This got me thinking about all of the wonderful people in my life and how they do things, big and small, to make others happy. Yes, we can pay for the person behind us in the line at Starbucks...or put change in an expired parking meter, but there are ways to spread cheer and goodness without spending a penny.
Be an encourager. My Aunt Janice is my role model in this. I’m naturally cautious, a worrier, prone to see what could go wrong in any situation. Not Aunt Janice. She’s the best cheerleader. Always with something positive to say, always with interested in your latest endeavor, always in your corner.
You know what? Words of encouragement can give someone the confidence to pursue dreams…to step outside of a comfort zone…to write a cookie book! It’s true. I need to do more of it.
In honor of Aunt Janice, I’m making 7-Layer Cookies…on a stick…dipped in chocolate.
There’s a funny story that when I was a little girl, my Uncle Mike and Aunt Janice came to visit. We went to the beach and my mom packed 7-layer cookies. On the way home, I asked for another cookie. My mom said no, and I piped up with, “but Aunt Janice has eaten THREE!” Ha! No wonder she’s my favorite.
You might know 7-layer cookies as Hello Dollies or Magic Bars. They are a buttery graham cracker layer…
...topped with coconut…
…chocolate chips…
…butterscotch chips…
…sweetened condensed milk…
...and topped off with pecans.
Once they’re baked and cooled, you’ll insert a Popsicle stick that’s been dipped in chocolate and freeze them for a few minutes. Don’t worry if they start to crack when inserting the stick. They can easily be smooshed (technical term) back together.
Once set, you’ll dip in chocolate. It’s a wonderful thing.
My mom always served 7-layer cookies cold and these are best served cold as well.
Aunt Janice, I encourage you to eat as many of these as you like.
Chocolate-Dipped 7-Layer Cookies on a Stick
{makes 12}
1/2 cup Land O Lakes® Butter, melted
1 1/2 cups finely ground graham cracker crumbs
1 cup shredded, sweetened coconut
6 ounces semisweet chocolate chips
6 ounces butterscotch chips
14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk
1 cup finely chopped pecans
10-ounces dipping chocolate
Preheat oven to 350. Grease an 11 x 7” pan. Line with foil. Grease the foil.
Stir the melted butter and graham cracker crumbs together. Press into the pan. Layer on the coconut, chocolate chips, and butterscotch chips. Pour the sweetened condensed milk on top. Sprinkle on the pecans and lightly press.
Bake for 25 minutes. Remove to a wire cooling rack to cool completely. Refrigerate for at least one hour. Use the foil to remove from the pan onto a cutting board.
Use a bench scraper or a large knife to cut into 12 squares, slicing off the rounded ends if necessary. Place on a cookie sheet lined with waxed paper.
Place 1/4 of the dipping chocolate in a bowl and melt as directed on the package. Dip a wooden food-safe Popsicle stick in the chocolate, then into the center of each square. Freeze the squares for 5 minutes.
Melt the remaining dipping chocolate in another bowl. Before dipping, shake off any excess pecans. Dip the cookies into the melted chocolate. Place on a waxed paper lined cookie sheet in the refrigerator. Let set for at least 30 minutes. Serve cold.