Kristin Maxwell
Last updated on
Christmas Magic Layer Brownie Bars
Full of rich chocolate, with layers of coconut, sweetened condensed milk, M&Ms and sprinkles, these Christmas Magic Layer Brownie Bars are the ultimate holiday dessert.
I came up with this idea of making the classic 7-layer magic bars with a layer of brownies instead of graham crackers last spring, and the result was this amazingly rich and chocolaty dessert. It was so popular in fact that I decided it deserved a holiday upgrade.
How to make Christmas Magic Layer Brownie Bars
The key to these delicious Christmas Magic Layer Brownie Bars is to make sure they get the right amount of cooking time. You’ll notice in the instructions that I use an 11×7″ baking dish, and only about ¾ of a can of sweetened condensed milk. Using the whole can would result in too much of the topping on the brownies and they won’t bake right. However, you could make these in a 13×9″ baking dish and use a little more of each of the topping ingredients.
This would result in a thinner brownie layer, so you’d have to adjust the cooking time accordingly (maybe 5 minutes less time). Using this size pan, you can add more coconut, more M&Ms and more chocolate chips. Not a ton more, but maybe ¼ cup more of each.
Now, all that said, I prefer to use the smaller size pan because it results in a nice, thick chewy brownie. The instructions above for the larger pan are really just if you can’t handle having ¼ of the can of sweetened condensed milk leftover. *wink*
Christmas Magic Layer Brownie Bars Recipe:
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Ingredients
Brownie Layer:
- 1½ cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
- ½ cup salted butter 1 stick
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large egg + 1 yolk
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon vanilla
Toppings Layer:
- ¾ cup nuts optional, divided
- ¼ cup mini holiday M&Ms divided
- ¾ cup regular Holiday M&Ms divided
- ½ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips divided
- 1 cup sweetened flaked coconut
- 1 cup sweetened condensed milk
- ¼ cup holiday sprinkles
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Place butter and chocolate chips in a large, microwaveable mixing bowl. Microwave on high for 30 seconds. Stir, and continue microwaving and stirring in 30 second intervals until chocolate is melted.
- Beat in sugar, then vanilla and eggs, until well combined.
- Stir in flour until just combined.
- Pour into a well greased or foil lined 11x7 inch or 13x9 inch baking dish. Bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes (if using the larger pan, adjust cooking time down by a few minutes).
- Remove from the oven (brownies will jiggle a little but be done on top) and sprinkle on nuts (optional), half of the chocolate chips and M&Ms, then shredded coconut. Pour sweetened condensed milk evenly over the top. Spread gently to make sure it is evenly distributed. Sprinkle on remaining chocolate chips, M&Ms, nuts and finally the sprinkles. **NOTE - if you use an 13x9” pan like I did, you may need about ¼ cup more of each of the chips, M&Ms and coconut. I also only used about ¾ of the can of sweetened condensed milk. For a 13x9” pan of brownie bars, use the full can.
- Bake for an additional 25 minutes, or until the edges are golden and the middle is set and just starting to brown.
- Cool completely before cutting into squares with a sharp knife.
- Store in a tightly sealed container for up to one week.
Nutrition
Calories: 499kcalCarbohydrates: 60gProtein: 7gFat: 26gSaturated Fat: 15gCholesterol: 49mgSodium: 117mgPotassium: 292mgFiber: 4gSugar: 46gVitamin A: 315IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 100mgIron: 3mg
Here’s another chocolate Christmas dessert we love:
Chocolate Sugar Cookie Blossoms
And here are even more delicious Christmas desserts:
Loved them!
This did not cook as suggested. The milk bubbled up and it looks like a hot mess.
Sorry they didn’t work out for you. Often times the issue is using too much of the milk (only supposed to use 3/4 of a can) or not adding the candies over the milk. Not sure if these could be what happened with yours, but I have made this several times with great success.
I was so excited to make this, but all along the edges the condensed milk bubbled and it looks horrible! Did I do something wrong?
I’ve not seen that happen, but maybe you could just trim the edges?
I live in Sri Lanka and we dont have holiday m&ms but i want something with that look on top of the brownie. I need to bave an answer before the 25th because that is when I need it(for a Christmas party)
Hi Ella, I’m not sure what’s available to you; I would just check at the store? Only option I can think of would be to order them on amazon or pick out those colors from a regular bag.
Love the idea of a creamy topping layer but my family isn’t a huge fan of coconut. Any suggestions for a suitable replacement?
You could add some sliced almonds or chopped peanuts.
Would a box of brownie mix work instead of the homemade version in your recipe?
Yes I think it would, but a box mix may result in a softer brownie. The recipe I use is for a dense and chewy brownie, which works well against the heavier topping.
Just wondering if you can freeze these?
I haven’t, but I think you could. Just let them defrost on the counter for an hour or so before serving.
Thank you so much for this recipe! It was a hit with my coworkers during our holiday brownie bake-off!