Magic Pumpkin Layer Bars with rice krispies are essentially the taste of fall. That is is if you think fall's flavor tastes like pumpkin. In which case you will love these bars!
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It is Halloween and I don't have candy. I do have pumpkins-uncarved- and Indian corn if I can find it in my cabinets, and gourds plus lots of mini pumpkins placed strategically throughout my home.
I figure I have until Thanksgiving to find the corn, but that still means I have to run out and buy candy for probably what will amount to 4 trick or treaters.
But you never know. One year I think we had like 20!
So it is for the grown ups that I made these layer bars.
These magic pumpkin butter layer bars are a standard hello dolly 7 layer bar.
I have lots of versions of magic cookie bars. They are simple and quick to make and ingredients can easily be substituted.
In the case of this pumpkin bar, I found several things from my pantry hollering out to be used.
Yes to rice krispies instead of nuts, yes to that lonely box of half eaten Milk Duds, and yes to these pumpkin cookies provided by Safeway at a blogger event.
It happens to be a very nice sandwich cookie with that ubiquitous fall flavor, though any sandwich cookie or graham crackers could be used to make the delicious crust.
These magic pumpkin layer bars were also a great place to try Trader Joes salted caramel chips. Oh my. I only discovered them a year ago and can only find them around holiday time, but much prefer them to the Nestle butterscotch chips.
Trader Joe's contains only natural ingredients and nothing artificial and no they aren't sponsoring this post; I just like them.
Yes, I did also happen to add some rum to the pumpkin and that seems to help with these bars being overly sweet. But they still are plenty sweet. Maybe I'll add more rum the next time I make them.
For some reason Halloween always has me scrambling and I admit that even when the kids were wee ones, I was never one for cutesy treats.
I did manage to make a great microwave caramel corn, but I always marveled at the witch's finger cookies that my kids brought home from school. Who could be so creative?
Well, lot's of folks if you look at this Halloween board!
So no, I don't have anything cutesy, but I do have a cookie bar that Manservant loves and hey - he might be my only trick or treater. So the big question is do I buy him Snicker's bars or Peanut M and M's?
What are 7 layer bars?
7 layer bars became popularized through the Betty Crocker cookbooks. Usually they are a graham cracker crust topped with 7 layers including the crust, chocolate, butterscotch chips, nuts, coconut and finish with a layer of condensed milk.
Are 7 layer bars, magic bars and hello dolly bars the same thing?
Yes! And now there are countless versions because they are so easy to make and taste so good!
Yes, I do have a lot of Layer bars!
Potato Chip Crusted 7 Layer Magic Bars
Recipe
Magic Pumpkin Bars with Rice Krispies
- Prep Time: 20 Minutes
- Cook Time: 35 Minutes
- Total Time: 55 Minutes
- Yield: About 32 Bars 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Description
Magic Pumpkin Bars with rice krispies are essentially the taste of fall. That is is if you think fall's flavor tastes like pumpkin. In which case you will love these bars!
Ingredients
1 pkg 9.7 oz Pumpkin Spice Sandwich Cookies OR about 2 ½ c graham cracker crumbs OR gingersnaps Or your favorite sandwich cookie all crushed in a food processor into fine crumbs
1 stick butter
8 T pumpkin butter OR ¾ c pumpkin mixed with 2 ½ t pumpkin spice
1 T rum
1 can condensed milk
¾ c Milk Duds or caramels or chopped up candy bars
1 c Ghirardelli caramel baking chips or butterscotch chips
1 c or more Rice Krispies
1 c dark or semi sweet chocolate chips
Kosher salt for sprinkling
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350. Place butter into a 13 x 9 baking pan and place in oven while oven is preheating to melt you butter. As soon as butter has melted tilt pan so butter will cover pan evenly. Sprinkle your cookie crumbs evenly over butter and using a flat off set spatula press crumbs into butter to create a flat surface.
Combine pumpkin butter or pumpkin mixed with spices, condensed milk and rum. Stir well and pour over crumbs.
Top with Milk Duds evenly spaced, caramel baking chips and then Rice Krispies. Add one more layer with the chocolate chips and then sprinkle with salt.
Bake for about 35 - 45 minutes. Be careful that these do not burn. Remove from oven and let cool. (I think these taste better the next day, but that is up to you.
Denise Browning says
You had me at magic pumpkin bars. These look terrific!
Abbe says
Definitely they create the magic! Or so I've been told!
Tricia @ Saving Room for Dessert says
I haven't made Magic Layer bars in years but really want to try this pumpkin version! So perfect for fall and for company. Thanks Abbe! Pinning 😉
Juliana says
These bars look awesome, I am loving all the layers...I like the variety of textures...all in one bite.
Have a great week Abbe!
heather (delicious not gorgeous) says
love the sound of this pumpkiny twist on magic layer bars! same on the lack of trick or treaters - i had 4 bags of candy and *maybe* got through half of 1 bag.
sippitysup says
Halloween for the grown-ups! I like that and these are a great place to start. GREG
Susan says
We had a whopping 7 trick or treaters this year which means I have way too much candy in the house for our own good right now! I love pumpkin and what a great idea to make a great recipe into a seasonal one. I do love the sound of the rum in these!
Healthy World Cuisine says
These bars look dangerously delicious! Way better then eating left over halloween candy! Just pinned!
2 Sisters recipes says
I love magic bars and this is brilliant ! I am pinning it !!
Holly says
I do believe that I need to jump on this 7 layer bar idea-- it sounds magical and perfect to pick and choose the ingredients to suit your taste. I love that you added a touch of rum in this recipe to brighten the flavor. I much prefer this to candy!
Liz says
I love magic cookie bars and your autumnal version sounds wonderful!!! And lucky me has some Ghirardelli caramel chips in the pantry!