Name: Potato Chip–Crusted Magic Bars
Yield: Makes one 9x13" pan of bars
Ingredients: 1 (10-ounce) bag plain salted potato chips, preferably not thick-cut; 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour or rice flour; 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted; 1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk; 1 (12-ounce) bag semi-sweet chocolate chips; 1 cup large unsweetened coconut flakes, such as Bob’s Red Mill, or sweetened coconut flakes; 1 cup salted smoked almonds, or your nut of choice, roughly chopped

Potato chipcrusted magic bars on a wire cooling rack.

Photo by Yossy Arefi

Whether you call them magic bars or seven-layer (or sometimes five-layer) cookies, you probably know these treats. Chunky bits—like chocolate chips, nuts, and coconut—get layered over sticky condensed milk and a crisp cookie crust. The bars are perfect for potlucks because they're portable and super-easy to make. The problem is (for me!) that they're always way too sweet. In this version, you'll find a potato-chip crust, unsweetened coconut flakes, and salted smoked almonds. The bars are just as chewy, crunchy, and appealing as the usual but taste less sugary.

Potluck Prep

The bars can be served right from the pan, if desired. They can be wrapped in foil and held at room temperature for up to 3 days. They can also be cut into bars, individually wrapped in plastic, and frozen. They make for a chewy sweet treat right from the freezer.

Recipe information

Yield
Makes one 9x13" pan of bars

Ingredients

1 (10-ounce) bag plain salted potato chips, preferably not thick-cut

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour or rice flour

4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted

1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk

1 (12-ounce) bag semi-sweet chocolate chips

1 cup large unsweetened coconut flakes, such as Bob’s Red Mill, or sweetened coconut flakes

1 cup salted smoked almonds, or your nut of choice, roughly chopped

Preparation

Step 1
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter a 9x13" baking pan, preferably metal, and line with parchment paper so it overhangs by a couple of inches on the long sides of the pan.
Step 2
In a food processor, pulse the potato chips with the flour until they resemble coarse bread crumbs. Pour in the 4 tablespoons butter and pulse until the chips are evenly moistened and finely chopped. Press the mixture into the prepared baking pan.
Step 3
Bake for about 15 minutes, until the crust is dry and very lightly browned. Let cool.
Step 4
Pour the sweetened condensed milk over the crust and tip the pan so it forms an even layer. Scatter the chocolate chips, coconut, and nuts on top and use a fork or the back of a spoon to press the ingredients into the sticky condensed milk.
Step 5
Bake for about 25 minutes, until the coconut is toasted and the condensed milk is lightly browned at the edges. Transfer to a rack and let cool.
Step 6
When the bar is cool, use the parchment paper to lift it out of the pan. Cut into any size squares you desire and serve.

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Reprinted from Modern Potluck: Beautiful Food to Share. Copyright © 2016 by Kristin Donnelly. Photographs copyright © 2016 by Yossy Arefi. Published by Clarkson Potter/Publishers, an imprint of Penguin Random House LLC. Buy the full book from Amazon.