Almond Joy Magic Cookie Bars

ingredients

Cookie Crust:

• 1/2 c. unsalted butter, room temperature
• 3/4 c. light brown sugar, packed
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 1 egg
• 1 c. all-purpose flour
• 1 c. chocolate graham cracker crumbs (not quite 9 full-sheet crackers)
• 1/2 tsp. baking powder
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1/2 c. semi-sweet chocolate chips

Layers:

• 3/4 c. mini semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 1 3/4 c. shredded sweetened coconut
• 1/2 c. sliced almonds
• about 12 oz. sweetened condensed milk (not quite one can)

instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line an 8x8-inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving a slight overhang for easy removal and spray with cooking spray; set aside.  For the Crust: In a large bowl, cream together the butter and brown sugar, using a hand mixer, until smooth and creamy.  Add the vanilla and egg and mix until combined.  Add the flour, graham cracker crumbs, baking powder and salt and mix until fully combined.  Stir in the chocolate chips.  Press graham cracker dough evenly into the bottom of your prepared baking pan.  Bake for 5 minutes.
2. Remove from oven and sprinkle with the mini chocolate chips (reserving a small amount), coconut and sliced almonds.  Drizzle the sweetened condensed milk over the top and sprinkle with reserved mini chocolate chips.  Remember the pan is hot and return to the oven and bake for 25-30 minutes until set (I baked mine for about 26 minutes).  Loosely tent the pan with aluminum foil halfway through baking time to prevent the coconut and almonds from browning and rotate the pan in the oven.  
3. Allow to cool at room temperature for 30 minutes and then stick in the refrigerator to cool all the way through (the bottom of the pan will be cold).   Cut into 9-12 squares.  DO NOT cut the bars while they are still warm or the gooey filling will run all over the place.

Base Recipe adapted from site