These Chocolate Covered Cherry Magic Bars and their brownie base are the delicious candy made into a decadent dessert! Of all the magic bar variations, this one might be the most decadent. These 7 layer magic bars are made without graham crackers and without coconut for a different twist on a classic recipe.
If you are looking for other great magic bars, make sure you try these S’mores Magic Bars, these Milky Way Magic Bars and these Strawberries and Cream Magic Bars. Or make original magic cookie bars.
It has come to my attention in the last week that Piper isn’t a baby anymore. She’s like a for real kid. (I just want you to know that I can hear your collective “Duh.” and I really don’t appreciate it.)
She is making all of her wants and needs very clear. She is doing things in an attempt to be funny (and totally succeeding) and she wants to do anything and everything that her older brother and sister are doing. In short, she is in the thick of it.
You guys yesterday we watched her take the sword from Gavin’s Knight Costume and walk up to Quinn (who was sitting at the kitchen counter on a stool), and with a huge grin, she started smacking Quinn with it. When Quinn started to whine and cry, Piper did her very familiar pucker up move, letting Quinn know she wanted to give her a kiss.
Quinn, thinking all is safe, climbs down from the stool, and gives her little sister a kiss, only to then be smacked again with the sword, but harder now because they are on the same level. And because we are horrible parents we just stood there observing the whole thing and remarking to each other that our baby isn’t a baby anymore. (Is it wrong that as someone with two older siblings, a small part of me took some joy in it??)
So the perfect thing to drown my sorrows in my baby becoming a KID? Is these amazing Chocolate Covered Cherry Magic Bars. Guys, I legit do not do my magic bars by the book. First, I generally skimp on the number of layers, going from like 7 to like 4. And I also love to shove a layer of sugar cookie in there. But this time? This time I shoved a layer of BROWNIE in there. Sooooooo, delicious.
And if you are really sad about your baby becoming a KID? Well then you make a huge tower of them and you top it with ice cream and fudge sauce. (Okay, see that collective “Duh” I feel good about.)
TIPS ON HOW TO MAKE THESE MAGIC BARS
- Make sure you are using Sweetened Condensed Milk and not Evaporated Milk. The containers are virtually identically and sold right next to each other so it’s an easy mistake to make, but they are very very different.
- Make sure you don’t use extra sweetened condensed milk. You aren’t using a whole can. Just 6 ounces.
- These need to cool and set before you cut into them. They will still be gooey, but delicious.
Chocolate Covered Cherry Magic Bars
Ingredients
- 1 cup all purposed flour scooped and leveled – see note
- 1 cup sugar
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 stick butter 8 TBSPS
- 1/4 cup chocolate chips
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 2 eggs
- 10 oz jar of maraschino cherries drained and cut in half
- 1 cup semi sweet chocolate chips
- 3/4 cup sweetened condensed milk not evaporated milk
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and spray a 9 by 13 inch baking dish with cooking spray.
- In a large bowl, mix together the flour, sugar, salt, baking powder, and cocoa powder.
- Melt together the butter and 1/4 cup chocolate chips in the microwave on 30 second intervals, stirring in between, until smooth.
- Mix the melted chocolate/butter, eggs, and vanilla into the dry ingredients until fully combined. Press into the bottom of the baking dish.
- Top the brownie mixture with the cherries, chocolate chips, and then the sweetened condensed milk.
- Bake for 28 to 30 minutes until the edges are golden brown. Allow to set up overnight before cutting and serving.
Notes
Becky says
Can i freeze these?
Yes! Flash freeze them in a single layer for 2 hours and then transfer them to an airtight container where they can be stacked. They can last in the freezer for 3 months.
Erin says
If I want to eat these in the next few hours is there something I can do to not have to wait overnight. I just seen that and made them to eat this evening
I’m so sorry that I’m just getting to this. I haven’t tried this, but you could try popping it in the freezer for an hour. Just be careful if you are using a glass pan and it is hot from the oven. If it goes directly into the freezer it will break.
Myranda says
I measured my ingredients exactly and only baked the bars for half the suggested time and still the brownie on the bottom is so dry and crumbly that it won’t even hold together. Suggestions?
I’m so sorry, Myranda, it’s hard for me to know what went wrong here – this hasn’t been my experience with this recipe and I haven’t gotten this comment before. Is there any chance that the temperature on your oven is off?
Wendy says
I Always love your recipes
I’m so happy to hear this!
Marta says
I just made these bars & my husband loves them! Do they need to be kept in the refrigerator since they have the sweetened condensed milk? Thanks
I’m so glad he liked them, Marta! No, they can be stored on the counter.
Doree says
Do you think a boxed brownie mix would work for the bottom chocolate layer❓
I actually don’t think so because it’s a pretty thin layer – thinner than a box of brownie mix would yield.
Courtney says
No where in this recipe does it call for the one cup of semi sweet chocolate chips
They are called for in step 5. They are the chocolate chips that you see on the top layer in the photos.
Maria Vacha says
The chocolate covered cherry magic bars look delicious! I would follow the recipe as shown but what about using a 8×8 pan? Would the baking time be changed then? It would probably make a bit of a thicker base? Can’t wait to try this!!
You would definitely need to bake them longer. I’m concerned that the edges would burn before the middle set up.
Lisa says
Do you use semi sweet cocoa powder?
No, I use 100% unsweetened cocoa powder.
Della says
These are amazing!! If you like chocolate covered cherries, you’ll LOVE these bars!
I’m so happy that you liked them!