Allergy Free Magic Cookie Bars

Magic Cookie Bars are originally from the Eagle Brand Sweetened Condensed Milk.  They had been a staple in our house for years before we had to ditch things like walnuts, and gluten.  The original version was made with a crust formed from crushed graham crackers and butter. It is a quick, easy bar cookie that always pleases a crowd. The new version is nearly as easy, if you can find Sweetened Condensed Coconut Milk. But if you can't find it, you can make your own ahead of time, and this will still be a throw together recipe. This crust takes a bit more time than a graham cracker crust, but made with a press in the pan crust it goes pretty quickly. Besides, crushing all those graham crackers wasn't exactly a breeze...

These are topped with Sweetened Condensed Coconut Milk, shredded Sweetened Coconut, and Enjoy Life mini chocolate chips. The original included walnuts, so I mixed some Toasted Coconut in also. I recommend you sprinkle the toasted coconut on top at the end instead. The toasted coconut gives more of that nutty flavor with the crunchy texture, mixed in it lost some of the crunch to the sweetened condensed coconut milk.

I also like these because the chocolate is only a topping. These could stand alone, without the chocolate, for people like me who have mast cell disease. Chocolate can activate mast cells, so it is something I am only eating occasionally, and in very small amounts, or not at all.

These are always on the request list for Christmas in our house. Their magic really shouldn't be limited to the holidays though. They really are a great alternative to brownies on a rainy day!

Allergy Free Magic Cookie Bars

 Crust

Ingredients

1 flax egg (1 TBSP ground flaxseed + 3 TBSP water)

3/4 c white rice flour

1/3 cup coconut flour

2 TBSP arrowroot starch

1/4 tsp c.o.t. (cream of tartar)

3/4 tsp baking soda

1/2 c coconut oil (melted)

1/3 c granulated sugar

2 tsp vanilla

Directions

Mix flax egg in small bowl. Set aside.

In a separate small bowl mix dry ingredients: rice flour, coconut flour, arrowroot starch, cream of tartar, and baking soda

In a large bowl blend melted coconut oil and the sugar

Beat the flax egg with a fork until stiff and thick

Add flax egg and vanilla, beat until fluffy

add dry ingredients- Mix until incorporated.

Press dough into greased 9 x 13 pan

Bake at 350 degrees F until set (approx. 20 minutes)

While still hot

Topping

Ingredients

Sweetened Condensed Coconut Milk*

Sweetened Coconut**

Toasted Coconut

 Enjoy Life chocolate chips

*you can use regular sweetened condensed milk if you are not working with a dairy allergy

**you can use regular sweetened and shredded coconut if you are not avoiding the preservatives-

if you sweeten your own, it takes 5 minutes and you can adjust the sweetness yourself

Directions

While the crust is still warm,

Pour 1/2 can of condensed coconut milk evenly over crust

Sprinkle sweetened shredded coconut over the sweetened condensed milk, 

pressing down into the condensed milk as you go

(you can use a fork to do this)

Repeat with chocolate chips

Drizzle the remaining sweetened condensed milk over the entire pan

Sprinkle toasted coconut over the entire pan (if desired)

Bake another 10-15 minutes, or until chocolate starts to soften and the bars appear lightly browned

Wait 1 hour for chocolate to solidify again before cutting