Easy Brownie 7 Layer Bars Recipe (From Scratch)
This 7 layer bars recipe starts with a rich, one-bowl brownie base and finishes with the classic layers everyone loves. It’s an easy, from scratch treat that brings together chocolate, coconut, and nuts in a sweet creamy topping for a bar that feels indulgent without extra work. Everyone will love these for any event – holidays, potlucks, or anytime you want a quick and delicious homemade dessert.
Whenever I’m thinking about a new cookie recipe for the holidays, I usually want something rich, chewy, and that will make people go, “Ohhhhh…that’s SO good!”
And combining two classic, favorite bar cookie recipes into one amazing bar? That’s pretty much guaranteed to get me that reaction.
So I started testing a recipe I developed (based on a number of recipes I saw) that combined a deep chocolate brownie base with all the toppings you find in a 7-layer bar, sweetened condensed milk, coconut, nuts, chocolate chips – all the good stuff. And I served it to family and friends to get their reaction.
I think you can guess it since you’re reading about the recipe here on the website – they were a hit! All the flavors we love in the chewy, gooey brownie-topping combo really puts these over the top: “These are amazing!” “I’ll just have another half.” “Wow.”
But you know a cookie around here will not be difficult! And while you could, technically, use a boxed brownie mix, there is no need with the simple, one bowl brownie included. It’s all the ease of a mix with none of the additives.
After mixing up the brownie you stir the topping ingredients together while it bakes and then bake everything again. Boom, you’re done, with the oven doing the heavy-hitting work here.
The hardest part is probably waiting long enough for the bars to cool – you can see in some of the photos here that I didn’t, lol.
This recipe is part of The Sweetest Season, an annual virtual cookie swap co-hosted by Erin of The Speckled Palate and Susannah of Feast + West. Every year, food bloggers get together to share new holiday cookie recipes to make and give.
This year, The Sweetest Season is raising money for Cookies 4 Kids’ Cancer, which is a recognized 501(c)3 non-profit organization dedicated to funding research for new, innovative and less-toxic treatments for childhood cancer.
Help us raise money for this important cause through our fundraising page.
Another exciting thing is that Cookies for Kids’ Cancer is in a matching window with their friends at OXO, meaning OXO will be matching every dollar raised through the end of 2025, up to $100,000. Whatever money we raise will automatically double on our fundraising page!
Recipe Ingredients Notes
While there aren’t many changes you can make to the main ingredients, you can add and subtract what you’d like from the topping to vary it up and use what you have.
- Basic brownie base: cocoa powder*, butter, sugar, eggs, vanilla, and flour. To make this gluten free, use a 1:1 gluten free baking flour instead of all-purpose (or whole wheat pastry).
*I always use cocoa powder and butter or oil in place of unsweetened chocolate (according to the ratio on the back of most cocoa powder packages), mainly because I never have a bar of it on hand. I’ve developed the recipe this way, but I’ve included how to use a bar of unsweetened chocolate in the recipe card, too.
- Sweetened condensed milk: This is a must, but if you don’t have a can of it, you can make it! Use this recipe to make your own (no cooking needed) and then use it for the topping.
- Butter and salt: These add fat and flavor to the topping.
- Topping Additions: I use the classic nuts, unsweetened coconut, and chocolate chips of the 7-layer bar and then add in one or more of these variations: toffee bits (shown above), caramel or butterscotch chips, milk chocolate or white chocolate chips, or crushed pretzel pieces.
Make This 7-Layer Bar Recipe with a Brownie Base
Step 1: Make one-bowl brownies. Melt butter in the microwave or stovetop (on medium low) a minute and stir. Whisk in the cocoa powder until smooth (or melt unsweetened chocolate along with the butter). Stir in the sugar and then the eggs and vanilla. Finally add the flour, stirring all until smooth.
Step 2: Bake the brownies. Pour the brownie batter into a completely parchment-lined 9×9-inch pan (do NOT do what I did here and just use the extra strip from cutting the parchment to fit the pan – the condensed milk cooked and stuck to those small uncovered parts!). Bake about 25 minutes at 350 degrees, until a toothpick in the center has no liquid, but just a few crumbs.
Step 3: Gather topping ingredients. While the brownies are baking, measure out all the topping additions you’re using into a medium to large bowl.
Step 4: Mix topping. Add condensed milk and melted butter and stir well. Set aside until brownies are finished. Reduce the oven heat to 325 degrees when you remove the brownies.
Step 5: Add topping to brownies. Set the hot brownie pan on a wire rack and then spoon the topping mixture evenly over the brownie base, and gently spread it to the edges.
Step 6: Bake the bars until golden browned (they could be a little less browned than what is shown above – my oven is temperamental…), about 25 to 30 minutes.
TIP: I tested pouring the topping and all the nuts and chips didn’t come out evenly with the milk, causing the liquid to ooze to the sides while the goodies stayed in little piles. I had to spoon and scrape the toppings more evenly which disturbed the brownie base, so my suggestion is to always spoon it evenly.
Step 7: Cool and cut. Let the bars cool completely – this will probably be many hours, depending on the temperature of your kitchen. Cut into 20 to 25 pieces – these are rich!
Storage
- Storage: You can keep these bars at room temperature in an airtight container for 2-3 days or in the fridge for 5-7 days.
- Freezing: For longer storage, these freeze wonderfully – keep them 4-6 months. If layering in a container, use parchment or wax paper between the layers.
I hope you love this brownie 7-layer bars recipe! If you make it, be sure to leave a rating and review so I know how you liked it!
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Brownie 7 Layer Bars Recipe
Equipment
- 9×9-inch square baking pan (do not use an 8×8-inch pan)
Ingredients
One Bowl Brownies
7-Layer Topping
- 1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts
- 1/2 cup chocolate chips, semi-sweet or dark
- 1/2 cup unsweetened shredded coconut (yes, you can use sweetened, it just adds more sugar)
- 1/2 cup your choice: toffee bits, caramel/butterscotch chips, milk chocolate chips, or white chocolate chips
- optional: add up to 1/2 cup crushed pretzels
- 1/4 teaspoon sea salt (up to 1/2 teaspoon if using unsalted butter)
- 1 can (14 ounces) sweetened condensed milk
- 1/4 cup butter, melted
Instructions
Make Brownies
- Heat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 9-inch square baking pan on all sides with two pieces of parchment paper (overlapping) to hang over the sides, buttering as needed to keep them in place.
- In large bowl (I like to use an 8-cup batter bowl with pour spout), melt the butter in the microwave for 30 seconds to a minute and stir, then add the cocoa powder and whisk until smooth. Alternately, melt the butter in a 3-quart saucepan over medium-low heat and then add the cocoa powder (using the pan to mix the rest of the batter).
- Stir in the sugar until smooth. Add the eggs and vanilla, beating until completely combined. Stir in the flour until smooth.
- Pour into the prepared pan and bake until a toothpick comes out with no liquid, only a few crumbs, about 25 minutes. Remove from oven and then reduce heat to 325 degrees.
Make Topping
- While the brownies are baking, add all the nuts, chips, and coconut you're using to a medium bowl. Stir in the condensed milk, melted butter and salt until well combined. Set aside while brownies finish baking.
- Once brownies are removed from the oven, spoon the topping evenly over the warm brownie base, spreading gently to the edges, making sure the topping doesn't clump in places.
- Bake the bars until the topping is golden browned, about 25 to 30 minutes (start checking at the 20 minute mark, though – you want to make sure the center is just starting to brown).
- Remove to a wire rack and let the bars cool completely in pan before cutting. Lift the edges of the parchment to remove the bars to a cutting board and use a large knife to cut into 20 (cut 4×5) or 25 (cut 5×5) pieces.
Notes
- You can keep these bars at room temperature in an airtight container for 2-3 days or in the fridge for 5-7 days.
- Freezing: For longer storage, these freeze wonderfully – keep them 4-6 months. If layering in a container, use parchment or wax paper between the layers.
Nutrition
More Easy Cookie Recipes to Try
- Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars with Sweetened Condensed Milk
- Simple and Easy Turtle Bars
- Fudgy Espresso Truffle Bars Recipe
- Peanut Butter Oatmeal Bars with Chocolate Chips
Jami, these Brownie 7 Layer Bars look like the ultimate dessert mash up. The rich brownie base paired with all the classic layers of chocolate, coconut, and nuts creates such an indulgent bite, and I love that they come together so easily in one bowl. This is the kind of treat that disappears fast at any gathering!
Thank you so much for participating in this year’s Sweetest Season and bringing another delicious cookie recipe to the virtual celebration. I am so appreciative for you and everyone who joins me in this yearly and am always blown away with the generosity. I hope you and yours have the happiest holiday season!
Thank you, Erin – I always enjoy participating!