Amaretto Coconut Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars

If you’re all about counting calories, then you’re not going to like me very much. But if you’re into chocolate and deliciousness and saving money, then I have a recipe for you — a dessert made with ingredients from the dollar store.

These Amaretto Coconut Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars are an ooey-gooey, easy-to-make dessert that will only set you back a few bucks per batch.

(And for the record, since I’m trying to lose weight and get healthy, I only had a tiny nibble of one of these — a crumb really — as I was slicing them to take photos. But I served them to my parents and they were a big hit, and I sent the whole pan home with them.)

You thought the dollar store was only a go-to source for crafting, party and home decor supplies? That was pretty much my impression, too, until my friend Barb of The Everyday Home threw down the gauntlet. She challenged some bloggers to whip up a dessert as part of her monthly Great Dollar Store Challenge series.

The catch: at least half of the ingredients had to be purchased from the dollar store.

Each of my co-hosts, Sondra Lyn of Sondra Lyn at Home, Sharon from Bringing Creativity 2 Life, Trina with A Few Miner Adjustments and Barb of The Everyday Home, are sharing dessert recipes, too. There’s also a link party so you can participate in the challenge and share your dollar store dessert. More on that later.

My Amaretto Coconut Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars, are a new take on magic cookie bars or 7-layer bars. With the exception of the butter, all the ingredients were purchased at my local Dollar Tree.

To make these, you’ll need butter, a package of chocolate chip cookie mix, sweetened condensed milk, coconut, chocolate chips and Amaretti Macaroons Italian Biscuits.

Those Italian biscuits are what makes this dessert — as far as I could tell from the little nibble I tasted. My mom said she loved the almond flavor they gave the chocolate chip cookie bars. If you can’t find these particular cookies at your dollar store, Graham crackers or any cookie or shortbread will do. In fact, I think it would be fun to experiment with different cookie crusts for this recipe.

So, are you ready for the recipe? These are very easy to make, and they’re something different to take the next time you’re asked to bring a dessert to a potluck.

Serve them right out of the baking pan. Or fancy things up by cutting them into squares and serving in cupcake wrappers. Be sure to add a side of milk or coffee.

Yield: 16 cookie bars

Ingredients

• 1 cup Amaretti Macaroons Italian biscuit crumbs
• 1 stick butter
• 8.5 ounce package Betty Crocker Chocolate Chip Cookie Mix
• 1/2 can sweetened condensed milk
• 6 ounces semisweet chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup sweetened, shredded coconut
• 1 TBS water

Instructions

1. Preheat over to 350 degrees.
2. Line a 9-inch square baking dish with parchment paper or coat thoroughly with cooking spray.
3. Pulse Amaretti cookies in a food processer until coursely ground.
4. Melt 1/2 stick of butter and add to cookie crumbs, mixing until coated.
5. Press cookie crumbs into the bottom of your greased or parchment-lined baking pan.
6. Top with chocolate chips and coconut.
7. Pour sweeteneed condensed milk over chocolate chips and coconut.
8. Prepare cookie dough, according to package directions, using 1/2 stick of softened butter and 1 Tablespoon of water. Mix well until a soft dough forms.
9. Spread cookie dough over the chips, coconut and sweetened condensed milk.
10. Bake for 35 minutes or until cookie dough is set.
11. Remove from oven and allow to cool before cutting.

Notes

You may substitute Graham crackers, shortbread or any type of cookie for the Amaretti cookies to make the crust. Feel free to experiment with different flavors of baking chips and cookie mixes, as well.

Can you say yum?

Who knew the dollar store was such a culinary treasure trove!

I know you’re going to love the other desserts my cohosts cooked up as part of this challenge.

Black Forest Dump Cake from The Everyday Home

Mandarin Orange Pie from Sondra Lyn at Home

Great Grandma Helen’s Chocolate Syrup from A Few Miner Adjustments

Shamrock Brownies with a Surprise Inside by Bringing Creativity 2 Life

Be sure to visit them all to add more thrifty, delicious dessert recipes to your repertoire.

And don’t forget to pin mine for your next potluck.

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Now it’s your turn.

**Please make sure you link back to Atta Girl Says, The Everyday Home or one of the co-host blogs.**

** Please make sure at least half of your ingredients came from the dollar store.**

Thanks for sharing your sweets!

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