These Graham Cracker Cookie Bars are simple to make with chocolate chips, butterscotch morsels, chopped nuts, and sweetened condensed milk. Five ingredients, one bowl, one pan, and you’re done!
The holiday baking season is in full swing! I don’t know about you, but I always appreciate an easy, delicious recipe to add to my baking repertoire, and lately, I’ve been on a cookie bar kick. Cookie bars are so easy to make and perfect for parties or just an afternoon treat.
This Graham Cracker Cookie Bars recipe is one that I’ve made many times, and it never disappoints. Graham cracker crumbs paired with chocolate chips, butterscotch chips, and the secret ingredient, sweetened condensed milk, give these cookie bars their wonderful flavor and texture.
These cookie bars are Easy with a capital E! Dump everything into a bowl, mix it up, press it in a pan, and bake. You can’t get much simpler than that.
I always prefer bar cookies to any other kind because, to be honest, I’m a lazy baker. And the older I get, the less patience I have with fiddly things in the kitchen. Or anywhere else, for that matter. I’ll take a dump and bake recipe any day over a mix, roll, refrigerate, and cut out recipe.
Another plus, in my opinion, is that this is an old – really old – cookie bar recipe. It has been around for as long as I can remember, and I have no idea where it originated.
Dessert bars, or squares if you prefer, date back to the 1930s, but that’s about all you can find out about them on the internet. Cookie bars specifically have appeared in dozens of community and church cookbooks over the years (always a good recommendation if you ask me), but their absolute origin is unknown.
— This post was originally published on December 4, 2012. It has been updated with new photos and additional information.
Recipe Snapshot
Cuisine: American
Cooking Method: Oven
Total Time: 40 Minutes
Servings: 36
Primary Ingredient(s): Graham cracker crumbs, chocolate chips, butterscotch chips, nuts, condensed milk
Skill Level: Easy
WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING …
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
“I love this retro recipe! We made them at my bakery in the early 90s, and I think they were retro then. One of our best sellers. We called them Hello Dollies. (I don’t know why!) But now that I’ve been reminded of them… I think a batch is in my near future.”
— Kim
What You’ll Like About This Recipe
- It’s the perfect balance of chocolate, nuts and butterscotch
- Super easy, no need to worry about being overly precise
- Kids and adults love it great for big functions or get togethers
Equipment You’ll Need
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All you need is a large mixing bowl and an 8- or 9-inch square baking dish in either glass or ceramic. So not only is it easy to dump the ingredients and go, but you have very little clean-up!
Ingredient Notes
- Graham Cracker Crumbs (You can make your own – see instructions below – or purchase boxed graham cracker crumbs at the grocery store. I typically use Honey Maid brand.)
- Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips and Butterscotch Chips (Be sure to purchase a high-quality brand of chips.)
- Chopped Nuts (Either pecans or walnuts. Actually, cashews would probably be great in this recipe as well.)
- Condensed Milk (My preference is Eagle Brand). If you prefer, you can make a homemade version. Or use a homemade vegan alternative.
The complete ingredient list with detailed measurements is included in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.
How to Make Graham Cracker Cookie Bars
Preliminary Steps
- Start by preheating the oven to 350 degrees.
- Very heavily butter or grease a square pan. Either an 8- or 9-inch pan works fine for this.
Mix the Ingredients
- Place all the ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Use a wooden spoon or spatula to thoroughly combine everything. Make sure you get a nice, homogenous mixture.
No need to worry about keeping the wet and dry ingredients separate before mixing them. Another reason I love this recipe!
Pro Tip: How to Make Graham Cracker Crumbs
If you’d like to make the graham cracker crumbs yourself, you’ll need a 14.4-ounce box of graham crackers. Place the crackers in a food processor and pulse until they’re finely ground. Or, place the crackers in a large ziptop bag and use a wooden rolling pin or your hands to break them into a fine texture.
Press Into a Pan
- Press the mixture into the prepared pan and pop it in the oven.
Pro Tip
Press the mixture into the baking dish using a rubber spatula or your clean, well-buttered hands.
Bake
- Bake for 30 minutes.
- Remove the pan from the oven and let it cool for 45 minutes on a wire baking rack.
Cut Into Squares
- Cut into 1 1/2″ squares. Dust with powdered sugar if desired.
Pro Tip
The bars are easiest to cut with a sharp serrated knife.
How to Store
Store the bars in an airtight container at room temperature. They should last for 4-5 days at room temperature. To extend the shelf-life, you can store them in the fridge for up to a week (let them come to room temp before serving) or even freeze them, well wrapped, for a month.
Questions About Graham Cracker Bars
I’ve always used either pecans or walnuts in graham cracker cookie bars. I think cashews, almonds, or pistachios would also be great.
If you prefer to use milk or white chocolate chips, you can. However, be aware that they will give you a much sweeter end product. The semi-sweet chips keep it from getting into the cloyingly sweet range.
You’ll find graham cracker crumbs in the baking section at your grocery store. Honey Maid and Keebler both sell them.
Have a question or thought to share?
If you have a question about the recipe or if you’ve made it and want to share how it turned out, I would truly enjoy hearing from you. Just scroll down to leave a comment or add your star rating.
Thank you for stopping by. It means a lot to have you here.
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Recipe
Graham Cookie Bars
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups graham cracker crumbs
- 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 1 cup butterscotch chips
- 1 cup chopped nuts
- Pinch of salt
- 14 ounces condensed milk (recommend: Eagle Brand)
- Powdered sugar optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°.
- Heavily butter an 8 or 9-inch square pan. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, mix all ingredients except powdered sugar. Stir until thoroughly combined.1 ½ cups graham cracker crumbs, 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips, 1 cup butterscotch chips, 1 cup chopped nuts, Pinch of salt, 14 ounces condensed milk
- Press mixture into prepared pan.
- Bake for 30 minutes.
- Remove from oven and cool in the pan on a rack for 45 minutes.
- Cut into 1 1/2” squares. Dust with powdered sugar if desired.Powdered sugar
Notes
- To make graham cracker crumbs yourself, use a 14.4 ounce box of graham crackers. Place the crackers in a food processor and pulse until they’re finely ground. Or, place the crackers in a large ziptop bag and use a wooden rolling pin or your hands to break them into a fine texture.
- Store the bars in an airtight container at room temperature. They should last for 4-5 days at room temperature. To extend the shelf-life, you can store them in the fridge for up to a week (let them come to room temp before serving) or even freeze them, well wrapped, for a month.
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information is calculated by software based on the ingredients in each recipe. It is an estimate only and is provided for informational purposes. You should consult your healthcare provider or a registered dietitian if precise nutrition calculations are needed for health reasons.
I have been eating and loving graham cracker bars (we call them squares) these for over 60 years. My kids prefer them to chocolate chip cookies. Which is great since they are easier to make.
Yes, much easier to make!
I love this retro recipe! We made them at my bakery in the early 90s, and I think they were retro then. One of our best sellers. We called them Hello Dollies. (I don’t know why!) But now that I’ve been reminded of them… I think a batch is in my near future. We did it just like your recipe, only multiplied many times to accommodate multiple big pans! Thanks Lana for bringing back recipes I love and had forgotten! ❤️
My pleasure, Kim! I love being able to keep these older recipes alive!
I’ve made these for decades- and everyone loves them. Back in the day when we used recipe cards instead of the internet, mine is well worn. Just a few small differences- My recipe says to melt a stick of butter in the pan, then add the Graham cracker crumbs, condensed milk and chips. Nothing else, and they are delicious. They must be even better with the coconut and nuts, but I like the simplicity of this recipe.
Thank you for bringing back a favorite. I’m taking them to a family party, and they will be gone in no time!
Thanks, Nancy. I think they’re delicious, too. And so easy!
These were so easy to make and they disappeared in no time. I like quick recipes that are different and not overly sweet, but super yummy!
I like desserts that aren’t overly sweet, too.