My mom’s Magic Cookie Bars (also known as Seven Layer Bars) are one of my favorite childhood foods, so when I saw these Millionaire Magic Bars, I knew I had to make them. They take everything that makes a Magic Cookie Bar delicious – melty chocolate layers, a nutty crunch, chewy coconut – and amp it up with a delicate shortbread foundation and an even gooier texture. They’re every bit as good as they sound, and they’re also quite simple to create.

Unlike the traditional Magic Cookies Bars, they begin with a quick and easy shortbread dough rather than graham cracker crumbs. That means the foundation has a more buttery crumble and is a little sturdier, and it works well. Simply combine the dough, put it in your pan, and then line it with plastic wrap before pressing it into an even layer.

The shortbread layer bakes first, followed by the more recognizable layers of chocolate chips, coconut, pecans, and lastly a whole fourteen-ounce can of sweetened condensed milk. It all goes back into the oven to set, and unless you want a very gooey experience, it’s better to wait until they’re completely cool before slicing them. (We couldn’t wait any longer.)

Millionaire Magic Bars, like their layered cousin, is a thick and chewy, ooey-gooey, sweet feast, yet the shortbread foundation holds up so wonderfully to all that taste. They’re the kind of rich dessert that’s difficult to overeat, but it’s well worth the sweet indulgence!