Italian Nonna's "Magic Bars” Are One of Our Most Popular Holiday Recipes
I’m big on holiday baking. Every year like clockwork, I craft my baking checklist as soon as we’ve polished off the last of the Thanksgiving leftovers. There’s always linzer cookies (for me), chewy gingerbread cookies (for my husband), buttery toffee and snowball cookies (both family faves), and at least one new-to-me recipe that’s caught my eye.
Holiday Magic Bars, a play on the old-school treat, made the cut this year. With a spiced cookie crust, a gooey center consisting entirely of sweetened condensed milk, and an array of toppings including roasted pistachios, dried cherries, and chocolate chips, these bars came together like a dream — and taste like one too. In fact, they’re so good, this recipe secured a permanent spot on my Christmas cookie line-up.
Get the recipe: Holiday Magic Bars
What Makes Holiday Magic Bars So Good
An unbelievably delicious take on the nostalgic sweet. This holiday-inspired bake swaps the graham cracker crust for one made with Biscoff, gingersnap, or cinnamon graham cracker crumbs that’s doctored up with a bit of coffee. Salted pistachios take the place of pecans, while candied orange peel and dried cherries add an extra festive touch.
It’s an unfussy holiday treat. Christmas cookies tend to be pretty involved, and it’s common for recipes to call for cookie cutters, tedious icing, or a candy thermometer. You won’t find any of that here! Honestly, the hardest part is waiting.
How to Make Holiday Magic Bars
Make the crumb crust. Blitz your choice of Biscoff, gingersnap, or cinnamon graham cracker in the food processor. Stir crumbs together with melted butter, espresso or ground coffee, and kosher salt, then press into a 9×13-inch pan.
Pour over sweetened condensed milk. Pop open a single can and drizzle over the crust in an even layer.
Add toppings. Stud the condensed milk with roasted pistachios, dried cherries, chocolate chips, and candied orange peel, pressing down so the toppings stick.
Bake. Place the pan in the oven and bake at 350ºF until the top is light golden-brown. Let cool completely then cut into squares, diamonds, or rectangles.
If You’re Making Holiday Magic Bars, a Few Tips
Play around with the toppings. While I enjoyed the pistachios for their nutty flavor and festive hue, you can easily swap in another nut of your choice like hazelnuts, almonds, and pecans. The same goes for the type of chocolate; you could use dark chocolate or do a mix of white and bittersweet chocolate chips. And if dried cherries aren’t your thing, use dried cranberries or even golden raisins. I ended up skipping the candied orange peel, as I couldn’t find any at my store and I didn’t miss it.
Don’t rush pressing the crust. If I were to call any bit of this recipe “tedious,” it would be pressing the crust into the pan. I tried using a sheet of parchment paper at first, like the recipe called for. But found it easier to use my fingertips to nudge it into the corners and make sure it was even. Regardless, just take your time and don’t rush the process.
Get the recipe: Holiday Magic Bars
Further Reading
The One Cookware Brand That Gordon Ramsay Can’t Stop Talking About
Tuscan Chicken Is the "Most Delicious" Dinner of All Time, Says Everyone Who's Tried It
Ball Just Dropped the Most Beautiful Mason Jars for Its 140th Anniversary ("So Iconic!")
