Featured Comment
From Liz: “I just made these for a baby shower. Huge success and raves. I was happy that there were leftovers. I am excited to try more of your recipes ★★★★★“
From Debbie: “I remember my mom making this recipe back in the 80’s, so I was thrilled when I found this gluten free version. I receive rave reviews every time I share this recipe. Thank you for this recipe and all your recipes. Much appreciated. ★★★★★“
From Cara: “AMAZING!! Thank you for making going gluten free so easy for my son. We love these bars! ★★★★★“
Recipe Overview
⏱️ Time to Taste: About 45 minutes plus cooling time
✨ Texture: Chewy, gooey, crunchy, and rich
🥣 Ease: Easy
🌾 Flour Used: Gluten-Free Graham Crackers
🍫 Key Ingredients: Chocolate chips, butterscotch chips, coconut, walnuts, and sweetened condensed milk
🎉 Best For: Potlucks, bake sales, holidays, parties, and cookie trays
❤️ Why You’ll Love It: All the classic flavors of traditional magic cookie bars with a simple gluten-free swap that nobody will notice.
If you’re craving a gooey, decadent gluten-free treat, look no further—these gluten-free 7-layer bars are it! Also known as magic cookie bars or Hello Dolly bars (as my parents call them), this recipe is easy to make and perfect for a crowd (it makes a 9×13 pan!).
These rich, buttery bars are packed with both flavor and texture! The graham cracker crust is topped with chocolate and butterscotch chips, coconut, and nuts. Then sweetened condensed milk melts through everything as it bakes, giving the bars their signature gooey texture that makes them so irresistible.
Ingredients You’ll Need
Here are a few notes on some of the key ingredients to make these gluten-free 7-layer bars. Jump to the recipe card below for the exact measurements.
- Gluten-free graham cracker crumbs: Any kind of gluten-free graham crackers will work. I put together this article about gluten-free graham crackers to help you find the best option for you! My favorite brand to use is Schar. I also use it in this gluten-free graham cracker crust!
- Butterscotch chips: Be sure to use gluten-free butterscotch chips to keep these bars gluten-free. My favorite brand is Guittard.
- Chocolate chips: Semi-sweet chocolate chips are traditionally used in 7-layer bars, but milk chocolate or dark chocolate chips will also work, if you prefer those flavors.
- Nuts: I like to use chopped walnuts, but chopped pecans also work well!
How to Make Gluten-Free 7-Layer Bars
Here’s an overview of how to make this recipe. You can jump to the recipe for the full instructions!
The perfect 7-layer bars start with a well-made graham cracker crust. Once the salted butter and gluten-free graham cracker crumbs are combined, I firmly press the mixture into the pan to create a sturdy base that won’t crumble when sliced.
I love how quickly this recipe comes together! It only takes a few minutes to layer everything in the pan and top it with sweetened condensed milk to hold it all together.
The key to a perfect bake is to pull them when the edges are lightly golden and the center looks set. They’ll continue to firm up as they cool. I’ve learned that slicing while they’re still warm can cause them to fall apart, so it’s best to let them cool completely for clean, perfect squares.
Make-Ahead/Storage/Freezing Instructions
To Make-Ahead: These bars come together quickly, but you can bake them 1–2 days in advance and still enjoy fresh, delicious gluten-free 7-layer bars.
To Store: Let the bars cool completely, then store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.
To Freeze: These bars freeze well! Once they’re completely cool, place them in an airtight container or freezer bag and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature for about 1-2 hours before serving.
What Do Gluten-Free 7-Layer Bars Taste Like?
These bars are rich, buttery, and sweet. A little chocolatey, a little nutty, with hints of caramel-like butterscotch flavor and toasted coconut throughout. The sweetened condensed milk adds a creamy sweetness that perfectly balances all of the flavors.
Can I Use Different Mix-Ins?
Definitely! I’ve left out the nuts before to make a nut-free version, but these bars are easy to customize with your favorite mix-ins. Try white chocolate or peanut butter chips, toffee bits, or even a gluten-free Oreo crust for a fun twist on the classic recipe.
No matter what variations you choose, be sure to pour the sweetened condensed milk over the top so all of the layers bake together into perfectly sliceable bars.
When I want similar flavors, but in cookie form, I love making these gluten-free cowboy cookies. They feature oats instead of graham crackers, but otherwise use a lot of the same mix-ins. They use my favorite gluten-free oatmeal cookies as the base.
More Gluten-Free Bar Recipes
Gluten-Free 7-Layer Bars
Ingredients
- 8 ounces (227g) gluten-free graham crackers, crushed into fine crumbs
- 4 tablespoons (56g) butter, melted
- 1 cup (170g) semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 1 cup (170g) butterscotch chips
- 1 cup (80g) sweetened shredded coconut
- 1/2 cup chopped pecans or walnuts
- 1 (14-ounce) can (397g) sweetened condensed milk
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a 9×13-inch baking pan with foil or parchment paper and spray with cooking spray.
- In a medium bowl, stir together the gluten-free graham cracker crumbs and melted butter.
- Press the graham cracker mixture into the bottom of the prepared baking pan.
- Evenly sprinkle the remaining ingredients one by one over the crust to form layers, starting with the chocolate chips, followed by the butterscotch chips, coconut then nuts. Pour the condensed milk evenly over the top and spread it with a rubber spatula into a smooth layer.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes, until golden on the edges and set in the middle.
- Remove from the oven and place on a wire rack to cool completely for 30 minutes before slicing.
Notes
white chocolate chips (in place of the butterscotch chips) and dairy-free
sweetened condensed milk. Nut-Free: Omit the nuts. You could add some crushed gluten-free
pretzels for crunch instead. To Make-Ahead: You can bake them 1–2 days in advance and still enjoy fresh, delicious gluten-free 7-layer bars. To Store: Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. To Freeze: Place cooled bars into an airtight container or freezer bag and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature for about 1-2 hours before serving.
Nutrition
More Gluten-Free Bar Recipes
This post was originally published in March 2017. It was updated with new photos and instructions in June 2026.
made these for the 4th of July and YUMM. so good. I think there was user error on my part and I pulled them out of the oven too soon. The sweetened condensed milk still looked a little bit shiny unlike the pics posted on this blog. But other than that, flavor was so good and it is the perfect mix of flavor and texture!!
Hi Lauren! We’re so glad the 7-layer bars turned out well for the holiday weekend, even with the baking time hiccup. Thank you for sharing your positive review with us. We appreciate it!
These bars are excellent! Everyone who tried them loved them. They are quick to assemble, make a lot, and can be ready from start to finish, including cooling, in under 2 hours. That said, I had one minor problem. The crust layer did not hang together very well. As I put the crumb/butter mixture in the pan, it seemed too dry, but I thought that the melting chips and condensed milk might bind them better, but it only helped a little. I am going to increase the butter by 2T and see if that helps. No matter what, I will be making these again!
We’re so happy to hear you enjoyed the recipe so much, Denny! Thank you! We’re sorry you had that experience with the crust layer. We hope your next batch with the extra butter goes much better. Happy baking!
What brand of gluten free graham crackers do you recommend?
We love the Schar brand gf graham crackers. We hope you enjoy the recipe, Karen!
Is there a substitute for butterscotch like just more chocolate—- or would it ruin the recipe?
Hi Jeanine! You can definitely replace the butterscotch with more chocolate chips. You could also try peanut butter chips for a different flavor combo. We hope you enjoy the bars!
What can you use as a coconut replacement if you don’t eat coconut, other than the marshmallows listed above?
Hi Chris! You could try extra graham cracker crumbs or just omit the coconut. We hope you love the bars!
My daughter is allergic to coconut. I was wondering about using GF rolled oats in its place. Would that dramatically change the texture though? Maybe the GF pretzels or graham crackers would be a better substitute. What are your thoughts?
Hi Toni! We’d recommend trying gf pretzels or more graham crackers (or even more nuts if you prefer). The oats will absorb more moisture and change the texture more noticeably. You could also omit the coconut without a swap, but the bars may be a little gooier. We hope this helps!
you need a layer of mini coloured marshmallows especially if you can’t eat the coconut. I make these at Christmas
That sounds like a fun layer, Barb! Thanks for sharing!