Description
Turtle Magic Bars are a decadent American dessert featuring a buttery graham cracker crust topped with sweetened condensed milk, semi-sweet chocolate chips, chopped pecans, caramel drizzle, and optional shredded coconut. Baked until golden and bubbly, these easy-to-make bars offer the perfect balance of rich flavors and textures, finished with optional flaky sea salt for an irresistible sweet and salty treat.
Ingredients
Scale
Crust
- 1 ½ cups graham cracker crumbs
- ½ cup unsalted butter, melted
Topping
- 1 (14 oz) can sweetened condensed milk
- 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 1 cup chopped pecans
- 1 cup caramel bits or soft caramel candies, melted
- ½ cup shredded sweetened coconut (optional)
- Flaky sea salt for topping (optional)
Instructions
- Prepare Oven and Pan: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a 9×13-inch baking pan with parchment paper and lightly grease it to ensure easy removal of the bars after baking.
- Make the Crust: In a mixing bowl, combine the graham cracker crumbs with the melted unsalted butter. Mix thoroughly until the crumbs are evenly coated. Press this mixture firmly and evenly into the bottom of the prepared baking pan to create a solid crust layer.
- Add Sweetened Condensed Milk: Pour the sweetened condensed milk evenly over the graham cracker crust, ensuring it spreads out without pooling too thick in any specific area.
- Layer the Toppings: Evenly sprinkle the semi-sweet chocolate chips, chopped pecans, and shredded sweetened coconut (if using) over the sweetened condensed milk layer. Then drizzle your melted caramel bits or melted soft caramel candies over the top of everything to create a luscious caramel layer.
- Bake: Place the pan in the preheated oven and bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until the edges turn golden brown and the center is bubbly, indicating the bars are cooked through.
- Cool: Remove the bars from the oven and allow them to cool completely in the pan. This helps to set the layers firmly, making slicing easier and cleaner.
- Optional Finishing Touch: Once cooled, sprinkle flaky sea salt evenly on top for an extra burst of flavor and texture contrast.
- Serve: Cut the bars into 24 pieces and serve as a delightful dessert or sweet snack.
Notes
- To melt caramels, heat them with a splash of milk or cream in the microwave in 30-second intervals, stirring between each to avoid burning.
- Store the finished bars in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days to maintain freshness and flavor.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
