Dreamy Raspberry Streusel Magic Bars

What are you making for your mom or the mom-like figure in your life this Sunday?

I have to admit that I am not making these. Well, maybe I did….but there is no remaining physical evidence to indicate that I did.

That’s right. I ate my mom’s Mother Day baked goods gift.

Oops. Love you, mumsy.

The frontal lobe of my twisted brain reasons that I am flying my own sweet little self back home for Mother’s Day, and that my mom will therefore have everything she needs (i.e. me). Plus, she won’t miss what she never, er, knew she was missing out on. Right?

Right? Who’s with me?

You’ll understand what I mean shortly. Skedaddle off to the kitchen and make these gooey, crunchy, cinnamony, sweet, and simple bars–I guarantee you, they won’t last you until Sunday. And if they do–well, you’re either a saint, or you’re a mother yourself and have the patience of a saint.

And if you are a mother, you should totally hoard the entire pan, because–well, it’s your day, and you can. And who ever needed a better excuse than THAT?

Happy (early) Mother’s Day to all the wonderful mothers who fill up our kitchens with warm aromas and our lives with lots of love!

Dreamy Raspberry Streusel Magic Bars

Adapted from a fantastic original recipe at Mom on Time Out

Ingredients:

• 3 cups graham cracker crumbs
• 2/3 cup white sugar
• 3/4 cup butter or margarine, melted
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 3 cups sweetened coconut, flaked
• 1 (14 oz.) can sweetened condensed milk
• 1 1/2 cups seedless raspberry preserves
• 1/3 cup semisweet chocolate (for drizzling)
• 1/3 cup white chocolate (for drizzling)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease 9×13-inch baking pan and set aside.
2. In a large bowl, combine graham cracker crumbs, white sugar, 3/4 cup melted butter, and 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon. Press lightly and evenly into bottom of prepared pan.
3. Sprinkle coconut over graham cracker crust, then pour sweetened condensed evenly over coconut. Bake in preheated oven for 20-25 minutes.
4. Remove pan from oven and cool completely. While waiting for bars to cool, make streusel topping (recipe to follow).
5. Spread raspberry preserves over cooled bars. Press prepared streusel lightly into the jam.
6. Place semisweet chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl and heat on high for 30 seconds. Remove and stir; return to microwave and continue heating at 20-second intervals, stirring between each, until chocolate is completely melted. Do the same for the white chocolate. Drizzle melted chocolates over the bars, then cut and serve!

For streusel topping:

• 1  cup all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup quick-cooking oats
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup butter or margarine, melted
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 3/4 cup chopped pecans or nut of your choice (optional–if you omit them, increase oats by 1/2 cup)

Directions

1.  Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
2. Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl. Press lightly onto a baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes, until light brown. Crumble while still hot; set aside to cool completely.
3. Press into the tops of your magic bars!