An apple layer added to traditional Hello Dolly Bars makes a memorable dessert

Who doesn’t love Hello Dolly Bars, those decadent delights with their layers of chocolate and butterscotch morsels, coconut, nuts, and graham-cracker crumbs, with sweetened condensed milk poured over all? And talk about ease of preparation—no batter to mix, little measuring—mainly layering ingredients in a rectangular baking pan, launching the pan into the oven, and then, after it bakes and cools, carving the cookies into bars. Simple and ver-r-r-ry sweet, putting things mildly.

But the September 2011 “apple-licious” issue of Southern Living, with its assortment of apple delights (the subject of several past blogs), went a step further and added chopped apple to one of those cookie layers. The magazine featured Apple Hello Dolly Bars as yet another way to dive into the season’s favorite fruit.

Wish I could say that the chocolate chips and butterscotch chips and sweetened condensed milk were all on the health-conscious list. But the addition of the apples certainly added a redeeming element to the mix. It also provided an extra layer of sweetness. I loved the smooth/crunchy combination as the baked fruit melded with the nuts and coconut.

You just can’t imagine the wonderful aroma while everything cooked! It bolted Hubby out of the shower, way in the back of the house, to inquire what was abrew. Unfortunately for him, his regular physical exam is only days away, so he will have to restrain himself from indulging in Apple Hello Dolly Bars until that little necessity is history. But what a wonderful treat to anticipate!

Apple Hello Dolly Bars

2 cups graham-cracker crumbs

1/2 cup butter, melted

1/2 (12-ounce) package semisweet chocolate morsels

1/2 (12-ouce) package butterscotch morsels

1 cup sweetened flaked coconut

2 cups peeled and finely chopped Granny Smith apples (about 1 pound)

1 1/2 cups coarsely chopped pecans

1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Stir together graham-cracker crumbs and melted butter; press onto bottom of a lightly greased 13-inch-by-9-inch pan. Layer semisweet chocolate morsels and next 4 ingredients (in order of ingredient list) in prepared pan; drizzle with sweetened condensed milk over all. Bake at 350 degrees for 40 to 45 minutes or until deep golden brown. Cool completely on a wire rack (about 1 hour). Cut into bars. Makes about 2 dozen.