The Magic Tree House is an educational and entertaining series of children's books written by Mary Pope Osborne. The series follows the adventures of Jack and Annie, two siblings who discover a magic tree house that can transport them through time and space. The Magic Tree House books are known for their blend of history, mythology, and fantasy. Each book takes Jack and Annie to a different time period or location, such as ancient Egypt, medieval Europe, or the American Wild West. Along the way, they encounter historical figures, mythical creatures, and solve puzzles or complete tasks to fulfill a mission assigned to them by Morgan le Fay, the magical enchantress who owns the tree house. The books are popular among young readers due to their engaging storytelling and educational value.
The books are popular among young readers due to their engaging storytelling and educational value. Osborne weaves in historical facts and cultural details, making the stories both entertaining and informative. Children can learn about different time periods, cultures, and historical events while following Jack and Annie on their adventures.
Ultimate Magic Cookie Bars
Ha! I can’t even finish typing that sentence. Of course you aren’t.
Well, we actually are taking a short break from cookies today. Cookie bars are on the menu and you’re absolutely going to love them.
Traditional Magic Bars, also known as Hello Dolly Bars or 7 Layer Bars, are a layered dessert bar with a crumbly graham cracker crust, then topped with layers of butterscotch, coconut, chocolate, and nuts. Everything sticks together from gooey sweetened condensed milk that caramelizes on top when baked.
In short… magic bars are everything you love all in one.
And today? I made them even better. That’s right. I went off the beaten path and made a traditional magic cookie bar… thicker, softer, overloaded, and downright ultimate!
So here’s what you’re going to do.
- Stop what you’re doing right now and start preheating your oven.
- Don’t make a traditional graham cracker crust (although that one sure is delicious!). Make a graham cracker butterscotch cookie crust.
- Layer that cookie crust with chocolate, coconut, and pecans.
- Flood the glorious layers with sweetened condensed milk.
Oh I can’t even handle it!
So… the crust. It might just be my favorite part about this recipe. It’s like a thick graham cracker with a super soft texture. If you’re anything like me, you crumble graham crackers up into your yogurt. No? Just me?
You’ll make the same graham cracker cookie bar that you made for these s’mores cookie bars. (Have you made those? Do it.) Add some butterscotch chips to it and pre-bake it for a quick 5 minutes while you get the other ingredients ready.
On top of the pre-baked crust, layer 1 cup chocolate chips, 3/4 cup shredded coconut, and 1/2 cup chopped pecans.
Guess what? You can play around with those amounts. Love coconut? Add a little more. Don’t like nuts? Leave them out and replace with more chocolate chips or coconut. There is plenty of room to play around with the toppings. Have fun with it! Kevin even suggested peanut butter cups next time. I knew I was marrying this man for a reason.
Top with 8 ounces of sweetened condensed milk, which is a little more than half of a standard 14 oz can. Before baking, I threw some extra butterscotch chips on top. I am a fool for butterscotch, aren’t you? I mean, have you tried my brown sugar butterscotch cupcakes?
Once the cookie bars are done in the oven, you have to let them cool. Now if you’re self control has never been tested before… it will be tested now. If you cut into the bars too early, the layers will fall apart and you’ll be left with a gooey mess. Which, umm… still tastes quite good if you ask me.
But seriously. Let the bars cool. Since I have zero patience, I sped up the process and stuck them in the refrigerator after 30 minutes of cooling on the counter. I suggest you do the same. The sooner you can dig in!
They’re soft, they’re thick, they’re chewy, they’re ultimate! Layers upon layers of goodness. So many darn tastes and textures. Your tastebuds will be in heaven. They’ll be the star of any dessert platter!
So what did we do with these bad boys? After sampling quite a few after the photo shoot, Kevin’s friend came over to visit. (I’m beginning to think that his friends come over just for the baked goods we always have around.) We sent him off with the rest of these ultimate cookie bars. I received a text shortly after.
“These won’t last the whole car ride.”
Yeah, I hear ya Dave. I hear ya.
Look at how they’re made and start some ultimate baking!
clock clock iconcutlery cutlery icon
folder folder icon
instagram instagram icon
pinterest pinterest icon
facebook facebook icon
print print icon
squares squares icon
heart heart icon
heart solid heart solid icon
In addition to the books, there is also a Magic Tree House website and a companion series called the "Magic Tree House Fact Trackers." The website offers additional games, activities, and resources for children to further engage with the series. The Fact Trackers provide non-fiction companion books that delve deeper into the topics explored in the main series, providing more educational content for curious readers. Overall, the Magic Tree House series is a beloved and influential children's book franchise that sparks imagination, curiosity, and a love for history and reading. Its combination of captivating storytelling and educational value has made it a staple in many classrooms and households around the world..
Reviews for "Embark on Incredible Adventures with Costco's Magic Tree House"
- John - 1/5 stars - I purchased the Magic Tree House book set for my children based on the high ratings and positive reviews, but I was utterly disappointed. The storylines were predictable and lacked originality. The characters were one-dimensional and did not resonate with my kids at all. The writing style was simplistic and did not engage their interest. I would not recommend this series to anyone looking for quality children's literature.
- Emily - 2/5 stars - I had high hopes for the Magic Tree House series after hearing so many good things about it. However, I found the books to be repetitive and formulaic. The same plot structure seemed to be used in every book, making them feel monotonous and uninteresting. Additionally, the writing style seemed to talk down to the reader, which I found patronizing. Overall, I was disappointed and would not continue with this series.
- Sarah - 1/5 stars - As an elementary school teacher, I was excited to introduce my students to the Magic Tree House series. Unfortunately, they did not live up to my expectations. The books lack depth and substance, and the characters fail to develop over time. The vocabulary used is too simple for the targeted age group, and there is a missed opportunity to introduce more advanced concepts. I would recommend exploring other children's book series that focus more on engaging storytelling and character development.
- Michael - 2/5 stars - My daughter was excited to start reading the Magic Tree House books, but I found them to be very repetitive and lacking in originality. The same formula is used in each book, which can become tiresome after a while. The characters and dialogue are also quite simplistic and lack depth. I would suggest exploring other options that offer more engaging and varied storytelling.