Gluten Free Magic Cookie Bars (a.k.a. 7 Layer Bars)

I have a new goal - to create GF versions of some of my childhood favorites. That means not only comfort foods like mac 'n cheese and my mom's crock pot fried chicken, but also holiday and dessert favorites like Magic Cookie Bars (you may know them as 7 layer bars). Each Thanksgiving, my mom would make a pan of them to take to my maternal grandmother's house where as many as 70 people might gather each year for Thanksgiving dinner. 


As for food, not only did you find all of the traditional Thanksgiving items on the buffet, the menu each year was rounded out by a well established dessert bar. My mom contributed a pan of these delicious little treats each year for as long as I can remember. They were always one of my favorites and I remember one never being quite enough, even with pumpkin pie and my aunt Delores's strawberry filled angle food cake wrapped in a blanket of sweetened whipped cream.  


As for Magic Cookie Bars, I have made them just a few times over the years since. Fortunately, have been able to work out a GF method for making them. The GF version of this recipe can be a bit expensive due to the cost of the cookies that go into the crust. Due to the cost and the calories, make these when you're feeling nostalgic or for one of the upcoming holidays. I promise you won't be disappointed.


Gluten Free Magic Cookie Bars 


For the crust:
1 bag of GF ginger snaps (I use Mi-Del brand)
1 bag of arrowroot animal cookies (I use Mi-Del brand)
1/2 cup butter melted


Preheat oven to 350 and spray a 9x13 pan with cooking spay. Line the pan with foil down the length of the pan so that when baked you can remove the bars in one piece and cut into single servings.


Place the cookies in the bowl of a food processor and pulse to create a medium crumb. Depending on the size of the work bowl on your food processor, you may have to do this in a couple of batches. If this is the case, just process one bag or part of a bag at a time and combine the crumbs from each batch in a bowl. The flavor of the two cookies together create something that, when baked, taste much like a traditional graham cracker. Add the melted butter to the bowl of your processor or the bowl you're using to combine the crumbs and stir to distribute. Place the crumb mixture on the foil lined pan and pat into place to form an even crust on the bottom of the pan. 


Cover the crust with the following ingredients, in any order you prefer:
1 cup butterscotch chips (I use Nestle)
1 cup milk chocolate chips (I use Ghirardelli)
1 cup pecans
1/2 cup unsweetened coconut
1/2 cup sweetened coconut


Once you have all of the layers of ingredients on top of the crust, pour over the entire pan 1 14 oz fat free (or regular) sweetened condensed milk.


Place cookie bars in oven and baked for 25 to 30 minutes; checking after 20 to determine doneness.


Remove cookie bars from oven and allow to cool for 2 hours before cutting into single servings. 


~Enjoy