF!
What kind of almond flour did you use? I know that the amounts in the recipe are correct because so many other readers have made this. So I suspect it’s something like your almond flour is too coarse (almond meal really) and so it doesn’t hold together as well.
That will be it! I cannot seem to buy almond flour here in France. Do you think that I can transform “meal” into flour in a blender?
You can try. A coffee grinder might work even better but it would be in small batches.
Claire, you can get Almond flour from this source in the UK http://www.realfoodstore.co.uk/ I am pretty sure they ship throughout Europe. Aside from this have you tried Amazon France, certainly amazon UK has lots of brands of almond flour and I am sure Amazon in France would too. Real Food source have different types they also have a defatted micro fine almond flour so you need to know which one to use, but they are very good at giving advice.
Ann
Well I used the recommended Honeyville almond flour and still had to add another 2 tablespoons of butter to get the crust to hold together.
I made this yesterday for your ice cream recipe, but right at the end I realised that the bits on the sides were FUDGE! So I’m going to try to make fudge with it next time. 🙂 I guess I’ll follow a standard recipe and use this for the condensed milk and more Swerve for the sugar. My husband gets a funny taste from Swerve, so I’m trying to find recipes where it’s less obvious to him!
I also have plans to try to use it in a South African style lemon meringue pie (the “curd” layer has condensed milk in our version of the recipe).
Yes I have made fudge with this condensed milk. https://alldayidreamaboutfood.com/2012/12/fruit-and-nut-fudge-low-carb-and-gluten-free.html
Thank you so much! I’ll be trying to make the “plain” fudge I’m used to (no choc/fruits/nuts), but that recipe seems like a wonderful starting point… thank you for all the work you’ve put into your recipe – I think you might have changed my life!
Saw a recipe for Vanilla Bean Chai Syrup on Food52.com made with regular sweetened condensed milk, so I whipped up your recipe and then added the spices. WONDERFUL! Thanks so much for low carb SCM. Here’s the recipe if you’d like it.
Vanilla Bean Chai Syrup
Makes about 1 3/4 cups
14 ounces sweetened condensed milk
2 teaspoons ground cardamon
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper
Pinch of salt
1 vanilla bean, seeds scraped
Mix together and store in fridge. Use 1-2 spoonfuls per cup of hot tea.
Nice! I love the idea!!! I am going to share on my FB page, if that’s okay with you.
Sure, just credit Food52.com as the source.
Have you ever used stevia glycerite? I have a bottle of it, and am not entirely sure how to use it, or what a conversion factor is.
I haven’t but Maria Emmerich does and might be able to guide you.