There are two heirloom recipes from my mom’s recipe box on this page, neither of them credited to other people, and very similar to each other. These recipes come from a time when nuts and coconut flakes went into a lot of desserts, so they’re not for everyone — but if you don’t mind those ingredients, they’re really easy desserts to make.

Magic Cookie Bars:

1/2 c. butter
1 1/2 c. graham cracker crumbs
1 c. walnuts
1 1/3 c. chocolate chips
1 1/3 c. flake coconut
1 1/2 c. sweetened condensed milk (about 1 1/2 14-oz. cans)

Pour melted butter onto the bottom of a 13 x 9 x 2″ pan. Sprinkle the graham cracker crumbs over butter. (Pro tip: press the crumbs into the butter to help them hold together as a crust.) Sprinkle nuts over the crumbs. Scatter chocolate chips over nuts. Then sprinkle coconut over chips. Pour milk over coconut. 

Bake at 350F for 25 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool for 15 minutes and cut into bars.

Seven-Layer Cookies:

1/2 c. butter
1/2 c. graham cracker crumbs
14 oz. sweetened condensed milk
6 oz. chocolate chips (semi-sweet)
6 oz. butterscotch chips
1 c. coconut flakes
1 c. chopped pecans

Melt the butter in a 9 x 13″ pan. Sprinkle crumbs over the butter. Pour milk over crumbs. Top evenly with remaining ingredients. Press down gently. Bake at 350F for 25-30 minutes until brown. Cool before cutting.