7 Layer Bars Without Graham Crackers

These 7-layer bars trade the usual graham cracker crust for crushed Chocolate Chex, and I like them better this way. The crust stays crunchy under all that gooey sweetened condensed milk, and it makes this 7-layer bars recipe gluten-free without anyone noticing.

I’ve made magic cookie bars so many times that I stopped looking at a recipe years ago. I still change the same few things. I use three kinds of chocolate chips instead of one, and I swap the usual pecans or walnuts for toasted cashews.

These are my go-to when I need a pan of something for a party or a school event. When I want a second bar on the table, Dulce de Leche Magic Bars give you a sweet-and-salty version, and Double Chocolate Cherry Cereal Bars don’t need the oven at all. If you need another gluten-free dessert, Mocha Meringues are light, crisp, and dairy-free, too.

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Why These 7 Layer Bars Use Chocolate Chex Instead of Graham Crackers

Crushed cereal gives you a crust with texture, which is why most recipes use graham crackers. The chunks soak up enough butter to hold together, but they don’t pack down into a flat, sandy layer the way fine crumbs do. You also get chocolate in the base instead of plain graham cracker.

Chocolate Chex says gluten-free right on the box, so these bars work for friends who can’t eat gluten. Read the ingredients every time you buy it anyway, because manufacturers change their recipes without any notice. Check your chocolate chips and butterscotch chips the same way.

I first made these with a chocolate cereal that Post has since discontinued. I retested them with Chocolate Chex, and they came out just as good with the same amounts.

And if you want to stick with the traditional graham crackers? You can make this recipe with that simple swap, too.

Why I Pour the Sweetened Condensed Milk Over the Crust First

Most 7-layer bar recipes pour the sweetened condensed milk over everything as the last layer. I pour it straight over the crust instead. It soaks into the cereal and gives you a sturdier base that holds together when you cut the bars.

If you’d rather make them the traditional way, pour it over the chocolate chips at the end. I like the crust better my way, but I’m not standing in your kitchen.

How to Make 7 Layer Bars Without Graham Crackers

Put the cashews in a dry skillet over medium-low heat, and shake the pan constantly to keep the nuts moving. In three to five minutes, they’ll smell fragrant and turn a light golden brown.

Tip them onto a plate right away, because they keep cooking in a hot pan and burn fast. Once they’re burnt, they’re bitter, and you have to start over.

Chop them once they’ve cooled to room temp. I toast them whole, because bigger pieces are less likely to burn.

You can toast them a couple of days ahead. Keep them in a tightly sealed container on the counter until you’re ready to bake.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees, and put the stick of butter right in your 9×13 pan while the oven heats. Pull the pan out when the butter is mostly melted, and the heat of the pan will melt the rest.

While the butter melts, crush the Chocolate Chex. I pulse it about 20 times in my food processor, but a zip-top bag and a rolling pin work just as well. Stop while you can still see small chunks of cereal, well before it turns into crumbs.

Spread the cereal chunks over the melted butter in an even layer, and press them down. If one spot looks dry and another looks greasy, stir it around and press it flat again.

Open the can of sweetened condensed milk before you start so it’s ready. Move the can back and forth across the pan as you pour, because you can’t spread the condensed milk once it’s in the pan.

Sprinkle the chopped cashews over the condensed milk, then add the butterscotch chips and chocolate chips. I use a mix of milk chocolate, dark chocolate, and semisweet chips, but one kind is fine.

Scatter unsweetened flaked coconut over the top last. These bars are already sweet, so skip the sweetened kind.

Bake the bars for 20 to 25 minutes. They’re ready when the coconut on top turns golden brown and toasty.

Let the bars cool completely in the pan before cutting. One hour works if you’re in a hurry, but two hours is better. Run an offset spatula around the edges first so nothing sticks to the sides.

I cut these with a bench scraper instead of a knife and press it straight down through the bars. It isn’t as sharp as a knife, so it’s easier on my nonstick pan, and I still get clean cuts.

What Are the 7 Layers in 7 Layer Bars?

In this version, the seven layers are butter, crushed Chocolate Chex, sweetened condensed milk, toasted cashews, butterscotch chips, chocolate chips, and flaked coconut. I don’t count the three kinds of chocolate chips as separate layers.

Classic 7 layer bars use graham cracker crumbs where I use cereal. You’ll also see them called magic cookie bars, magic bars, dream bars, or Hello Dolly bars.

Are 7 Layer Bars Gluten Free?

Traditional 7-layer bars aren’t gluten-free because the crust uses graham crackers. This version uses Chocolate Chex, which says gluten-free on the box. Check the labels on your cereal, chips, and coconut every time you buy them, since manufacturers change ingredients without warning.

Can You Make 7 Layer Bars With Graham Crackers?

Yes. Swap the crushed cereal for 1 1/2 cups of graham cracker crumbs, and follow the same steps. The bars won’t be gluten-free, and the crust won’t have as much crunch as the cereal version.

You can buy graham crackers already in crumbs now, which makes it easy. If you pulverize your own graham crackers, you’ll need 11 or 12 full sheet graham crackers to get 1 1/2 cups.

Can You Use a Different Cereal for 7 Layer Bars?

Yes, another chocolate cereal works. I tested these amounts with Chocolate Chex, and readers have made them with it, too. If you need the bars to stay gluten-free, make sure the box says so.

Can You Make 7 Layer Bars Without Nuts?

Yes. Leave the cashews out entirely, or swap in another nut if cashews aren’t your favorite. Pecans and walnuts are the classic choices.

Can You Make 7 Layer Bars Without Butterscotch Chips?

Yes. Extra chocolate chips are the easiest swap, since you probably have some at home already. Do a one-for-one swap, or try white chocolate or peanut butter chips instead.

Can You Make 7 Layer Bars Ahead of Time?

Yes. Toast the cashews up to a couple of days ahead, and the finished bars keep for three days in a sealed container on the counter. That makes them easy to bake the day before a party.

Can You Freeze 7 Layer Bars?

Yes, and I like them straight from the freezer. Wrap them tightly, and they’ll keep in the freezer for up to two months. Eat them cold, or let them thaw on the counter.

Troubleshooting 7 Layer Bars

Your cashews taste bitter. You let them scorch in the pan, and the bitterness carries into every bite, so toss them and start over. Keep the heat at medium-low, keep the pan moving, and get them onto a plate the moment they turn golden.

Your crust crumbles when you cut the bars. You crushed the cereal too fine, or you didn’t press it firmly into the butter. Stop pulsing while you still have small chunks, and stir and re-press any dry spots before you pour the condensed milk.

The condensed milk pooled in one corner. You poured it all in one spot, and you can’t spread it once it’s in the pan. Move the can back and forth across the whole pan as you pour.

Your bars ooze and smear when you cut them. You cut them before they cooled completely. Give them at least one hour, and two if you can wait.

How to Store 7 Layer Bars

Store 7 layer bars in a tightly sealed container at room temperature for up to three days. For anything longer, wrap them tightly and freeze them for up to two months. Don’t keep them in the fridge, because the moisture makes them soft and they lose their texture.

What do you call these bars at your house?

I grew up calling them magic cookie bars. Tell me in the comments what you call them, and let me know if you tried a different cereal.

More Bar Cookies to Make

• Classic Carmelitas: These gooey caramel bars taste even better the day after you bake them.
• Chocolate Caramel Bars: A buttery oat base and a crumb topping hold a layer of chocolate and caramel.
• Copycat Twix Bars: Homemade Twix bars stack buttery shortbread, chewy caramel, and chocolate.
• Frosted Banana Bars: Make these instead of banana bread when the bananas on your counter turn brown.
• Double Chocolate Peppermint Cereal Bars: These no-bake cereal bars are naturally gluten free when you pick the right cereal.
• Blueberry Crumb Bars: A simple crust and streusel topping hold a layer of lemony blueberries.

Have you ever had gluten free 7 layer bars? What is your favorite gluten  free dessert?

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