Keto Magic Cookie Bars! One of my all-time favorite treats now comes in a keto and grain-free recipe. Use my easy sugar-free condensed milk to make this classic dessert in a healthy form. This is an updated recipe, now even easier and more delicious!
Oh, my low-carb, non-sugar friends, you are going to love me. Love me! Because I have come up with a great new recipe for sugar-free sweetened condensed milk, perfect for making this low carb, gluten free magic cookie bars recipe.
Be sure to check out the new video in the recipe!
I updated the condensed milk recently and now it’s even easier than ever. No need to stand over the pot, stirring for hours on end to reduce the mixture. The new version comes together in about 30 minutes and uses 3 basic ingredients! So now you can get to these delicious keto cookie bars even faster.
Magic cookie bars were one of my favorite childhood treats. They were so easy to make, perfect for a kid trying to flex her newly found baking muscles. And they were so satisfyingly gooey and delicious. Everyone I knew loved them, but they all had different names for them.
7 Layer Bars was a common one, because the traditional version had 7 ingredients all layered together. My family referred to them as Hello Dollies; I have no idea why but that’s what I grew up calling them. It was only once I moved to the US that I heard them referred to as Magic Cookie Bars.
When I went low carb, I assumed that these wonderful gooey bars were now off limits forever.
Of course they were, for heaven’s sake! They took at least three ingredients that were so very much not low carb or healthy. Graham crackers in the crust, chocolate chips, and sweetened condensed milk. All things that were on the keto no-no list. Unless, of course, you can find leto-friendly alternatives. Dare I even dream that it was possible?
Heck yeah, I dared. I dared greatly. And it was indeed possible!
How to Make Keto Magic Cookie Bars
- The biggest obstacle was coming up with a low carb sweetened condensed milk recipe. Which actually wasn’t that much of an obstacle at all, as it turns out. My old version was great but a little higher carb because it contained whole milk. It also took a lot longer to make, as you had to boil it for over an hour. My new sugar-free condensed milk is faster, easier, and lower carb because it takes only heavy whipping cream.
- The graham crackers obviously had to go too. Thankfully, nut flours and meals make a great substitute for low carb crusts, and taste just as good if not better. A little butter, a little sweetener, a little salt, pressed together into the pan and presto! A keto graham cracker crust.
- Those chocolate chips were a bit of an issue for a while. For a long time, I would use 90% cacao chocolate, which still had a bit of sugar. And the original version of these magic cookie bars had that as part of the recipe. However, since then there have been a few developments. One being my homemade sugar-free chocolate chips, which are perfect in this recipe. The other is that there is some great low carb chocolate on the market now, including Lily’s chocolate chips.
- If you can get a hold of them, be sure to try the new Lily’s Butterscotch chips in this recipe. The conventional magic cookie bars use butterscotch or peanut butter chips in addition to the chocolate chips, and it really takes this keto version over the top.
With all these pieces in place, I was ready to re-create that beloved childhood treat. My old recipe, which I originally published in 2012, was better than I could have hoped. They smelled just like magic cookie bars when baking, they looked just like magic cookie bars when being cut up, and they tasted just like magic cookie bars when eaten. They were less cloyingly sweet than the conventional bars, but that is definitely a good thing.
The updated version is very similar, except that I use my new sugar-free condensed milk. I’ve made the crust a little less crumbly as well, and I used Lily’s chocolate chips or my own homemade chocolate chips in place of the 90% dark chocolate bar. This means they have the same great taste but fewer carbs. Now that’s what I call an improvement!
I am looking forward to playing more with my new low carb condensed milk recipe. I have already made some gorgeous Key Lime Bars that you need to try. And I am pretty sure that this recipe will work just as well in my low carb dulce de leche and coconut flan recipes.
But believe me, the first thing you should make with it is a pan of Low Carb Magic Cookie Bars. Or Seven Layer Bars. Or Hello Dollies. Whatever you want to call them, just get on it!
Try these other delicious low carb bar recipes
Cherry Cream Chocolate Cookie Bars
Keto Magic Cookie Bars
Ingredients
Crust:
- 1 ½ cup almond flour
- ¼ cup Swerve Sweetener
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup butter melted
Filling:
- ¼ cup sugar-free chocolate chips
- ¼ cup sugar-free butterscotch chips (or more chocolate chips)
- ½ cup unsweetened flaked coconut
- ½ cup chopped pecans or walnuts
- 1 recipe sugar-free sweetened condensed milk
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325F.
- For the crust, whisk together almond flour, sweetener, and salt in the bottom of a 9x9 inch baking pan. Add melted butter and mix in until mixture begins to clump together. Press firmly and evenly into the bottom of the pan.
- Bake crust for 10 minutes, or until just beginning to brown around the edges. Remove and let cool.
- Increase oven temperature to 350F.
- Sprinkle cooled crust with chocolate chips, butterscotch chips, coconut and nuts. Pour sweetened condensed milk over top and bake 20 to 25 minutes, until mixture is bubbly and beginning to brown.
- Let cool in pan and cut into 16 bars.
Video
Karen says
I added dried cranberries to bars. So good. Better than the high carb version
jill says
These are pretty spot on s d with the addition of Lily’s butterscotch chips they are keto perfection!
John M says
One of my favorite pre-keto desserts! This keto version is slightly softer in texture (at least my version) but just as tasty. My non-keto wife even liked them! I did sub 1/2 cup of lupin for the almond flour as I felt it would be a good substitute based on using it in some other recipes. As far the question about freezing, mine did feel slighter softer after freezing and later defrosting at room temperature. However, I think keeping these bars in the fridge is best – well second best! The best part is eating these lovelies. This is the first keto dessert that was truly amazing to me, thank you.
Ashley says
I don’t like coconut. Should I make any adjustments when leaving the coconut out?
Carolyn says
Just add a little more chopped nuts for texture.
Dianna says
I am finally making this!!! So excited. I already made the condensed milk (delicious). As a keto foodie, I am one of your biggest fans. Thanks for all of the delicious recipes. I will tell you how this one turns out.
Sandi Zellner says
Can these Magic Cookie Bars be frozen, and for how long?
Carolyn says
I think the filling might change in the freezer but you’re certainly welcome to try.
Donna Phelps says
I just made these today, and oh my stars!!! So good. I’m generally not a big fan of keto treats made with almond flour, but these are fantastic. The flavour is very similar to the original..
Carolyn says
I accidentally put too much xanthan gum in the condensed milk recipe (almost 1 tsp) it’s really thick. Should I just use it as is on these magic bars, or can I pour a little more whipping cream (straight from the frig) in it to thin it?
Carolyn says
I think you need to thin it out.
Phyllis says
If you donot like coconut what can you sub instead or add more of ?
Dianna says
Made this recipe today & all I can say is YUMMY!! Your caramel sauce in combination with Lilly’s butterscotch & chocolate chips is a scrumptious delight!! Brings back memories of my Mother’s Magic Bars. Thanks for sharing another winning recipe!!
Caroline Nielson says
Hi Carolyn ????
Thanks for another great recipe.
I am curious though why your method is totally different in your Keto Baking
book?
I’ve made them from the book but then I wanted to read it on your Blog.
Did you find the book version better?
It was just published this year ????
Caroline
SR says
I tried this but used Besti instead of Swerve. They look perfect, have the right consistency but aren’t sweet. Was it the sweetener? Does overcooking remove the sweetness? TIA
Carolyn says
Please look at the ingredients in your sweetener. They are not the same at all as Swerve. Hence the issues. Please read this: https://alldayidreamaboutfood.com/best-keto-sweeteners/
Amber says
These are seriously MAGIC! They remind me exactly of the hello dolly bars I used to make as a kid. The sweetened condensed milk takes time but is not difficult and is SOOOO worth it. Absolutely phenomenal!
Becky says
Hello! The crust recipe calls for low carb sweetener, is that granular or powdered!?
Carolyn says
You can use either.
Caroline Nielson says
These bars were absolutely amazing!! I always thought the originals were way too sweet even before eating Keto. These are just right. Pretty simple to make too 🙂
Thanks Carolyn.
In the space of a couple of weeks, I now own 3 of your cookbooks! I noticed that some of the recipes were not found in the books so I will keep checking your website too.
Carolyn says
Thanks so much!
Ana says
My family has no connection to Canada and have called these Hello Dolly Bars for decades! (Seven Layer Bars added the butterscotch chips; Hello Dollies just had the chocolate chips. And I think it was the sweetened condensed milk folks that began promoting the recipe as Magic Cookie Bars.) The story is the recipe came out in the 60s when Carol Channing was on Broadway in Hello Dolly. The bars have always been a family favorite. Thank you for such an amazing culinary feat! Can’t wait to try them!
Krissy Allori says
These are delicious and a great option for the low carb people in my life. Thanks for this option to add to their goodie tray this year.
Melissa says
Low carb and TDF! This recipe is amazing! Thank you
Anna says
We’ve made these cookie bars for our friends and they were a huge hit! Thank you for the recipe!
Kristyn says
I am so glad you shared this! These are my favorite bars!! And, I don’t have to feel guilty eating more than I should!! They are gooey & so, so good!!
Olena says
I made these tonight and they are absolutely AMAZING, not to mention quite simple and quick to make. I couldn’t resist and ate two pieces. Thank you so much for coming up with this delicious recipe! I’ll definitely be making them again the future.