Butter Pecan M&M’s Magic Bars

8/2/15

Come on in, the water’s fine! Today is the #SundaySupper Pool Party! Take your traditional seven layer bars and add a sweet and salty combination of toasted nuts and sweet chocolate candies in a gooey layer atop a buttery graham cracker crust, and everyone will be jumping out of the pool to grab one of these Butter Pecan M&M’s Magic Bars.

Butter Pecan M&M’s Magic Bars

When I was little, one of my mom’s good friends had a big picnic in her yard every summer. I know we are talking abut pool parties today, but honestly, I’m not even sure she had a pool. But for some reason, this annal picnic is memory than stands out in my head of summertime gatherings. My parents were divorced by this time, and another of my mom’s friends who also went had a husband who was in the Coast Guard and was often away on duty. She had a daughter who was a bit younger the me, but we always enjoyed playing together, so we would go to this party together.

I don’t have vivid memories of these parties, but I do remember lots of dancing and singing and lots of adults being entertained by to (adorable, if I do say so myself) little girls. Apparently we were so entertaining that we earned the name “The Flora Dora Girls” or something like that. I have no idea what this meant, but that is how our “act” was introduced, whatever the heck our “act” was. I suppose none of that matter, since we always had fun.

The other thing I remember was my mom bringing a couple of plates of Magic Bars, although she always called them Morsel Squares. Other people call them Seven Layer Bars, but hers never had seven layers? Why? Because I was a picky kid and she was (and is) and awesome mom? Pecans or walnuts or any other kind of nut in them? No way, because I would gag if I detected any little remnant of nuts. Coconut? Never, because I hated coconut. Now my mom loved both of those things, and yet she always made her Morsel Squares with just graham cracker crust, chocolate chips (aka morsels), and lots of sweetened condensed milk. If she really wanted the coconut for herself, she would put it on half of the pan, but she always made sure that there were enough that were completely free of any coconut contamination.

So after all of those years of making Morsel Squares to satisfy my tastes, I made these especially for her…

Butter Pecan M&M’s Magic Bars are inspired by her favorites – her favorite ice cream is butter pecan and her favorite candy is M&M’s.

Of course there is the classic graham cracker crust, but swimming in the gooey later of sweetened condensed milk are chunks of pecans that have been toasted in a bit of butter and salt and lots of chocolaty mini M&Ms’s. It a perfect sweet and salty, buttery rich combo that everyone will be ready to devour. I’m telling you, if you need an easy dessert to feed a crowd but are tired of the same old, same old, you have to make these! Even better, only five main ingredients! How awesome is that!

So go whip up a batch, and then check all of the other #SundaySupper recipes to bring to your next pool party at the bottom of this post!

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What was your favorite sweet treat your mom made when you were a kid?

Tell me what you think of these M&M’s Magic Bars!

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Butter Pecan M&M's Magic Bars

Take your traditional seven layer bars and add a sweet and salty combination of toasted nuts and sweet chocolate candies.

Course: Bars, Dessert

Servings: 24

Author: Brianne @ Cupcakes & Kale Chips

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup plus 2 Tablespoons butter divided
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup chopped pecans
• 1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
• 1 14 oz. can sweetened condensed milk
• 2 cups M&Ms I used the minis

Instructions

1. Melt 2 T butter in pan, add pecans and salt. Toast for 2-3 minutes. Set aside.
2. Preheat your oven 350°F. Line a 13 x 9-inch baking pan with foil, letting it hang over the edges, and spray with non-stick cooking spray.
3. Melt the remaining 1/2 cup butter and combine in a bowl with the graham cracker crumbs. Toss together with a fork until fully moistened and transfer to the prepared pan. Press down firmly, using the bottom of a glass or measuring cup to make sure it is packed down well.
4. Pour about two-thirds of the sweetened condensed milk evenly over crumb mixture.
5. Sprinkle the pecans and M&M's evenly over the sweetened condensed milk layer, then drizzle with the remaining sweetened condensed milk.
6. Bake 25-30 minutes or until lightly browned.
7. Cool completely, then remove the bars from the pan using the edges of the foil, and cut into bars.

Here are some more yummy bars…

• Chocolate Chip Sugar Cookie Bars with Peanut Butter Frosting
• Sugar Cookie Bars with Browned Butter Pumpkin Spice Frosting
• Flourless Peanut Butter Cookie Dough Cheesecake Brownies

And here are all of the other delicious dishes on today’s #SundaySupper pool party menu…

Refreshing Beverages and Cocktails:

• Beermosas by eating in instead
• Cantaloupe Margarita by Palatable Pastime
• Classic Spanish Sangria by Curious Cuisiniere
• Ginger Peach Sangria with Plums by Whole Food | Real Families
• Lime and Ginger Cordial by Jane’s Adventures in Dinner
• Lime in the Coconut Caipirinha by Cosmopolitan Cornbread
• Minted Limeade with Vodka by Our Good Life
• Mojito Slush by Life Tastes Good
• Pear and Cranberry Orange Cocktail by Hezzi-D’s Books and Cooks
• Pool Water by From Gate to Plate
• Sparkling Mermaid Lemonade by Simply Healthy Family
• Spiked Blackberry Lemonade by Serena Bakes Simply From Scratch

Appealing Appetizers and Snacks:

• Chip and Dip Sunflowers by Cindy’s Recipes and Writings
• Coconut Key Lime Cheesecake Dip by The Crumby Cupcake
• Eggplant, Spinach and White Bean Dip with Homemade Cheddar Crackers by Caroline’s Cooking
• Grilled Spicy Shrimp with Pineapple Aioli by A Gouda Life
• Low-Carb Turkey Club Bites by Momma’s Meals
• Roasted Jalapeno Hummus by Bobbi’s Kozy Kitchen
• Tropical Fruit Quesadillas by Seduction in the Kitchen
• Zesty Tex-Mex Shrimp Cocktail by The Weekend Gourmet

Super Sides and Salads:

• BLT Pasta Salad by A Day in the Life on a Farm
• Mexican Three Bean Salad by Tasting Page
• Olive Tomato Salad by Magnolia Days
• Superfood Crunch Salad by Food Done Light
• Tuna Salad by Recipes Food and Cooking
• Watermelon Brie Salad by Brunch with Joy

Tempting Desserts and Sweets:

• 5 Fantastic Frozen Fruit Pops by Sunday Supper Movement
• Butter Pecan M&M’s Magic Bars by Cupcakes & Kale Chips
• Pink Lemonade Cupcakes by Sew You Think You Can Cook
• Oatmeal Toffee Cookies by That Skinny Chick Can Bake
• Sour Cherry Crumb Cake by Pies and Plots
• Swim Ring Cakes by The Freshman Cook
• Under the Sea Dessert by Feeding Big