Salted Caramel Seven Layer Bars — A buttery graham cracker crust is topped with chocolate chips, butterscotch chips, coconut, salted caramel sauce, and sweetened condensed milk. It’s a fast, EASY, no-mixer recipe that’s as easy as layering ingredients in a pan!
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Layered Chocolate Caramel Coconut Bars
I have a thing for Magic Bars, or Seven Layer Bars as they’re sometimes called. These aren’t technically seven layer bars because I fell short after six layers but you could easily add nuts or chopped candy bars for that seventh layer.
In this recipe, a buttery graham cracker crust is topped with chocolate chips, butterscotch chips, coconut, salted caramel sauce, and sweetened condensed milk.
The graham cracker crust is slightly crunchy, the coconut adds chewiness, and the chocolate and butterscotch chips give you something to sink your teeth into.
It’s a fast, easy, no-mixer recipe that’s as easy as layering ingredients in a pan.
As the bars bake the sweetened condensed milk takes on caramel undertones and boosts the flavor of the salted caramel sauce even more.
Recipe Ingredients
To make these layered coconut caramel bars, you’ll need the following:
- Butter
- Graham cracker crumbs
- Chocolate chips
- Butterscotch chips
- Soft caramel candies
- Half and half (or heavy cream)
- Salt
- Sweetened shredded coconut
- Sweetened condensed milk
Note: Scroll down to the recipe card section of the post for the ingredients with amounts included and for more complete directions.
What Type of Caramels Should I Use?
I made the bars with Werther’s Original Soft Caramels. The caramels are soft, rich, and creamy and I melted them and added salt because salted caramel is my thing. Salted caramel helps balance the sweetness of the other ingredients.
How to Make Coconut Caramel Seven Layer Bars
This is a straightforward, quick recipe for layered coconut chocolate chip caramel bars. Here’s an overview of the recipe:
- Stir together the graham crackers crumbs and melted butter.
- Turn mixture into a foil-lined 8×8-inch pan.
- Evenly sprinkle with the chocolate chips and butterscotch chips; set aside.
- To a small saucepan, add the caramels, half-and-half, and heat over low heat to melt. Add the salt.
- Evenly drizzle the salted caramel over the chocolate and butterscotch chips.
- Evenly sprinkle the coconut.
- Evenly drizzle the sweetened condensed milk over the coconut.
- Bake until lightly golden brown around edges and the center is mostly set.
- Let the caramel coconut bars cool completely before slicing and serving.
Recipe FAQs
Yes! Instead of melting the soft caramel candies yourself, you may use a jar of your favorite store-bought salted caramel sauce. If you have a Trader Joe’s near you, we LOVE salted caramel sauce. Just drizzle on about 1/3 to 1/2 cup for this recipe. If you don’t have a Trader Joe’s, use another more gourmet type of jarred caramel.
No, sundae sauce is too thin and runny for this recipe. Regular jarred caramel sauce will work, but NOT sundae sauce.
Sure thing! I have a salted caramel sauce recipe on my site that’s been my gold standard for years.
Very easily! Just swap the graham cracker crumbs for a gluten-free version. Easy!
Yes! Simply double the ingredients and bake in a 9×13-inch pan.
Storage Instructions
Leftover caramel magic bars will last up to 1 week at room temperature. Store them in an airtight container to keep them fresh.
I’ve also frozen the bars successfully. Store them in a freezer bag to prevent freezer burn. When ready to eat, thaw on your counter for an hour or so.
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Salted Caramel Magic Bars
Ingredients
- ¼ cup butter, melted (I use unsalted, but salted tames some of the sweetness)
- scant 3/4 cup graham cracker crumbs
- ½ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
- ½ cup butterscotch chips
- 10 Werther’s Original Soft Caramels, unwrapped
- 1 tablespoon half-and-half or cream
- ¼ teaspoon salt, or to taste
- 1 cup sweetened shredded coconut flakes, measured loosely and not packed
- about two-thirds of one 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk, eyeball it
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F. Line an 8-by-8-inch baking pan with aluminum foil, spray with cooking spray; set aside.
- To a large, microwave-safe bowl add the butter and heat on high power to melt, about 1 minute.
- Add the graham crackers crumbs and toss lightly with a fork to coat crumbs evenly.
- Turn mixture out into prepared pan, forming an even, smooth, flat crust layer by tapping crumbs into place with a spatula or your fingertips. The amount of crust is skimpy and barely covers the pan, but it’s okay.
- Evenly sprinkle with the chocolate chips and butterscotch chips; set aside.
- To a small saucepan, add the caramels, half-and-half, and heat over low heat to melt, whisking constantly until melted.
- Add the salt, stir to combine, and taste sauce. Depending on preference for saltiness, add more salt to taste. It’s okay if the sauce reads on the salty side because many of the other ingredients in the recipe are very sweet and it balances out.
- Evenly drizzle the salted caramel over the chocolate and butterscotch chips.
- Evenly sprinkle the coconut.
- Evenly drizzle the sweetened condensed milk over the coconut.
- Bake for about 22 to 25 minutes, or until lightly golden brown around edges and the center is mostly set. Keep an extremely close eye on bars in the final minutes of baking because coconut can go from raw-looking to burnt in one minute. I’ve baked the bars in different ovens and have baked for as long as 27 minutes and as short as 20 minutes; watch your bars and not the clock.
- Place pan on a wire rack and allow bars to cool in pan for at least 2 hours, or overnight, before slicing and serving. Bars firm up as they cool. Bars will keep airtight at room temperature for up to 1 week, or in the freezer for up to 6 months.
- Adapted from Seven Layer Bars
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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More Seven Layer Bar Variations:
Rolo Seven Layer Bars — The classic bar tastes even better with Rolos!
Cranberry Bliss Seven Layer Bars — A marriage of the famous Starbucks Cranberry Bliss Bars with Seven Layer Bars! White chocolate, cranberries, coconut, and so good! Fast and super easy!
Chocolate Chip Cookie Magic Bars — The classic recipe made even better with a chocolate chip cookie crust! One bowl, no mixer, fast and easy! Soft, chewy, gooey and so good!
Tropical Seven Layer Bars — Eat your piña colada rather than drinking one with these fast, EASY, no-mixer bars that taste TROPICAL!! Pineapple, coconut, white chocolate, and cherries!!
Holiday Seven Layer Bars — Soft, ultra chewy, and loaded with chocolate chips, shredded coconut, sprinkles, and more!! A FAST and EASY holiday recipe that’s great for hostess gifts or cookie exchanges!!
Mint Magic Bars — These bars are a mint twist on the classic Seven Layer Bars many grew up with! Made with Ghirardelli Mint Chocolates, Andes Mints, and Mint Oreos on a chocolate chip cookie base.
Post is brought to you by Werther’s. The recipe, images, text, and opinions expressed are my own. #ShareYourWerthers
Been looking for something like this! The only thing that was missing from 7-layer bars, was caramel! I was wondering, though, if you could use caramel sauce instead of making it with Werthers? Always looking to save time/energy! Thanks!
Been looking for something like this! The only thing that was missing from 7-layer bars, was caramel! I was wondering, though, if you could use caramel sauce instead of making it with Werthers? Always looking to save time/energy! Thanks!
I originally posted this recipe in about 2015 when caramel sauce from a store bought jar was…lacking. Not now!
If you have a Trader Joe’s near you, pick up a jar of their salted caramel sauce in a smallish glass jar and use it! Just drizzle on about 1/3 to 1/2 cup or whatever looks about right. If you don’t have a TJs, use another more “fancy” gourmet type of jarred caramel. I do not recommend caramel sundae sauce.
yayyy! and YUM! love the sweet and salty and ever so gooooeyness!
Thanks for all the sweet comments tonight! :)
Werther’s are so good. I can’t wait to try this; it looks amazing! The coconut peanut butter magic cake bars are calling my name though. I might have to try both at the same time. Too many options! :)
Werther’s Caramels are my favorite candy! I love these bars!
They all look so good, it’s hard to pick which one to make first!! THANKS Averie
I think I could live on magic bars. And I could drink salted caramel with a straw!! I suddenly have the urge to run out and by those candies…
I want salted caramel on everything! Bring on the straws :)
I love sweetened condensed milk so these bars and all bars made with it are the bomb. Its just so yummy. I’ve never had the werthers candies I’ll have to try them out.
Sweetened condensed milk is amazing stuff, isn’t it! And you will love the candies!
I didn’t realize how many variations of these you have made–and they all look delicious! Salted caramel sounds excellent with the chips and coconut. These cover everything–sweet, a little rich, texture and multiple flavors!
I didn’t realize either until this post when I started compiling things from my archives :) And yes the bars covered everything from texture to flavor!
Yum,yum, yum! Magic bars are always a special treat. I don’t hardly ever make them so they are always a first grab for me when at an event. Yours are absolutely gorgeous!
Thank you! :)