5 Layer Magic Bars

I love big family holiday gatherings.  I love the atmosphere of laughter and talking.   I love seeing the cousins running around.  I love catching up with everyone and showing off pictures.  However, since going Gluten Free I do not love the mounds of food brought by everyone.  It is always a land mine for gluten.  An example from Easter this past Sunday: “Pam, the flour is just in the topping of the casserole.  Just dig under it and you’ll be fine.”  Um no thanks!  

I have talked about holiday eating before.  My game plan is simple – bring food I know I can eat and always have a Gluten Free snack in my purse just in case.  At family holiday gatherings dessert seems to be the hardest to navigate.  So I prefer to make at least one dessert item to share at these events.  This Easter I decided to try something new, enter Gluten Free 5 Layer Magic Bars.  They are an adaptation of the Eagle Brand Magic Cookie Bars.  

What You Need

2 cups GF ginger snap cookie crumbs (put cookies in a sealed plastic bag and crush with a rolling pin)
1/2 cup butter, melted
14 oz can GF sweetened condensed milk 
1/2 cup chopped nuts, I used pecans
1 1/2 cup chocolate chips
1 1/3 cup flaked coconut

How to Make It

Heat oven to 350 degrees.  Spray a 9×9 casserole dish with GF cooking spray.  Mix together in a bowl the ginger snap crumbs and the butter.  Using a spoon press the mixture firmly down in the casserole dish.  

Then pour the entire can of condensed milk over the crumb mixture.  

Then layer with nuts, chocolate chips and coconut.  Bake for 25 minutes.  

Allow to cool completely and serve.

These came out AMAZING!  Super flavorful and sweet!  They tasted like chocolate fudge with yummy nuts, cookie and coconut.  I could only eat one small square per sitting because they were so sweet.  These were a big hit with the family.  I even had some people take leftovers home to enjoy later!  A pretty big compliment for a Gluten Free dessert sitting among gluten-filled desserts!  This will defiantly be a nice addition to future family gatherings! 

Post linked to Gluten-Free Wednesdays on Gluten-Free Homemaker.