Pina Colada Seven Layer Bars

Pina Colada Seven Layer Bars 1/4 cup butter, melted (I use unsalted, but salted tames some of the sweetness) scant 3/4 cup graham cracker crumbs one 8-ounce can crushed pineapple, drained extremely well heaping 1/2 cup maraschino cherries, halved 1/2 cup white chocolate chips 1 cup sweetened shredded coconut flakes, measured loosely and not packed two-thirds of one 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk (eyeball it) Preheat oven to 350F. Line an 8-by-8-inch baking pan with aluminum foil, spray with cooking spray; set aside. Do not skip lining your pan because clean-up will be a beast. In a large, microwave-safe bowl melt the butter, about 1 minute on high power. Add the graham crackers crumbs and toss lightly with a fork to coat crumbs evenly. Turn mixture out into prepared pan, forming an even, smooth, flat crust layer by tapping crumbs into place with a spatula or your fingertips. The amount of crust is skimpy and barely covers the pan, but it’s okay. Evenly sprinkle with the pineapple, cherries, white chocolate chips, and coconut. Evenly drizzle sweetened condensed milk over the top. Bake for about 30 to 34 minutes, or until lightly golden brown around edges and barely bubbling in the center, and the center is mostly set. Keep an extremely close eye on bars in the final 10 minutes of baking because coconut can go from raw-looking to burnt in one minute. If necessary, tent the pan (cover pan with a sheet of foil) in the last 5 minutes of baking to help prevent coconut from burning. Place pan on a wire rack and allow bars to cool in pan for at least 2+ hours, or overnight, before slicing and serving. Bars firm up and will look less ‘juicy’ as they cool yet stay very soft for days. Bars will keep airtight at room temperature for up to 1 week, or in the freezer for up to 6 months.