These Cowboy 7 Layer Cookie Bars are a twist on the classic 7 layer bar inspired by discontinued Trader Joe’s Cowboy Bark.
I remember the first time it happened to me.
The pain.
And the drama.
All the tears.
What am I talking about?
The first time Trader Joe’s stopped carrying a product I really loved.
Back then it was mini meringues.
They were so tiny that you could eat 100 of them for a serving.
And when I was on WW…getting to eat 100 of anything sounds amazing (back then only two points).
Plus they were tasty.
It was powerful to hold a whole bunch meringues knowing I could eat them all. 🙂
They still carry the large ones but it wasn’t the same.
Soon after that I learned that many others like me suffered from this Trader Joe’s affliction.
Now I don’t eat Cowboy Bark often but I have many, many a friend addicted to it.
Last year I made Cowboy Fudge and that was really good.
I was recently at a gathering and someone served good old fashioned 7 Layer Bars, the kind I grew up with.
I’m not sure what made me decide to try and make the Cowboy Bark into a layer bar but I’m glad I did.
It has an Oreo (or Jo Jo) cookie crumb base.
Then topped with sweetened condensed milk.
Then toffee pieces, salted peanuts, almonds, chocolate chips, and pretzel thins.
If you are a Cowboy Bark junkie you will need to make these Cowboy 7 Layer Cookie Bar.
Especially since Trader Joe’s may stop making your bark one day with no warning.
It’s a great day to buy my cookbook.
Want more Bar recipes?
Strawberry Lemonade Lemon Bars
Chocolate Chunk Churro Cookie Bars
Butterscotch Walnut Meringue Bars
Cowboy 7 Layer Cookie Bars
Ingredients
- 1⁄2 cup unsalted butter, melted
- 1 ½ cups Oreo cookie crumbs
- 1 cup milk chocolate covered toffee pieces
- 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
- ½ cup peanuts (I used salted cocktail peanuts)
- 1 cup crush pretzel thins
- ½ cup almond slivers
- 1 (12 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 F.
- Combine the Oreo cookie crumbs and melted butter in a bowl.
- Press into the bottom of a 9-by-13-inch baking dish.
- Pour the sweetened condensed milk over the cookie layer.
- Sprinkle toffee pieces.
- Sprinkle almonds and peanuts.
- Sprinkle with chocolate chips.
- Sprinkle the pretzel chips.
- Press down the pieces with wax paper or a fork.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes.
- Let cool and cut into squares.
Jen says
You always have the best titles. I love that they are never boring like cheese soup or banana bread.
As someone who has suffered a Trader Joe’s loss this cracks me up so much. It’s true that I live in fear they will take away my favorites at any time.
So need to make these bars.
Martha Thomson says
I pretty much stopped shopping at Trader Joe’s when they discontinued my favorite coffee…..clearly they have carried on quite well without my shopping dollars, but I felt I had to take a stand.
These bars look like heaven to me so I’ll be making them ASAP
Peabody says
Way to take a stand! Though I do believe you are right…they may still be open for business. 🙂
Mary Pisarkiewicz says
YUM! I want to add coconut, so good!
Khamekka Hubbard says
Hi Peabody,
I thoroughly enjoyed my first visit to your site. Your recipes look amazing but in your cowboy 7 layer bars there is no mention of what to do with or when to put in the pretzel crumbs. I really want to make these ASAP as I am a fat kid & I need them in my life LOL. I anxiously & impatiently await your response 😁
Peabody says
Sorry, we just moved and I was out of internet for over a week. I fixed the recipe. Hopefully, you made them though as you can kind of tell from the photos that they go on top.